All from last 7 days 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… GRASSLAND MANAGEMENTBeginner's guide to rotational grazing beef suckler herdsIf you already know your rotations from your residuals and your cover from your wedge, then you probably need to read no further. This guide is for beef suckler farmers… TECHNOLOGYCollar-mounted GPS tracker for lost dogs on testWhether it’s a working sheepdog or an ancient scruffy terrier that spends most of its time by the Aga, losing a dog is pretty upsetting. Luckily, there are now serveral… IRRIGATIONLack of rain prompts longer reservoir refill periodThe Environment Agency has confirmed plans to extend the refill season for winter storage reservoirs into April. This follows concern that lack of rain over the winter months and possible… BREEDING AND FERTILITYEarly lambers see disappointing results after 2018 droughtScanning results have been hugely variable this winter following a tough spring, a dry summer and tight grazing on many farms, with some scanning results back 20-40%. Many early lambers… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Eye-watering repair bill or new tractor?I had a strong sense of déjà vu this week as I found myself once again digging deep snow from the local roads by JCB bucket. I had assumed last… NEWSBeef farmer scammed out of £10,800 in tractor ad fraudBeef farmer Douglas Ledger thought he had snapped up a bargain after spotting a low-mileage tractor for £10,800. The advert, which appeared on Gumtree and also on eBay, was for… LAND MARKETSAgricultural land values to hit five-year lowThe average value of bare agricultural land in England fell by 3% to a five-year low of £6,970/acre in 2018. This is according to Knight Frank’s Farmland Index results for… MACHINERYDealer updates through early 2019There have been plenty of dealer moves during January and February of 2019, including Joe Whelan in Ireland, Agriplus in North Yorkshire and Hunt Forest Group in the south of… BREXITDefra pledges sheep sector cash in event of no-deal BrexitSheep farmers have been assured of financial support from the government in the event of a no-deal Brexit which would cause a dramatic decline in the value of lamb. The… SHEEPPressure mounts to end non-stun sheep slaughterMuslim authorities are being urged to accept the stunning of all animals prior to slaughter, as new figures from the Food Standards Agency (FSA) reveal that a quarter of all… More articles
