Plans unveiled for Spring walk

The Greenmount Association Annual Spring Farm Walk and AGM will take place on Wednesday 4th May 2016 commencing at 1pm on the 290 acre beef enterprise farm of Artie Birt, (30 Deerpark Rd, Portaferry, BT22 1PN).
By The Newsroom
Published 28th Apr 2016, 09:03 BST
Updated 28th Apr 2016, 10:09 BST
The Birt Family (L-R) Artie, sons Eamonn, Artie "g and father Arthur Birt Snr. out making final preparations ahead of the Greenmount Association Spring Farm WalkThe Birt Family (L-R) Artie, sons Eamonn, Artie "g and father Arthur Birt Snr. out making final preparations ahead of the Greenmount Association Spring Farm Walk
The Birt Family (L-R) Artie, sons Eamonn, Artie "g and father Arthur Birt Snr. out making final preparations ahead of the Greenmount Association Spring Farm Walk

No stranger to hosting farm walks Artie’s farm, situated in the heart of the Ards Peninsula consists of 170 spring block calving suckler cows with all progeny finished with a strong focus on AI.

He mainly utilises Simmental, Limousin and Charolais genetics with all replacements calving at 24 months, with only two sweeper bulls required on the farm.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Typically 40 heifers are synchronised and AI’d to an easy calving maternal Simmental sire with the aim of introducing new bloodlines for future replacements. All beef produced on the Birt Farm is supplied to the ABP Food Group.

Artie has been involved with both AFBI and Teagasc in a recently completed two year research trial on benefits of “AI and synchronisation” in herd management, and is still involved in ongoing trials with AFBI on a similar theme. Artie has also participated in research on paddock grazing and aims to reseed 10% of the farm annually.

He has also had the Sainsbury’s Carbon Footprint audit carried out for the past seven years.

Artie recently delivered a presentation at the Teagasc National Beef Conference in Athlone on ‘Optimising use of AI in the suckler herd’.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

When not farming Artie finds time to sit on the Sainbury’s beef steering group which meets four to five times a year as well as being the area co-ordinator for his local buyer group. Artie’s commitment to progressive and efficient farming techniques paid off last year when he was awarded the 2015 ‘NI Beef Farmer of the Year’.

A buffet supper followed by the AGM will take place at the Saltwater Brig, Kircubbin. The buffet will cost £10.

If you are interested in attending can you please inform Jackie McCann (028 9442 6725) stating whether or not you will be staying for the buffet.

Related topics:AGMSpringPortaferrySimmental