All from last 24 hours GRANTS£1m Scots fund opens for large-scale biodiversity projectsScottish Natural Heritage is offering funds for ambitious and innovative ideas to improve habits, safeguard species and encourage increased access to nature. The first year of the Biodiversity Challenge Fund… COVER CROPSHow a Dorset farmer grows cost-effective cover cropsDorset grower John Martin, together with Kings Seeds, has designed his own cover crop mix, which provides the maximum benefit to his calcareous soils while also being cost-effective. He was… CROP WATCHCrop Watch: Hungry crops get first spring fertiliser doseMany crops are receiving their first fertiliser dressing of the season to kick start growth and build up canopies. Fears of last year have prompted farmers to get fertiliser on… PEST MANAGEMENTFlea beetle decimates OSR leading to hive relocation headacheOne of Britain's biggest beekeepers says he must relocate hundreds of hives because cabbage stem flea beetle has destroyed so much oilseed rape this season. Perthshire-based Murray McGregor turned to… NFU CONFERENCENFU19: Food production must be priority, government toldFarm leaders have warned the government that domestic food production must be a strategic priority at what is a critical time in British history. The warning is contained in a… NEWSCalls for calm after Aussie farmer fires shotgun near vegansAustralian minister for agriculture David Littleproud has branded an online map published by animal rights group Aussie Farms, showing the location of livestock farms and abattoirs across the country, an… ENVIRONMENTAL SCHEMESCSS application window opens with simpler process promisedThe 2019 Countryside Stewardship (CS) Scheme is open for applications in England, with the government claiming to have taken further steps to make the scheme less bureaucratic. Improvements for 2019… LIVESTOCKHow to achieve an efficient dairy breeding programmeIt is essential to understand the primary and secondary signs of heat in order to achieve accurate and efficient heat detection. Getting it right is a challenge that involves a… GRASSLAND MANAGEMENT7 top tips for managing tracks and water when grazing stockOutwintering stock or even just getting them out as early as possible in the spring can have huge benefits, particularly in terms of cost saving. However, if careful attention isn’t… TRAILERSHorsch adds two lorry-mounted haulage kitsHorsch has added two lorry-mounted haulage kits to its logistics range – one for shifting seed and granular fertiliser and another for moving liquids. The two new units join the… FEED AND NUTRITIONTrial shows high iodine cow diet can hinder colostrum uptakeA survey of iodine supplementation in beef herds has revealed that over supplementation pre-calving can negatively affect calves’ ability to absorb colostrum. A collaborative research project between Moredun Research Institute,… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Fears over pig prices fall and high feed costsThe pig job is starting to get seriously worrying. We have had well over a year of falling pig prices and feed prices have moved in the opposite direction. As… HEALTH AND WELFAREGuide to inactive vaccine administration for pullet rearersLike many of the processes in poultry farming, bird performance is tied to getting the basics right. The inactivated vaccine administration at point of lay is no different, with a… HOUSING AND HANDLINGAdvice on cleaning free-range poultry shedsPlanning turnaround and the logistics is a big undertaking. But a well-executed clean can help set a new free-range flock off to a flying start. Andrew Watson of Bowler Eggs… BOVINE TBCurrent UK TB rules - and what's coming nextDefra and its devolved counterparts announced a series of tougher bovine TB rules in the past months in a bid to control the disease, which continues to see tens of… More articles
