AFBI Announce Plans for Major Dairy Open Day at Hillsborough

The Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI) will be holding a major Dairy Open Day at Hillsborough, on the 6th June this year. The theme will be Dairy Innovation 2018 - Profiting from AFBI Research

The Open Day will be run in partnership with AgriSearch and CAFRE and will feature current research work at AFBI in support of the dairy sector.  This will provide the opportunity to view the latest research and also to discuss how AFBI scientists are using the latest technologies to find new ways of optimising farming practices.  Dr Sinclair Mayne (AFBI CEO) commented “Given current and future market uncertainties, AFBI’s research is addressing new opportunities to control production costs, increase production efficiency and thereby enhance the competitiveness of the dairy sector in Northern Ireland. This Open Day is an important part of our strategy of engaging directly with farmers and the industry to ensure that the industry gains maximum benefit from our research, and will be held in conjunction with our partners in AgriSearch, Queen’s University and CAFRE”.

Key aspects which will be highlighted include the latest research on  soil and fertiliser management and grass varieties to maximise grass production. A major focus of the event will include strategies to optimise the utilization of grass within environmental sustainable production systems and opportunities to achieve efficiencies at each step of the dairy production cycle, from birth onwards.

A further novel feature of this year’s Open Day will be a ‘Research Village’ with many other demonstrations on topics such as ‘Animal Health and Welfare’, ‘Forage Management’, ‘Enhancing Food Quality’ ‘Precision Farming’ and ‘Managing Nutrient Losses’.  This will include a demonstration of slurry separation at the newly built Nutrient Management Centre.

This is a ‘not to be missed’ occasion to note in your forward planning for the summer.

Notes to editors: 

1. Photo Caption: The AFBI Hillsborough scientists who are coordinating preparations for the open day at the Hillsborough research farm are (L-R) Drs Conrad Ferris, Debbie McConnell, Stephanie Bijus, Steven Morrison and David Patterson, with Prof Trevor Gilliland (behind).
2. AFBI carries out high quality technology research and development, statutory, analytical, and diagnostic testing functions for DAERA and other Government departments, public bodies and commercial companies.
3. AFBI's Vision “Advancing the Local and Global Agri-Food Sectors Through Scientific Excellence”.
4. All media enquiries to AFBI Press Office

Share this page