Ballymena school promotes beef production the sustainable way

It is vitally important to retain the economic and social link between beef production and rural communities. This is the main theme of the project the three-strong finalist team of Thomas O’Kane, Conall McCafferty and Peter Graham, from St Louis Grammar School in Ballymena, are working on as part of the 2018/19 ABP Angus Youth Challenge. The competition is organised by ABP in association with the Northern Irish Angus Producer Group to develop agri-skills in teenagers interested in a working in the sector.

Thomas, Conall and Peter all hail from faming backgrounds in the Ballymena area. Their participation as finalists is supported by St Louis’ geography teacher Louise Gildea. She is quick to confirm that it has taken on a life of its own within the school as a whole, adding

“The boys’ involvement in what is a programme that takes in a full two years has created an interest in farming that I have never seen in the school before.

“All of this is extremely positive and we would like to build on it for the future.”

Specifically, Louise and the team members feel that much more focus should be given to production agriculture as a curriculum subject that is made available to pupils right across Northern Ireland.

“Currently, the school offers a BTEC qualification in agriculture. However, this is only recognised by a certain number of third level institutions as an official entry qualification. This issue needs to be reviewed by the colleges and universities,” Louise further commented.

Thomas, Conall and Peter have just finished their GCSE year. They were coming to the end of their first term in Year 11 when they submitted their entry into the competition by way of a video. Thomas takes up the story:

“Our submission was entitled ‘Reconnecting with Our Rural Roots’.

“The reason for taking this approach reflects the sentiments expressed in television ads used so successfully at the time of the US Super Bowl and themed: So God made a farmer.”

Conall pointed out that the school’s success in reaching the final stage and the programme they are now engaged in has removed a stigma attached to farming, which he felt existed at St Louis up to that point. He continued:

“There are over 1,000 students attending the school, many coming from rural areas.  Yet very few have a direct family involvement in farming.

“Our success to date has helped put farming in a more positive context throughout the school.  And this is a good thing.”

Peter confirmed that all three team members would like to follow careers in farming and food.   

“We are totally aware of the central role that agriculture continues to play in rural communities here in Co Antrim and beyond. It is our intention to further reflect this priority and the need to ensure that beef production remains at the very heart of the rural economy.”

The four finalist teams will be judged later this year on the projects they have been working on and their ability to rear five cross bred Angus cattle from the weanling stage right through to finishing. The St Louis team agreed the cattle would be accommodated on Thomas’ family farm. The cattle were awarded to the boys by ABP at the Balmoral Show 2018.

“We are very happy with the progress they have made to date,” Thomas explained.

“Our plan has been to get as much performance form grazed grass, both last year and this.

“The cattle will be on the farm until the Autumn this year. They will be put on their finishing ration over the coming weeks.

“The three of us have been equally involved in the management of the cattle. We have also availed of advice from Arthur Callaghan, Blade Farming NI Co-ordinator for ABP in Northern Ireland.”

The sustainability of Angus cross cattle is a key message to be promoted to the farming community by the St Louis team as part of the Angus Youth Challenge.

“Issues that we will be addressing include the fact that Angus cattle are easy to manage and they finish quickly off grass,” Thomas confirmed.

“All of this adds up to a lower Carbon Footprint when it comes to producing beef from Angus cross animals.”

He continued:

“It is also important to get a strong message across to consumers, where Angus cattle are concerned. The meat is of a superior quality.

“We will be highlighting the role of the Farm Quality Assurance Scheme, which plays such an important role in delivering consumer certainty across the entire beef chain.”

ABP’s Arthur Callaghan had this to say on the boys steady progress to date,  “The boys have shown great stockmanship skills and the best practice approach they have taken with these calves, such as superior grassland management and a stringent health plan will ensure that the cattle reach their target specification in a very efficient manner.''

“We have been delighted with the response from the education sector about the benefits of this competition. The good news is that teenagers from post-primary schools, clubs and societies across Northern Ireland now have the chance to compete for a place on the 2020-2021 programme.”

ABP Angus Youth Challenge finding favour in Co Fermanagh

We caught up over the summer with one of the successful teams currently participating in our finalist programme from Enniskillen Royal Grammar. Here’s how they are getting on:

Home Economics teacher, Heather Kettyle, is quick to praise the scope and unique feature of the ABP Angus Youth Challenge.   She believes that the competition has had a unique impact with all the students attending the school and the community at large throughout Co Fermanagh.

She said:

“Our school has a very rural catchment area. Yet very few of our pupils come from active farming families. To find that link, there is a requirement to go back a generation.

“However, the success of our team in reaching the final stage of the competition has succeeded in re-kindling an awareness of just how important farming and food is to this part of the world. 

“The entire school is delighted that the four-strong team directly involved has succeeded in qualifying for an 18-month skills development programme with ABP. Everyone is working hard to ensure that we feature prominently when the finalists are judged later this year.”

Heather has direct experience of knowing what it is like to be directly involved in beef production. Her husband James runs a very successful suckler beef enterprise on the outskirts of Enniskillen.

The team co-ordinating the Enniskillen Royal Grammar ‘assault’ on the ABP Group Angus Challenge comprises Aaron Flanagan, from Lisnaskea; his sister Anna, Thomas Kerr, from Ballinamallard and James Ritchie, another native of Lisnaskea. Both Thomas and James come from working farms.

The competition is organised in association with the Northern Irish Angus Producer Group. It provides the finalist teams with two key challenges. The first is to manage five weanling Angus steers and a heifer through to finishing weights in the most efficient way possible over an 18-month period. The calves were awarded by ABP to the first set of finalists just over a year ago at the Balmoral Show. They will profit from their sale to ABP at finishing in the Autumn.

The second challenge is to research innovative ways of enhancing the beef supply chain across Northern Ireland. This latter project will be adjudicated on, courtesy of a final presentation made by each of the finalists in 2020. So, it’s a long-term commitment on the part of both the schools and ABP over which time the participants mature and develop a range of skills.

After the weanling calves were presented to the ERG team it was agreed that they would be maintained on the Ritchie family farm.

“Everyone on the team has had a full and equal say regarding the management decisions that have been taken,” he said.

“The cattle wintered well and have really come into their own since getting out to grass earlier in the year. They will be put on their finishing ration in a few weeks’ time.

“But priority number one is to keep them at grass for as long as possible.”

Anna reflected on just how popular the animals have been with all the pupils at the school.

“First-off we named them. The roll of honour is Arthur, Angus, Betsy, Polly and Rosie: two steers and three heifers.

“They really have been the centre of attention at the school. Many pupils attended the weigh-in of the calves after they came off grass last year.

“Their presence at the school also encouraged the hosting on a non-uniform day, which helped raise over £2,000 for the Northern Ireland Air Ambulance.

“The calf named Angus also made a guest appearance at our 2018 School Sports’ Day. The event was re-named the Lakeland Games, given the focus that was placed on several competitions that would feature at the Highland Games in Scotland. 

But, in addition to the photo opportunities, the members of the Enniskillen Royal team, have put some very serious thought into the work they will include within their final report – upon which they will be assessed later this year.

James takes up the story:

“Our intention is to highlight how relevant the Angus breed can be to the beef industry in Co Fermanagh.

“Up to this point, the cattle would not feature that prominently within suckler herd in this area.

“We feel this is an issue which should be actively addressed by farmers, many of whom keep their herds on heavy ground.”

He continued:

“There is a bonus available for Angus cattle, given the quality of the meat they produce. In addition, breeding bulls produce relatively small calves, which make them very suited to the conditions which prevail right across Co Fermanagh.

“The relatively short gestation period of the Angus breed also makes it very suited to spring calving suckler herds, where producing a calf every 12 months is critical to the success of the entire operation.

“Angus cattle tend to be more docile, making them easier and safer to work with, from the farmer’s point of view.”

To back up their assertions on Angus beef quality, the Enniskillen Royal Grammar team carried out meat sensory and taste tests last year.

“This work confirmed the benefits of Angus beef in this regard,” said Thomas.

“We have concluded that the Angus really does have something positive to offer farmers in Co Fermanagh.”

But the team members now want to build on this, as Aaron pointed out.

“Our plan is to get out over the coming months and discuss these matters with farmers on the ground across Fermanagh,” he said.

“We will be including the responses they give us in our final presentation.”

Meanwhile, ABP is delighted with the impact the Angus Youth Challenge is having right across Northern Ireland.

“Encouraging young people into our industry is something ABP is committed to. There are opportunities right across the entire scope of the beef sector, from primary production through to processing and marketing,” commented ABP’s Head of Supply Chain Development, Liam McCarthy.

“The ABP Angus Youth Challenge was conceived as a means of encouraging teenagers to consider working within our sector and to put their skills to best use across the industry as a whole.”

He continued:

 “Critically, the ABP Angus Youth Challenge not only has a strong focus on how best to manage cattle on farm but it is offering participants a well-rounded skills development opportunity in preparation for the world of work.

“As part of their development programme, we have taken the finalists on a farm to fork study tour to ABP in Great Britain. We have also helped them develop their digital communications and presentation skills through a training academy hosted by a leading media company.

“All of this is CV-enhancing and will stand them in good stead for when they leave full time education and are seeking job opportunities in agri-food.

“The feedback from teachers is extremely positive. They have cited the impact the competition is having on their pupils’ engagement with education and learning. They have told us it is offering those who may not be interested in the traditional extra-curricular activities of sport or music a way to gain recognition and excel at something they are passionate about.”