Two beef farm tours have been announced to showcase the innovative thinking behind some of the UK’s progressive operations within the sector.
The tours have been confirmed in the Darlington area for Wednesday 27 May, ahead of the Beef Expo 2020 taking place the following day.
One of the tours will look at the Suddes family, who have farmed at South Farm, Cornsay for over 100 years.
Sitting at 900ft, the 800-acre unit carries 120 pedigree Limousin cows.
Pedigree bulls are sold at Carlisle and also local auctions, including Darlington and Hexham.
Those not suitable for breeding are finished on home-grown rations and sold live at 12-14 months old through Darlington market.
Of the 800 acres, 500 are arable and the remainder are pasture.
External to the home farm, a further 400 acres are worked on a shared farming basis, and the farm’s contracting business drills and combines a further 600 acres. All crops are established using no-till.
The second farm to be toured is Bracken House, Melsonby, which has been farmed by the Richardsons since 1916.
Totalling 780 acres, the business has always finished cattle, sourcing cattle live from local markets.
The farm finishes between six and seven hundred head per year, split between bulls and steers.
Finished bulls are sold live at Darlington market, the steers are sold deadweight through Woodheads or ABP.
In 2004, Bracken House was only the second farm in the UK to build a Roundhouse, with another being added in 2019.
The two Roundhouses hold a total of 390-head, and have integrated handling systems. The family also own and operate Lowgrange Quarry Ltd.
According to the National Beef Association, the farm tours represent an 'additional and informative element' to the exhibition taking place the following day.
Drawing in 4,000 beef farmers annually, the Beef Expo is considered a major showcase for pedigree and commercial breed societies who want to promote the quality of their cattle.
