Royal Welsh sustainable grass event at Trawsgoed

The Royal Welsh Agriculture Society’s annual Sustainable Grass and Muck Event will be held at Trawscoed farm at the end of May.

The event is part of Ceredigion’s year as the society’s feature county.

With 150 acres put aside for demonstration machinery, the event will give grassland farmers the chance to see the latest silage-making machinery in action.

It will also feature demonstrations of efficient and effective spreading of slurry and farmyard manure.

The significance of the event in the agricultural calendar is a sign of the importance Welsh farmers place on producing and harvesting sustainable, high quality and home-grown forage.

Speaking ahead of the event, which will be held on Thursday 30 May, Wyn Evans, who is a Fellow of Royal Agricultural Society and Chair of the organising committee said:

“We are pleased to be working with Aberystwyth University and look forward to welcoming farmers from across Wales and beyond to Trawsgoed, where the latest information and sustainable technology will be showcased.

“We are also grateful for the support of our two main sponsors DeLaval and Germinal, and for the generous support of all other sponsors.”

Aberystwyth University is internationally recognised for its plant breeding programmes, as well as its research expertise in animal and crop science.

Its research farm sites, including Pwllpeiran, Gogerddan and Trawsgoed, extend over approximately 1200 hectares and serve as innovation sites.

Trawsgoed is a 436 hectare farm consisting of flat land at about 60 metres above sea level in the Ystwyth Valley, rising to grazing at about 280 metres above sea level. It also has 100 hectares of managed woodlands comprising native trees and conifers.

The University’s other agricultural centres include the Pwllpeiran Upland Research Centre and the £40.5 million AberInnovation and Enterprise Campus, a cutting-edge hub that offers state-of-the-art research and development laboratories and expertise to businesses in the biotechnology, food and drink, circular economy and agri-tech industries at its brand-new facilities.

Professor Jon Moorby, Chair in Livestock Science and Director of Sustainable Farming Systems at Aberystwyth University added:

“It’s a great privilege to welcome such an auspicious event in the farming calendar to one of the farms. We’re looking forward to seeing everyone.”

In addition to the machinery demonstrations, the event will feature plots showing different grass varieties, farm tours, trade stands and technical seminars.

Catering units and a licenced bar will be in attendance, with evening entertainment also provided.

Early bird tickets are available from the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society’s website at a discounted rate: www.rwas.wales/grasslandevent