All from last 7 days CRIMEVideo: Farms turned into fortresses to battle rural crimeFarmers from Ambion Contractors Ltd, near Sutton Cheney in Leicestershire, in the shadows of the Bosworth battlefield, are engaged in their own battle – the constant fight against rural crime.… LAND MARKETSLand with forestry potential sees unprecedented pricesHill farms and bare land with the potential for planting trees have achieved unprecedented prices due to competitive bidding from commercial forestry investors. This rise in demand was the biggest… FOOT HEALTHHow to minimise claw horn lesions at calving timeExtra attention to cow comfort around the calving stage is vital to minimise sole ulcers and sole haemorrhage, according to a leading vet and clinical researcher. Dr Reuben Newsome of… FLINDT ON FRIDAYFlindt on Friday: ‘Slow farming’ - a tonic for the spiritNothing beats a bit of “slow farming”. We’ve done weeks of rushing round like mad things with high-speed drills and even faster 24m sprayers (yes, I know that’s small these… MEAT MARKETS AND PRICESScare stories turning people off red meat, says QMSMedia stories about the role red meat production plays in global warming and its links to bowel cancer are having a negative impact on consumption. According to new independent research… ROOT CROP EQUIPMENTScotts reponds to diquat ban with bigger haulm toppersScotts Precision Manufacturing has added a wider model to its haulm topper line-up in response to the burgeoning demand caused by the banning of diquat. The Trinity 30B will be… BUSINESSDivorce law changes set to simplify the processNo-fault divorce is to be introduced into law in England and Wales when the Parliamentary timetable allows, following a decades-long campaign for change. This significance of this should not be… BREEDING AND FERTILITYAdvice on using dairy teaser bullsAs the breeding season in spring block calving systems approaches, dairy farmers will be weighing up the pros and cons of running vasectomised bulls with their herds to improve heat… NEWSOpinion: Politicians’ Brexit failure is a national humiliationAnd so it goes on. Just when you thought the end of this cringeworthy farce was nigh, the mother of all parliaments has bestowed upon us another six months of… OTHER POULTRYAdvice to help turkey producers win back salesEvery three years, Kelly Turkeys throws open the doors to its Essex headquarters and welcomes some of the 800-900 small farmers who rear its breeds for Christmas. This year, there… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Fat sheep is this year’s forage challengeWhat a difference a year makes. This time last year I was struggling for fodder – all my kale and fodder beet had been wiped out by the Beast from… TAKING STOCKSpring lambs surge to cash in on EasterHogg finishers and early lambers sold into a rising market last week to capitalise on stronger lamb prices, which auctioneers say could hold through April. A three-fold increase in Great… FEED AND NUTRITIONDeeper maize drilling necessary on drier groundGrowers are being advised to base maize drilling depth on soil conditions and moisture levels and sow maize as soon as conditions permit. To ensure the best chance of maximum… CROP MANAGEMENTEssex and Suffolk growers hope for rainEssex and Suffolk arable growers are starting to suffer from the very dry spring, with their autumn and spring-sown crops both in desperate need of some rain. In Essex, Ed… LAND MARKETSLand ownership revelations prompt Labour calls for new taxLabour leader Jeremy Corbyn has called for “radical change” after a new book suggested half of England is owned by less than 1% of its population. Some 25,000 landowners –… BREEDING AND FERTILITYHow to assess and improve dairy herd geneticsMaking the right decisions on breeding strategy can mean the difference between profit and loss for dairy farmers. Even with the best management, there is a limit to animal performance,… BREEDING AND FERTILITYHow the dairy industry is making genetic improvementsDairy producers have made rapid genetic progress in recent years, with gains in milk, fat and protein production and a transformation in the appearance of cows, each heavily influenced by… NUTRITION AND FERTILISERHow a Wilts grower is raising yields with attention to soilEdward Parsons is looking to get more out of his soils by chopping straw, adding manure and varying his seed rates, and he is reaping the benefits as wheat yields… WEATHERRestrictions on water as drought fears mountWater restrictions are being imposed on farmers amid mounting concerns over a lack of significant rain and low river flows. Cumulative rainfall totals for April range from about 18% of… BUSINESS MANAGEMENTHow to avoid EFA pitfalls in 2019Defra has tightened the double-funding rules, with implications for farmers as they make this year’s Ecological Focus Area (EFA) calculations. George Badger, farm consultant with Strutt & Parker, explains the… MUCKSPREADERSVideo: Contractor rates his high-tech slurry injection kitDigestate and slurry spreading might once have been deemed an inconvenient clear-out exercise, but its potential for cheap crop nutrition and tighter regulations governing its disposal mean it is now… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Essex Young Farmers weekend a huge successWe have just hosted the Essex Young Farmers Big Exchange weekend, and what a huge success it was. We had more than 300 Young Farmers from several counties partying and… FARMLIFE15 weird and wonderful field names shared by farmersBorrow Bread, Dear Bought, Purgatory, Gaudy Close, Ding Dong… just a few of the field names in a new book about their origins. Here are some of your favourite (or… CRIMEPolice appeal after 200 sheep stolen in DorsetPolice are appealing for information after more than 200 sheep were stolen in Dorset. The incident happened between Friday 22 March and Monday 8 April in fields along the A37… NEWSPair sentenced for horrendous animal crueltyA mother and son have been given suspended prison sentences for a string of animal welfare offences, which led to the death or serious neglect of 84 cattle. Margaret Jean… More articles
