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In a herd visited today outside ballyconnell, co. Cavan. 250 Ayrshire and Ayrshire cross cows were presented for scanning. Overall reproductive performance was excellent with average herd calving interval reaching 370 days. Milk yields are approximately...
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The annual Lincolnshire Horse Trials takes place in March at the Lincolnshire Showground at Grange de Lings. Olympic hopefuls will be heading the line up at this year’s Lincolnshire Horse Trials, with up to 700 competitors expected to take part...
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Speaking in oral evidence to the EFRA committee on 1st February, SAM, Defra's new, all singing but not dancing, computer system gets a mention in the last few minutes of the video. More of that session in a separate posting. But to save you ploughing...
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Ok, after much neglect, I have decided to get back into the swing of things blogging. Quick update: I started Newcastle University in October reading Ag with Farm Business Management. Since then, I've never stopped. It's proving to be great fun...
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Stand aside jubilee! Almost by accident I remembered that 2012 is the seventieth year that Farm Services has been in existence. It’s a long time, and I can’t think of another drainage contractor who has been around for so long a length of time. I’m the...
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On a farm visit outside Kilgarvan, Co. Kerry today. The client presented 80 suckler cows for reproductive assessment. Of the 80 cows scanned, in excess of 70 were in calf between 20 to 100 days, with the rest being embryonic deaths, poor uterine repair...
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Visited a dairy farmer in North Tipperary. This client presented a group of cows where calving dates were required. A number of the cows were confirmed pregnant between 90 and 190 days. This would leave them calving between July and August. These cows...
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Whilst I was away there was a tragedy. A sneaky four legged fiend got into the hen house. It was a massacre, we had 24 hens and now there are only 10. I’m kind of glad I didn’t see the carnage, it must have been horrible. I know a fox has to eat too but...
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Just back from collecting seaweed to spread on the raised beds. Needs chopping finely with the petrol hedge cutter. I look forward to that tomorrow! Newspaper Rural Rambling Column in the Journal next week tells of of Stockbrokers, Hogs, Spaniels and...
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Whilst beef farmers breathe a sigh of relief that farmgate prices for cattle have improved, there is a cloud on the horizon in the shape of falling beef eating. In the 12 weeks prior to Christmas the amount of beef bought from shops plunged by 9 %. And...
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Author Name: Farming Futures Bangor University is taking a survey of expert opinion on the potential effectiveness of a range of mitigation options for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from sheep farms.
Their first survey, carried out at the end of 2011...
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Author Name: Farming Futures The Environment Agency has taken on a lead delivery role for Government to help organisations plan for the effects of a changing climate. The Environment Agency is currently working to develop a programme of work, to begin...
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Last week, all livestock keepers in SW England received a letter, explaining new changes and "why they are necessary". Now 'change' - if not undertaken for the sake of it - usually implies improvement, but with Government in general...
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Not so many bulls about farms these days, particularly the dairy herds. Before the advent of Artificial Insemination, you often reared a bull calf out of one of your own best cows, the resultant heifers coming into your herd and completing their first...
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On a farm visit outside Derry, today. We scanned a herd of Holstein dairy cows for reproductive assessment. While I was there a cow was calving. The cow was previously scanned by me as carrying twins. The first calf born had all the clinical signs of...
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Visited a Holstein breeder County Clare. This herd of Holstein cow is an exception in terms of type and fertility. The rolling herd average on this farm is 14, 000 litres. One of the cows presented is in her fourth lactation and has produced over 14,000...
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Temperature below freezing over-night so no need to start work until at least ten in the morning as everything will be too frozen. One of the perks of the job in winter - that's the optimistic way to view things. I shall have a lie in. Excellent....
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The boss is away and I’ve been left in charge. This is quite a daunting prospect as things tend to keel over as soon as she goes away. Today disaster is averted though when I spot Beechnut acting oddly at Wallace field. She is up near the fence and looks...
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Mr and Mrs Basserole remembered - from 2008! I'm sure they are still at it today. Read More...
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Visited a client in County Derry. He had a cow that had been presented on a previous scanning visit, where an AI straw was placed deep in 1 of the uterine horns. I advised the client that this would leave the cow infertile. I advised him to have the cow...
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The following is a press release from RASE its regarding a soils and water survey there would like farmers to complete. You may remember that I posted a blog about attending a meeting about trying to get a conference and some practice on-farm demonstrations...
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Today we worked hard at obtaining individual and group responses to a number of environmentally-focused, taxing questions. First up was a detailed and testing examination of the long-term environmental and social benefits of a major plank of New Zealand...
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Rotorua is where the hot springs are – it is of course strange for us to see steam rising from holes in the ground, or at least to catch the rotten egg smell that goes with it.. It does seem to linger and catches you even when there is apparently no bubbling...
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On "Weeding The Web" - thanks to Helen Gazeley. Read More...
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" Can you take a half-eaten sandwich through security, I wondered, and would security be drawn to my bag like a trout to a fly?" More to come. Watch this space. Read More...