Bigger and better than ever was the verdict on the National Beef Association’s annual national beef event, Beef Expo 2007, held last Thursday (May 17) at Skipton Auction Mart, Yorkshire.

© CCM Auctions

The event attracted an estimated 6000 beef producers from throughout the UK and Ireland, plus around 100 overseas visitors.

Almost £500,000 of export business for British pedigree beef cattle was generated on the day with more to follow.

“It has been a fabulous event for the beef industry and has attracted a record attendance of beef farmers anxious to see what the future holds for them,” said Jim Bloom, Decoy Farm, Scorborough, Driffield, who chaired the organising committee.

“Trade stands were doing real business and the various practical demonstrations and seminars held throughout the day were well attended.”

Mr Bloom said most exhibitors had bought into the “Action for Profit” theme of the event and he hoped beef producers would have gone home with a clearer understanding of how production costs could be trimmed and value added to their product by better marketing and meeting the market spec.

“The whole object of the day was to help producers improve the profitability and sustainability of their farming businesses,” he said.

Mr Bloom said beef producers faced difficult times in the immediate future but he was confident better times would lie ahead as food shortages began to bite. He was particularly pleased that the conference held on the afternoon before the event had brought all sectors of the industry together on one platform as a better dialogue between everyone in the supply chain was vital for the future of the industry.

The event attracted a record 160 trade stands – 30 more than last year – as well as 23 beef breed demonstrations. The award for the best breed society exhibit went to the Limousin breed with Charolais reserve.

The mainline sponsors were CCM Skipton, who hosted the event at Skipton Mart, Dugdale Nutrition, Dunbia, EBLEX, Intervet, Keenan, KW Alternative Feeds, British Limousin Cattle Society and Yara.

Mr Bloom paid tribute to sponsors, trade stand exhibitors, breed societies and his organising committee whose hard work had ensured the success of the event.

 The National Spectacular Show of suckled calves, held as part of Beef Expo with Caltech as main sponsor, attracted an entry of 112 top quality from 42 exhibitors – compared with 72 at the inaugural show last year – and drew warm praise from the judge, Hugh Dunlop, Holehouse, Ochiltree, Ayrshire, who has won the supreme championship at the Royal Smithfield Show on no fewer than three occasions.

“It was a very good show of cattle and an outstanding championship line-up,” said Mr Dunlop.

Exhibitors were competing for a total of £4000 prize money in the 10 classes, including a cash prize of £800 for the supreme champion and £550 for the reserve.

Top award went to Welsh exhibitor, Tecwyn Jones, Ty Newydd Nebo, Llanrwst, with a 402kg Continental cross heifer, Black Beauty, and the reserve to the second prize winner in the same class, the 384kg Angel from the Rice family, 2 Church Garth, Carlton Yeadon.

In the Yara open stockjudging competition, the first prize of £400 and the Yara Perpetual Trophy was won by Neville Harrison, Lancashire.

Lancashire also came out top in the Duke of Northumberland young farmers’ stockjudging competition with the first prize in the senior section of £500 and Duke of Northumberland Perpetual Trophy going to Trevor Dobson, and the first prize in the junior section of £200, sponsored by the British Charolais Cattle Society, and the Beef Expo Rose Bowl, to Thomas Harrison. Both winners also receive an all-expenses paid trip to this year’s Royal Smithfield Fair at Shepton Mallet, courtesy of the Royal Smithfield Club.

The master judge was Michael Winchester, procurement officer with meat processors, Woodhead Bros, which is part of the Morrison supermarket group.

• It was announced that next year’s Beef Expo 2008 will be held at Perth Agricultural Centre at Huntingtower Park, Perth, courtesy of United Auctions, on May 20 and 21.

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