Respected Ayrshire hill farmer Stevie Guild is guest speaker at the event which will focus on improving the profitability of sheep farming and in particular ewes, the breeding females at the heart of the sector.

Organised by specialists from Scotland’s rural college the free meeting will attract farmers keen to know more about the respected farming business at Ashmark.

Mr Guild keeps Blackface sheep and Saler cattle, originally a French hill breed. By crossing some of his hardy Blackfaces with a Blue-faced Leicester ram or tup Stevie produces mule lambs, much in demand as breeding stock by farmers on less difficult ground than the hills around Cumnock.

He regularly tops the sales at markets in the South West of Scotland.

The meeting is supported by the Scottish Government’s Farming for a Better Climate initiative It seeks to find practical ways of reducing the impact farming has on global warming and helping the industry adapt to an already changing climate.

Ayr-based Robert Ramsay, of the college's consultancy department, said : “We are focussing on efficiency and increased production.

“The area around Cumnock cannot grow good yields of crops like cereals so the best way to convert its grass into something humans can eat is to feed it to livestock like cattle and sheep.

"Obviously they produce methane but if we improve our farming efficiency we get more kilos of meat for each litre of methane and lower farming’s carbon footprint.” Those attending will be able to hear Mr Guild's approach to hill farm production, as well as discussing the results of research at the college’s own hill farms near Crianlarich where electronic identification and wifi has helped improve sheep management and selection.

While the meeting is free it will help those arranging the catering if those planning to attend register buy contacting Linda O’Neill in the Ayr SAC Consulting office on 01292 525252 .

Visit www.farmingforabetterclimate.org for more information.