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

CAFRE students “learn by doing” as an essential part of their studies.  For example, students on the HND Agriculture and BSc Agricultural Technology courses have a choice from the CROPS, LIMO, CREAM and UPLANDS enterprise projects.  These projects provide valuable practical and enterprise management experience; they add a level of technical specialisation and development of interpersonal skills much in demand by employers.  Choosing the UPLANDS option (Uniting the Production of Livestock and Nature Development for Sustainability) means that the students are closely involved with the husbandry and management of the CAFRE hill-farm sheep and suckler cow enterprises.

Students report twice per year to the UPLANDS Advisory Board.  This group is composed of commercial farmers as well as representatives from LMC (Livestock and Meat Commission), financial institutions and veterinary practice. At these sessions students update the Advisory Board on the enterprise performance, discuss farm policy and provides students with an invaluable opportunity 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 UPLANDS board meeting, students gave a range of presentations and fielded questions on aspects of ewe management and flock physical and financial performance. Suckler herd management and performance was also addressed. Of special interest on this occasion was the progeny from the use of the Rissington Highlander maternal rams on the Texel cross Blackface ewes. This is part of a new technology project to investigate easy care traits in the hill environment. A student also informed the board of excellent improvements in lamb output and potential financial returns achieved from the pure Scottish blackface flock. Through the adoption of a five family breeding policy, the use of specially selected high index performance recorded rams and by identifying and culling unproductive ewes board members were informed that in only four years the income from a Blackface ewe could be improved by over £14. The Advisory Board was then given the opportunity to view the Aberdeen Angus sired calves from the suckler herd and Rissington Highlander bred lambs.

Students regard the enterprise management option as a valuable module within their course, ‘Enterprise Management experience puts theory into practice and is also very good preparation for the work place’

For further information on the full range of courses provided by the College phone Freephone 0800 0284291.

Dr Mark Carson (CAFRE, Greenmount), Clare Magowan ( Rathfriland ), Ian Buchanan ( Dungiven), Ian Gibson ( Broughshane ) and David Kwasniewski (Omagh) discuss sheep management at Greenmount Hill Farm, Glenwherry.  

Paul McDonagh (Tempo), Ian Stevenson (LMC), John Craig (Crumlin) and Shane McDonald (Tempo) discuss suckler herd management and performance at Greenmount Hill Farm, Glenwherry