Livestock top stories DAIRYHow a 12,000-litre herd balances efficiency and cow welfareA focus on optimising milking efficiency through 12 robots has created a setup that also maximises cow comfort and welfare for a large Wiltshire herd. The result is a herd… LIVESTOCK DISEASESBluetongue restrictions hit livestock breeders' financesLivestock farmers who specialise in selling breeding animals are suffering financial hardship due to ongoing bluetongue restrictions. Late summer and autumn is typically a time when sheep farmers look to… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Jury's out on maize after yield dropThe weather has been relatively kind and allowed us to get on with the considerable list of jobs left to do. Autumn has become our busiest time, and knowing the… LIVESTOCK DISEASESEnglish Winter Fair cancelled due to bluetongue concernsThe English Winter Fair, originally scheduled for 16-17 November, has been cancelled due to concerns over the spread of bluetongue virus (BTV-3). Following a meeting on Wednesday 23 October, the… SHEEPHow to deal with rising haemonchus casesIncreased reports of a blood-sucking worm affecting performance and mortality rates in flocks should be met with an evidence-based approach before rushing for the drenching gun. Testing and detective work… DAIRYHow a high-yielding dairy herd hits 1,000kg milk solids a cowA multi-pronged approach with ration consistency and genetics at its core has helped the Campbell family increase kilos of fat and protein from 754kg to 1,000kg a cow since 2016.… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Splashed out for daughter’s hobby flockWe gave my daughter a small flock of Pedigree Black Welsh Mountain sheep to spark her interest. Now tup fever has arrived in the Mault household. I’m sure many farming… Livestock news HEALTH AND WELFAREHerd health app pools expertise onlineA web-based herd health planning tool promises to make livestock farming more efficient by drawing farmers, nutritionists, vets and other advisers together in one place. Herdplan was developed by Scotland’s… LIVESTOCKMaize Watch: Marked difference under film near DumfriesHarvesting is halfway at SRUC Crichton Royal Farm, Dumfries, where conventionally grown maize is lagging behind crop germinated under film. While the farm’s maize under film was harvested last week… BUSINESSDanish Crown cuts 500 workers due to pig shortageHigher costs and fewer pigs being finished across the EU have led to redundancies at Europe’s largest pig producer, Danish Crown. The farmer-owned global meat producer will make 500 redundancies,… FEED AND NUTRITIONMaize Watch: Bigger maize acreage brings results in DevonA decision to grow an extra 30ha of maize to swell forage stocks has paid off for Crediton-based autumn block-calver Chris Blake. Maize makes up 60-65% of the winter silage… 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 DAIRYHow a 12,000-litre herd balances efficiency and cow welfareA focus on optimising milking efficiency through 12 robots has created a setup that also maximises cow comfort and welfare for a large Wiltshire herd. The result is a herd… SHEEPHow to deal with rising haemonchus casesIncreased reports of a blood-sucking worm affecting performance and mortality rates in flocks should be met with an evidence-based approach before rushing for the drenching gun. Testing and detective work… DAIRYHow a high-yielding dairy herd hits 1,000kg milk solids a cowA multi-pronged approach with ration consistency and genetics at its core has helped the Campbell family increase kilos of fat and protein from 754kg to 1,000kg a cow since 2016.… LIVESTOCKStores or finishers: Why doing the sums regularly is vitalAnalysis of one business on Anglesey, carried out by Farming Connect, showed a net margin of £19/head of cattle finished, or £0.03/kg of liveweight sold. This compares favourably with the… LIVESTOCK3 ways a Hampshire dairy is focusing on biological assetsFor nearly 100 years, Whitewool Farm has operated a high-input, high-output system, with current annual milk yield sitting at 10,046 litres a cow. However, the brothers running the 400-cow herd… LIVESTOCKHow to get maiden heifers in-calfGetting maiden heifers in-calf requires a farm-specific plan if an easy calving at 24 months of age, followed by a healthy, productive herd life, is to be achieved. Mating heifers… GRASSLAND MANAGEMENTBenefits of sward lifting for profit and environmentA decade of sward lifting on a Cornish farm has prevented run-off after heavy rainfall, shortened the winter housing period and is helping soils to sequester carbon. A typical field… LIVESTOCKHow feeding methane inhibitors can help cut emissionsMethane inhibitors supplied in feed rations could play a significant role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions in ruminants. However, no one size fits all, advises Annie Williams, ruminant nutritionist and… POULTRY7 ways to manage poultry litter for optimum performancePoultry are in continuous contact with litter, so it is no surprise that when conditions are poor, birds will not perform to their genetic potential. Sara Perez, veterinary director at… DAIRY7 tips for expanding your dairy herd safelyOver the past two decades, the average UK herd size has more than doubled, and consultants say more dairy farmers are looking to expand to "stay in the game" amid… BUSINESSGrassland dairy unit adopts low-input strategyDairy farmer Tim Morrow provided an insight into his low-input grazing system and nature-friendly farming methods during a Transition farm walk in Northern Ireland. Farmers, agricultural advisers and supply chain… ASSESSING PERFORMANCEWorking with nature improves Lakeland farm's profitsSwitching from a high-input farming system to one based on minimal inputs and working with nature has improved profitability on a Cumbrian farm. First-time farmers Richard and Alison Maxwell, of… FEED AND NUTRITIONBenefits of topping silage clamps with fodder beetTopping clamps of maize or grass silage with a layer of fodder beet can provide a ready-made total mixed ration without the challenges sometimes associated with ensiling this mix. Clamping… GRASSLAND MANAGEMENTManaging soils to withstand wet winters and dry summersFarmers could bolster production and farm resilience by focusing on soil health, rather than blaming the weather, soil type and location for waterlogging and drought. So says independent farm adviser… FEED AND NUTRITIONMaize Watch: What to do if frost hits before harvestTiming the maize harvest after a cold spell should be informed by close crop inspection and leaf colour. This is according to Neil Groom, manager of forage specialists Grainseed, who… LIVESTOCKHow soil and crop can contribute to ruminant nutritionLivestock farmers are advised to take a holistic approach to animal nutrition, accounting for soil, crop and stock when formulating diets to avoid mineral imbalances and optimise animal performance. Independent… Silage advice Guidance on analysing and targeting forage quality this year Tips on improving silage quality in a wet season How self-feed silage allowed autumn-block herd to expand 5 steps to covering silage pits for an airtight seal Meat markets and pricesSee all MEAT MARKETS AND PRICESFalling stock numbers in Scotland raise fears for farmersDeclining cattle, sheep, and pig numbers in the latest Scottish Agricultural Census, have highlighted a frightening longer-term trend of contraction for livestock in Scotland. Census figures for June 2024 show… MEAT MARKETS AND PRICESExceptional beef demand holds finished cattle above £5/kgFinished beef prices surged to new all-time highs during October, driven by thriving domestic and export markets. Figures from market analysts Kantar showed total spend on British beef at retail… MEAT MARKETS AND PRICESDefra mandates abattoir price reporting for sheep sectorLarge abattoirs will be required to report lamb prices, use standardised dressing specifications, and weigh carcasses to the nearest 0.1kg, under new government measures. The announcement by Defra has been… MEAT MARKETS AND PRICESRecord beef trade sees early calves return to £3/kgThose predicting a strong autumn suckled calf trade after a big increase in finished cattle prices look on the money so far. Record prime beef prices have seen calves sell… MEAT MARKETS AND PRICESDismay as abattoirs cut lamb prices in BTV restriction zoneSheep farmers have reacted in dismay at lower prices being offered by abattoirs for lambs from within the bluetongue (BTV) restriction zone. Price cuts of up to 50p/kg have been… MEAT MARKETS AND PRICESPig prices slip back below 210p/kg after months of stabilityFinished pig prices have fallen to 208p/kg in October after holding at above 210p/kg for most of the past two years. The downwards price move has been driven by a… Livestock communitySee all FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Jury's out on maize after yield dropThe weather has been relatively kind and allowed us to get on with the considerable list of jobs left to do. Autumn has become our busiest time, and knowing the… OFCOFC 2025: How gene editing in pigs can help eliminate diseaseThe Oxford Farming Conference returns next January with Farmers Weekly as the media partner. Farmers Weekly talks to one of the speakers, Dr Craig Lewis. The son of a pig… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Splashed out for daughter’s hobby flockWe gave my daughter a small flock of Pedigree Black Welsh Mountain sheep to spark her interest. Now tup fever has arrived in the Mault household. I’m sure many farming… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Can 'regen' beef stand up without subsidy?They say two years are never the same. Well, it’s becoming clear that the shift in the weather is a developing trend. Autumn is becoming wetter and more problematic, meaning… Dairy DAIRYHow a 12,000-litre herd balances efficiency and cow welfareA focus on optimising milking efficiency through 12 robots has created a setup that also maximises cow comfort and welfare for a large Wiltshire herd. The result is a herd… DAIRYHow a high-yielding dairy herd hits 1,000kg milk solids a cowA multi-pronged approach with ration consistency and genetics at its core has helped the Campbell family increase kilos of fat and protein from 754kg to 1,000kg a cow since 2016.… LIVESTOCK3 ways a Hampshire dairy is focusing on biological assetsFor nearly 100 years, Whitewool Farm has operated a high-input, high-output system, with current annual milk yield sitting at 10,046 litres a cow. However, the brothers running the 400-cow herd… LIVESTOCKHow to get maiden heifers in-calfGetting maiden heifers in-calf requires a farm-specific plan if an easy calving at 24 months of age, followed by a healthy, productive herd life, is to be achieved. Mating heifers… LIVESTOCKHow feeding methane inhibitors can help cut emissionsMethane inhibitors supplied in feed rations could play a significant role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions in ruminants. However, no one size fits all, advises Annie Williams, ruminant nutritionist and… AGRICULTURAL TRANSITIONVending machine provides growth for Transition farmersAverage direct sales of 140 litres a day is a drop in the 16,000-litre ocean of milk produced daily at Tom and Karen Halton’s dairy farm, Halton Farm in Congleton,… DAIRY7 tips for expanding your dairy herd safelyOver the past two decades, the average UK herd size has more than doubled, and consultants say more dairy farmers are looking to expand to "stay in the game" amid… BUSINESSGrassland dairy unit adopts low-input strategyDairy farmer Tim Morrow provided an insight into his low-input grazing system and nature-friendly farming methods during a Transition farm walk in Northern Ireland. Farmers, agricultural advisers and supply chain… FEED AND NUTRITIONBenefits of topping silage clamps with fodder beetTopping clamps of maize or grass silage with a layer of fodder beet can provide a ready-made total mixed ration without the challenges sometimes associated with ensiling this mix. Clamping… LIVESTOCKHow soil and crop can contribute to ruminant nutritionLivestock farmers are advised to take a holistic approach to animal nutrition, accounting for soil, crop and stock when formulating diets to avoid mineral imbalances and optimise animal performance. Independent… BREEDING AND FERTILITYWhy refreshing cattle insemination technique mattersAll-year-round calving herds carrying out their own inseminations need to ensure operators attend a refresher course at least every two years. For block-calving herds, it should be an annual event,… LIVESTOCKFW Awards 2024: Dairy Farmer of the YearRheinallt and Rachel Harries are Farmers Weekly Awards 2024 Dairy Farmer of the Year. Setting and achieving goals, plus a strong financial discipline, have helped Rheinallt and Rachel Harries to… Advertisements Livestock machinerySee all BALERS AND WRAPPERSUltimate guide to buying a big square baler 2025Having forged a partnership with Kuhn for a range of big square balers launched in Britain in 2013, John Deere has now quietly withdrawn from this market sector to concentrate… TELEHANDLERSOn test: Stacks of power in diddy JCB 530-60JCB’s engineers have successfully completed telehandler themed Tetris by cramming almost all the components from the largest Loadalls into a package condensed in all dimensions. That makes the diminutive 530-60… BALERS AND WRAPPERSUltimate guide to buying a round baler 2025Tougher build and technology updates for faster and easier working are among the features of the latest round balers and baler-wrappers featured in our 2025 Ultimate Guide. We look in… 100HPMore lift and hydraulic flow for simple CNH loader tractorsNew Holland and Case IH have overhauled their entry-level, 80-117hp loader tractor ranges, giving them higher lift capacity, greater hydraulic flow and new styling. Blue versions are dubbed T5 Dual… Most popular this week
