Livestock top stories BEEFStruggle for survival revealed in wide-ranging beef surveySome 66% of beef producers will have difficulty in surviving without the farm subsidy – and only 33% reckon their beef enterprise makes a profit every year. This is according… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Mind whirring with five days of silage leftI’ve got the mower on and greased up ready for tomorrow, 16 April. Although, as I write this looking out of the window, I could do with a few more… GRASSLAND MANAGEMENTWhy Gloucs dairy farmer is adopting longer-grass grazingA Gloucestershire dairy farmer is adapting her grazing management to make her farm more resilient as the climate changes, improving her soil health and reducing reliance on inputs. Third-generation farmer… GRASSLAND MANAGEMENT6 tips for managing this year’s first-cut silageSlurry stores are full and forage stocks are running dangerously low on many farms. While grass is generally growing well, many fields remain vulnerable to damage by poaching and machinery.… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Applicants for skilled pig staff hard to findTwo years ago, I wrote about the disappointing start we had experienced farrowing the first of our then, new, Landrace gilts. These pigs are the dams of our home-bred commercial… SHEEPHow Ayrshire hill farm runs sheep for £11 a eweA total cash cost of less than £11 a ewe is helping a family business buy hill ground in Ayrshire. Strict culling in a low-intervention system and accepting the environmental… BEEFWhy a Durham beef finisher is adding Wagyu placesA Durham farming family is erecting a new shed to expand its Wagyu-cross beef enterprise by 30%. The Medd family hopes to lift cattle capacity to about 650 head by… Livestock news SCHMALLENBERGSchmallenberg survey calls for farmers to take partVirology researchers at the University of Nottingham are calling for farmers to complete their latest Schmallenberg impact survey. The study, carried out by researchers at the university’s School of Veterinary… SCHMALLENBERGFarmers say more data needed on Schmallenberg impactFarmers are calling for a more definitive method of recording cases of Schmallenberg virus, as the true extent of the issue remains largely unrecorded. Sheep farmers across the country have… LIVESTOCKThe Hokey Cokey method: How to make flocks lamb only by dayThis story was published on 1 April as an April Fool's joke Sheep farmers can look forward to a stress-free lambing in future after a groundbreaking study revealed how to… HEALTH AND WELFAREStock health and welfare grant window opensLivestock farmers have until 1 May to bid for machinery grants of up to £50,000 to improve farm output and animal health and welfare. Applications periods for all three strands… More articles Explore livestock Know How Business advice Essential guides Practical tips Case studies Dairy Beef Sheep Pigs Other livestock Grassland management Slurry and manure management Explore all topics Latest from livestock Know HowSee all GRASSLAND MANAGEMENTWhy Gloucs dairy farmer is adopting longer-grass grazingA Gloucestershire dairy farmer is adapting her grazing management to make her farm more resilient as the climate changes, improving her soil health and reducing reliance on inputs. Third-generation farmer… GRASSLAND MANAGEMENT6 tips for managing this year’s first-cut silageSlurry stores are full and forage stocks are running dangerously low on many farms. While grass is generally growing well, many fields remain vulnerable to damage by poaching and machinery.… SHEEPHow Ayrshire hill farm runs sheep for £11 a eweA total cash cost of less than £11 a ewe is helping a family business buy hill ground in Ayrshire. Strict culling in a low-intervention system and accepting the environmental… BEEFWhy a Durham beef finisher is adding Wagyu placesA Durham farming family is erecting a new shed to expand its Wagyu-cross beef enterprise by 30%. The Medd family hopes to lift cattle capacity to about 650 head by… SHEEPHow cobalt deficiency tests led to higher lamb weightsA split trial on a Dorset farm highlighted a 3.52kg uplift in weight gain and reduced susceptibility to worms in lambs supplemented for cobalt deficiency. The result of the trial,… GRASSLAND MANAGEMENTWhy simple herbal ley mix benefits Durham mixed farmGovernment clarification that growing one herb, one legume, and one grass together qualifies as a herbal ley under the Sustainable Farming Incentive is grist to the mill of a County… HEALTH AND WELFARELameness in beef cattle: Effect, causes and treatmentCattle lameness is a significant welfare and economic problem facing the livestock industry. Most of the focus has been on lameness within the national dairy herd, where there is a… LIVESTOCKHow to prioritise livestock tasks and be more productiveLivestock farmers who value their time and want to get more out of their business – and life – should aim to perform like an elite athlete. Instead of a… FEED AND NUTRITION6 things to watch out for in wet spring maize campaignMaize growers should be prepared to address soil compaction and drill later if required after a record-breaking period of rainfall. The wettest 18-month period across England in recorded history could… PIGSHigh-welfare focus attracts staff to award winner's pig unitA strong focus on animal welfare has attracted new staff to a Norfolk pig farmer’s outdoor pig business. As a result of his win at the Farmers Weekly Awards, Guy… CALVINGWhy portable milkers can ease stress at calvingUsing a portable milking machine in the calving pen is the easiest and fastest way to harvest a cow’s first colostrum and avoid having to move a newly calved cow.… HEALTH AND WELFARE5 ways to ensure a safe and successful beef calvingUnderstanding basic principles of animal behaviour and physiology can help farmers develop a functional and safe calving system. Rarely a year goes by without Health and Safety Executive records showing… FEED AND NUTRITIONAdviser warns against three silage inoculant claimsAn independent silage specialist has sparked industry debate by raising concern over information given to farmers about silage additives, which he claims are ruining forages. Dr Dave Davies of Silage… CALVINGHow two herds have reduced incidence of stillbirthSelective breeding, addressing mineral status and transition management are just some of the ways beef and dairy farmers can minimise costly stillbirths. Perinatal mortality (stillbirth) is defined as the death… BEEFHow an intensive beef finisher has cut carbon footprintA Welsh beef finisher is demonstrating that making structured progress towards net zero is achievable in an intensive farming system. Dylan Jones, who farms on Anglesey in partnership with his… DAIRYCould a Saturday teenager work on your farm?A traditional rite of passage into the world of work for schoolchildren could be a solution for livestock farmers trying to attract new people into the industry. Employing a Saturday… Outwintering livestock Video: Outwintering system hopes to beat £163 a cow savings Eliminating winter housing for cattle: options compared Why diverse forage mixtures could improve outwintering Benefits of winter sheep grazing for silage performance Meat markets and pricesSee all MEAT MARKETS AND PRICESStore cattle hit £2,000 a head peak at Scots auction martsScottish livestock farmers have been receiving higher returns for store cattle at auction markets so far this year, with prices consistently above the same period in 2023. Store cattle prices… MEAT MARKETS AND PRICESExport trade adds nearly £2bn in value to UK red meat sectorUK farmgate prices for beef, pork, and lamb are all being bolstered by valuable global export markets for red meat. Speaking at the Association of Independent Meat Suppliers (Aims) annual… MEAT MARKETS AND PRICESRecord-breaking lamb trade hits peak but stays above £8/kgThe spike in demand for lamb from Easter and Ramadan may be passing, with Eid al Fitr ending proceedings on 10 April. However, deadweight lamb prices have continued to hold… MEAT MARKETS AND PRICES'Vet attestation' rules for meat exports to be tightenedUK farmers will be barred from exporting non-assured livestock or products derived from them to the EU from next week, unless they have a vet-supplied declaration that their animals have… MEAT MARKETS AND PRICESPromising signs for pig producers with uplift in EU marketTighter supplies and improved demand in Europe may help to lift UK finished pig values, after several months of idle prices. Industry reports suggest that demand is improving both in… MEAT MARKETS AND PRICESUK finished pig prices stabilise at 211p/kg amid tight supplyFinished pig prices have remained at about 211p/kg deadweight during the past nine weeks as processors continue to resist any upturn. UK prices peaked last summer at 225p/kg deadweight and… Livestock communitySee all FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Mind whirring with five days of silage leftI’ve got the mower on and greased up ready for tomorrow, 16 April. Although, as I write this looking out of the window, I could do with a few more… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Applicants for skilled pig staff hard to findTwo years ago, I wrote about the disappointing start we had experienced farrowing the first of our then, new, Landrace gilts. These pigs are the dams of our home-bred commercial… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Outdoor calving of heifers hinges on weatherThe arrival of two sets of twin calves early on the morning of 7 April signalled the start of calving for 2024. Their smooth delivery brought a little optimism for… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Teaser rams gave us busy lambing fortnight Another lambing season is behind us. I must admit, it hasn’t been the best one we’ve ever had. We started off this year with a better-than-usual scanning percentage of 160%.… Dairy GRASSLAND MANAGEMENTWhy Gloucs dairy farmer is adopting longer-grass grazingA Gloucestershire dairy farmer is adapting her grazing management to make her farm more resilient as the climate changes, improving her soil health and reducing reliance on inputs. Third-generation farmer… GRASSLAND MANAGEMENT6 tips for managing this year’s first-cut silageSlurry stores are full and forage stocks are running dangerously low on many farms. While grass is generally growing well, many fields remain vulnerable to damage by poaching and machinery.… PARASITIC DISEASESGrazing dairies urged to help develop parasite forecast modelDairy farmers with cows at grass can help researchers investigate parasitic disease in grazing herds by giving permission to have their milk tested. Liverpool University postgraduate student and University Centre… FEED AND NUTRITION6 things to watch out for in wet spring maize campaignMaize growers should be prepared to address soil compaction and drill later if required after a record-breaking period of rainfall. The wettest 18-month period across England in recorded history could… CALVINGWhy portable milkers can ease stress at calvingUsing a portable milking machine in the calving pen is the easiest and fastest way to harvest a cow’s first colostrum and avoid having to move a newly calved cow.… HEALTH AND WELFARE5 ways to ensure a safe and successful beef calvingUnderstanding basic principles of animal behaviour and physiology can help farmers develop a functional and safe calving system. Rarely a year goes by without Health and Safety Executive records showing… FEED AND NUTRITIONAdviser warns against three silage inoculant claimsAn independent silage specialist has sparked industry debate by raising concern over information given to farmers about silage additives, which he claims are ruining forages. Dr Dave Davies of Silage… CALVINGHow two herds have reduced incidence of stillbirthSelective breeding, addressing mineral status and transition management are just some of the ways beef and dairy farmers can minimise costly stillbirths. Perinatal mortality (stillbirth) is defined as the death… LIVESTOCK DISEASESFarmer and vet survey aims to clarify lungworm resistanceCattle farmers and vets can help scientists understand whether resistance is developing in a deadly nematode by completing a survey. The Control of Worms Sustainably (Cows) group has launched the… DAIRYCould a Saturday teenager work on your farm?A traditional rite of passage into the world of work for schoolchildren could be a solution for livestock farmers trying to attract new people into the industry. Employing a Saturday… HOUSING AND HANDLINGA guide to giving cows grazing-level comfort indoorsGrazing-based herds may be housed for as little as two or three months a year to maximise the potential of grass intakes. As a result, they often have to make… DAIRYHow carbon audit kick-started dairy’s net-zero ambitionImproved slurry storage and an increase in milk from forage have helped a Cumbrian dairy farm cut its carbon footprint by one-third. When the Dunning family first looked at Raisgill… Advertisements Livestock machinerySee all BALERS AND WRAPPERSNovel Staheli West baler attachment adds moisture to dry hayWith a prolonged hiss and machines briefly shrouded in vapour, a US commercial hay grower’s baling outfit is ready to get to work. Conditions may not be ideal; it’s a… GRASSLAND AND MAIZE EQUIPMENTDutch dairy installs powered silage clamp cover rollersThere can’t be many jobs in farming more dreaded than sheeting and unsheeting silage clamps, with mere mention of the task sending friends and family scuttling off to other “more… TELEHANDLERSUltimate guide to buying a telehandler 2024The 2024 edition of Farmers Weekly’s Ultimate Guide to telehandlers and telescopic wheeled loaders of all shapes and sizes features a number of new and updated models – as well… MACHINERYBorders contractor geared up to bag over 9,000t forage/dayThere used to be plenty of contractors offering a forage-bagging service, but the dedication required to run these machines efficiently means just three players remain. One of those is Hawick-based… Most popular this week
