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Predicting the Future for Scottish Livestock and Dairying - SAC Outlook Event, Riverside Campus, Ayr

SAC News Release Ref. No: 11N118
Published: 10 Oct 2011

Friesian dairy cow lying in a field (opens in new window)

Few businesses find forecasting the future easy just now and livestock farmers are no exception. Volatile world markets for everything from dairy products to livestock feed and fuel is raising costs and making planning difficult. So on the evening of Tuesday 25th October SAC (Scottish Agricultural College) is holding a meeting in their new Riverside Campus at Ayr where a selected group of specialists will give their view of what lies in store for the livestock sector, including the dairy farming Ayrshire is renowned for.

The Ayr meeting is the first of SAC’s annual series of Outlook Roadshow events explaining the latest market trends and analysis to rural businesses around Scotland. In his keynote address respected dairy farmer Jim Baird, of Nether Affleck, Lanark will give his opinion on the way forward. Jim has just returned from a study trip to New Zealand so he will be adding an international perspective to his vision for Scottish dairying. In his own business milks 300 cows, but he is also involved with a milk marketing co- op and industry body DairyCo.

Supporting Jim Baird are two SAC experts. Dr Dave Roberts heads SAC’s Dairy Research Centre at Crichton, Dumfries. Studies there involve nutrition, environmental management and animal welfare issues so Dr Roberts is in an ideal position to review the latest thinking about  herd management.  Douglas Bell, with SAC’s Rural Policy Centre, is an experienced consultant with a wealth of practical experience. He will review the latest cattle and sheep market trends and signals, as well as giving his perspective on the forthcoming CAP reforms.

There will be an opportunity for the audience to question the speakers. Many UK dairy producers  are deciding to leave the sector while others are convinced the future is worth investing in. There is scope for lively debate.

SAC’s series of Outlook events are part of SAC’s Success through Knowledge campaign. SAC acknowledges support for Knowledge Transfer and Exchange from Scottish Government and the Scottish Funding Council.

Anyone wanting further information should contact the SAC offices in Ayr and Perth or ken.rundle@sac.co.uk or lisa.macdonald@sac.co.uk (0131 535 4008). While the event is free some idea of the numbers attending would help those planning post event refreshments.

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News Release Contacts

SAC Contact

Farm & Rural Business Services - Ayr
SAC (Scottish Agricultural College) Work JF Niven Building, Auchincruive,
Ayr
KA6 5HW
TelWork 01292 525252
Fax 01292 525146

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News Release Issued By

Mr Ken Rundle
Senior Communications Officer
SAC (Scottish Agricultural College) Work SAC, King's Buildings, West Mains Road,
Edinburgh
EH9 3JG
TelWork 0131 535 4196

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