FARMERS interested in taking advantage of new green markets have been invited to check out the latest technology at a renewables open day in Loughry Campus, Cookstown. The day-long event today (Thursday) is aimed at farmers, growers and those interested in developing renewables opportunities.
It is a joint venture involving the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute, the Ulster Farmers Union, Action Renewables, Carbon Trust and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.
Among the presentations will be one on the renewable crops that can be grown in Northern Ireland, the economics of generating electricity from wind power and the economics of installing a biomass burner.
Taking part in a question and answer session will be John Gilliland, sustainable development commissioner for Northern Ireland, Graham Furey, deputy president of the UFU, Tom Morrow of the Irish Farmers Journal and David Bell of Invest NI.
Bad weather brings more cattle
ADVERSE weather conditions resulted in a larger than usual seasonal sale of 500 store cattle with quality cattle continuing a steady trade, whilst plainer or poorly grazed animals were harder to clear.
Top prices recorded as follows.
Fat cows: A Fulton, Dromore – 550kgs £91, 530kgs £86; D Bell, Rock – 550kgs £90; M Flanagan, Belleek – 810kgs £87, 750kgs £80
Ed Rankin, Killen – 780kgs £88; L McBarron, Enniskillen – 620kgs £87; M Quinn, Dromore – 660kgs £83 , 620kgs £78; Hugh Colton, Dromore – 650kgs £81; Robert McCormack, Fintona – 660kgs £81 , 670kgs £80; B Campbell, Trillick – 740kgs £80; Bert Jones Ederney – 570kgs £80, 570kgs £77.
Prices at Gortin Mart
A FULL yard of sheep at Gortin Mart on Monday night sold to a seasonal trade.
Top prices as follows;
Fat Lambs: A McCreery £56 (36kg) J.W.Brian £52.50 (26kg) M.Mc Kenley £50 (25kg) S Brogan £50.20 (26kg) H Sheers £50.20 (221/4kg) , £46 (231/2kg) F&K Johnston £50 (26kg).
Store Lambs: E McCullagh £40.80 P McGirr £40 D.Y Moss £39.80 P Keenan £38 F McBride £37.50.
Breeding Hoggets: J Henry £98 P Montague £80, £77, £76 W Bloomer £69, £68 L Ward £70 Y Logan £84, £62 C McGlone £89, £86, £85.
Fat Ewes: M O'Hagan £44.20 R&A McKelvey £43.80 J Sharkey £43.50 H Bell £40.80.
Business is top dream job
A POLL of over 2000 jobseekers reveals that the dream job for the majority of respondents is to own their own business. More people want to become entrepreneurs than pilots, a more conventional childhood ambition, which was the second choice.
The survey also revealed that traditional professions such as medicine and law are being shunned in favour of accountancy, banking and finance.
Accountancy was the third most popular career choice and banking and finance was the ninth most popular choice, scoring more highly than law. Medicine didn't even make the top ten of dream jobs.
