All from last 7 days MEDICINES5 steps to reduce antibiotics use in your pig herd Having a low level of antibiotics use of 1mg/population-corrected unit (PCU) – compared with the industry average of 131 mg/PCU (2017) – may seem like a hard task, but for… ROOT CROP HARVESTERSDewulf unveils 150t/hour Field LoaderRoot crop and spud kit specialist Dewulf has launched a stand-alone Field Loader that is able to process up to 150t/hour. Tipping trailers can unload directly into the transfer machine's… LIVESTOCKFree app launched to measure your calf growthCalf rearers looking for a free way of monitoring individual and group calf growth rates on their smartphone have a new tool available from a leading milk replacer manufacturer. Volac’s… HEALTH AND WELLBEINGFarming Community Network sees stress-related calls soarRural support charity, the Farming Community Network (FCN), has reported a sharp increase in the stress-related calls it has received, as farmers continue to struggle with the effects of the… COMPLIANCE'Spy in the sky' used to spot illegal farm water abstractionThe Environment Agency (EA) is trialling using light aircraft in a bid to spot water abstraction infringements, with the East Midlands becoming the first area to be surveyed by a light… FEED AND NUTRITIONAdvice on winter feeding dairy animals amid forage shortagesDairy farmers face potential feed deficits this winter as the dry spell continues to hamper grass growth rates. But it is not to late to bridge those gaps. Many farmers… CULTIVATORSHow, why and when to mole drainSoggy fields, ruts deeper than your wellies and bubbling water from broken drains are all telltale signs your field drainage could do with a boost. It’s only in a wet… MEAT MARKETS AND PRICESCheap imports drive biggest pig price fall for eight weeksPig prices have continued to decline as cheaper imports from the continent put pressure on the competitiveness of UK pork. Low-cost pork from Denmark, Holland and Belgium has been appealing… HEALTH AND WELFAREVet Viewpoint: Advice on dairy heat stress and Johne'sUnsurprisingly, the heatwave has raised issues for vets across the UK. Rob Davies from Camarthenshire and David McCrea from Cumbria are both warning farmers to beware of heat stress and… TAKING STOCKBeaufort Friesian herd hits 3,000gns at SedgemoorA total of 50 different purchasers yielded strong trade for the milking and in-calf portion of the famous Beaufort herd of British Friesians at Sedgemoor on Thursday (16 August). Bull… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: New beginnings after a quarter of a centuryThis week marks quite a change for me. After 25 years as an employee of Farmcare, I have now transferred to manage a new contract farming company, owned by one… COMPLIANCELivestock record errors biggest reason for BPS penaltiesLivestock identification and recordkeeping errors are proving to be farmers’ Achilles’ heel when it comes to meeting cross-compliance rules, according to analysis of last year’s inspection results. Defra has published… HARVESTHarvest 2018: Wheat harvest under way in the northThe wheat harvest is only just starting for some growers in the North while for others further south, only a few standing crops remain. However, there are some concerns over… CROPS MARKETS AND PRICESOilseed rape trade likely to peak by end of the yearOilseed rape producers should consider marketing a significant proportion of their 2018 crop before the end of the year to capture the highest prices, a trader has advised. Average ex-farm… ESTABLISHMENTOSR growers advised not to rush into drillingOilseed rape growers are being urged to wait for the right conditions for drilling rather than rushing in, as going by calendar date could risk establishment and next year’s yields.… WHEATWheat genome advance opens door to better varietiesA consortium of more than 200 scientists has mapped the complete wheat genome, opening up the way for the faster development of varieties with higher yields, improved disease resistance and… YOUNG FARMERSYoung sheep farmers share tips on year-round lamb marketingBritain’s next generation of sheep farmers are taking the lead in promoting home-grown lamb as a healthy and sustainable choice for shoppers. These young industry representatives – aptly named “lambassadors”… LIVESTOCKNine anti-inflammatory drugs for farm animals suspendedVeterinary authorities have suspended a group of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs containing diethanolamine (DEA) following a European ruling the products pose a health risk to consumers. The Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD)… HARVESTVideo: Winter wheat harvest success for Hands Free HectareThe Hands Free Hectare team has successfully harvested the world's first winter wheat crop to be grown by robots. The project, which first set out to grow and harvest a… NEWSOpinion: Is Countryside Stewardship worth the hassle?When our second Entry Level Scheme (ELS) expired in 2015, we stood in the front rank of farms ready to automatically transition into the new Countryside Stewardship (CS) process. Perhaps… DIVERSIFICATIONFW Awards: 2018 Diversification Farmer of the Year finalistsDedication, ingenuity and strong leadership are common traits among this year’s finalists, who have each identified a marketplace and created successful diversified businesses in just a small number of years.… NEWSSurvey: Farmers hopeful despite longer term uncertaintyMore than three-quarters (76%) of farmers feel fairly or very optimistic about their business prospects in the next six months – despite the obvious challenges caused by a lack of… FARMLIFEFlindt on Friday: Why don't dogs die of old age any more?“What about Argos?” I cried, halfway through my vast breakfast of bacon and eggs. Hazel simply thought I’d spent too long in the combine cab, and took no notice. She… LAND MARKETSThe perks and pitfalls of marketing your farm privatelyA rise in the number of farms sold off-market has been a sustained trend for many years. Strutt & Parker reports 20-25% of sales are now conducted off-market, while Carter… TAKING STOCKMuslim festival lifts demand for older lambsLamb prices were stoked by 10-15p/kg this week as some producers saw lambs fitting Qurbani specification make more than £2/kg. A somewhat disappointing July lamb trade has been improved by… More articles
