04 June 2008

First year Higher National Diploma (Agriculture) and BSc Agricultural Technology students on the U.P.L.A.N.D.S. (Uniting the Production of Livestock and Nature Development for Sustainability) ‘learning by doing’ project at Greenmount Campus, CAFRE, gain management responsibility for the College’s hill farm livestock enterprises comprising some 1200 sheep and 100 suckler cows.

Students report twice per year to the U.P.L.A.N.D.S. Advisory Board which is composed of representatives from, LMC, financial institutions, veterinary practitioners, and commercial farmers. At these sessions, students up-date the Advisory Board on the enterprise performance and discuss farm policy. This provides the students with a valuable learning opportunity to develop both their technical and interpersonal skills, much in demanded by employers. Advisory Board meetings also provide students with invaluable opportunities to benefit directly from the knowledge and experience of those working within the industry in such areas as breeding, nutrition, health, production and marketing.

At the most recent U.P.L.A.N.D.S. board meeting, students gave a range of presentations and fielded questions on various aspects of Glenwherry enterprise performance. A wide range of topics were addressed including: genetic improvement in Scottish blackface, trace mineral supplementation and ewe fertility, forage brassica for store lambs, suckler herd fertility, suckled calf performance, indoor/outdoor lambing, suckle herd performance and  replacement heifer management. Presentations also addressed enterprise physical and financial performance. The importance of cross compliance and environmental management on the Hill Farm was also discussed.  

Students highly value the ‘lively debate ‘around herd performance and policy and think that the ‘Enterprise Management experience puts theory into practice and is also very good preparation for the work place’. ‘Assisting with the management and lambing of 1200 ewes was deemed an experience not to be missed!’

For further information on the full range of courses provided by the College, visit our webpage on courses at CAFRE or for enquiries phone Freephone 0800 0284291.

By Dr Mark Carson, Lecturer, College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise, Greenmount Campus

HND Agriculture student Jonathan Butler (Portrush) briefs members of the U.P.L.A.N.D.S. advisory board and fellow students, at a recent board meeting, on flock management and performance at Glenwherry

HND Agriculture student Laurie Brown Ellis (Omagh) outlines the calving performance of the spring calving suckler herd to the Advisory Board members and fellow students at the recent U.P.L.A.N.D.S. Board day