Visitors gear up for cutting-edge Grassland UK event

Visitors and exhibitors are gearing up for next month’s Grassland UK event, with grass growth now flying in the warm spring weather.

More than 8000 visitors from across the UK and further afield are expected to attend the event near Shepton Mallet, Somerset, on May 7, to see cutting-edge technology and forage machinery in action. “Grassland UK is a one-stop shop for livestock farmers who want to get the most from their forage,” says Alan Lyons, Head of Shows at the Royal Bath & West Society. “It covers everything from new grass varieties and reseeding equipment to harvesting, ensiling, feeding, and muck spreading.”

The event will see around £16m worth of equipment in action across the 100-acre site, with clamp and muck spreading demonstrations taking place throughout the day. In addition, visitors will be able to discover the latest developments from more than 140 exhibitors from every sector of the industry.

Sponsor Origin Fertilisers has been sampling the grass at the host farm on a regular basis and will be presenting the results of on-site selenium fertiliser trials at the event. Agrii, which is also sponsoring the event and reseeded the grass, will be demonstrating how its precision farming team SoilQuest scanned and mapped the site to develop the targeted nutrient programme.

Other new products on display will include an ultrasonic grass meter, a heavy-duty telehandler, a compacting forage trailer, and a new weighted silage cover. Farmers looking to transfer large amounts of silage without a trailer will be fascinated by JW Fabrication’s massive new freestanding conveyor, while bar-coded bale wrap will enable others to keep tabs on different quality round bales.

The ever-popular seminar programme, sponsored by the British Grassland Society, DairyCo and Eblex, will cover a wide range of topics, from grassland weed control and precision farming to compaction alleviation, protein from forages, drainage, and CAP reform.

“Held on a working farm in Somerset, Grassland UK covers the full range of forage production, from seeds to feeds,” adds Mr Lyons. “With both dairy and livestock margins under immense pressure it is increasingly important for farmers to get the most from their grass, and this event will help them to do exactly that.”