TEN teams of Yorkshire farmers will learn on Monday whether they have won a trip to a huge agricultural festival in Canada.

Three-man teams have been rearing eight black-and-white bull calves as part of the Askham Bryan College year-long “fantasy farming beef league” competition.

The contest has seen the farmers devise methods based on advice given to them in monthly lectures at the York college’s National Beef Training Unit, where the animals are kept.

Each team, consisting of one dairy farmer and two beef farmers, has competed to produce the best product and make the most profit.

Their choices are based on the performance and cost-effectiveness of ten different feed rations, both cereal and maize diets. The winning team will be rewarded with a trip next July to watch the Calgary Stampede, which attracts more than a million visitors.

The league has been run by the college in conjunction with Asda and Anglo Beef Processors.

Monthly lectures for the competitors included a study tour to Holland earlier this year.

Oliver White, project co-ordinator and the college’s research officer, said: “The project has taught farmers new skills which have already changed and improved the efficiency of their farming practices. Building on the success of this, we hope to run a similar project next year.”

He hoped the competition would encourage farmers to breed more bull calves, many of which, particularly in the foot-and-mouth crisis, were of too little value to be regarded by dairy farmers as anything but surplus to requirements. But now the price has gone up to between £80 and £100 per calf and rearing has become more worthwhile.

Mr White said: “The trouble is that many farmers stuck to tried and tested traditional techniques of rearing and nutrition passed down to them by their grandparents.

“Scientifically-based techniques are often better than relying on family wisdom.”

Monday’s announcement of the winners takes the form of a conference at Askham Bryan College at which Dr Jimmy Hyslop, beef consultant at the Scottish Agricultural College and Dr Mary Vickers, beef specialist for the English Beef & Lamb Executive, will speak.

Entry for farmers is free, but places are limited. Contact Mr White on 01904 772223 or email oliver.white@askham-bryan.ac.uk