Livestock top stories DAIRY3 ways for dairy units to make on/off grazing workA combination of low (or no) silage stocks and a falling milk price means there are dairy farmers turning cows out, despite wet conditions. On/off grazing is the most effective… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Basic on-farm innovation holds key to progressSitting down to write my last Farmer Focus is surprisingly challenging, not least because when it all began back in February 2019, I thought at best I could be making… GRASSLAND MANAGEMENT6 tips on producing grass silage at optimal dry matterGood-quality grass silage is the foundation of the winter ration for livestock, and throughout the year for housed systems. A key metric for achieving the best intakes and performance from… LIVESTOCK DISEASESFarmers warned as foot-and-mouth confirmed in CyprusUK farmers have been warned to remain vigilant to the signs of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) after it was confirmed in cattle and sheep in Cyprus. In response, the government has… LIVESTOCK DISEASESBVD movement restrictions to start in Northern IrelandFarmers in Northern Ireland are being reminded of the impending movement restrictions for breeding‑age females in herds where bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD) has been confirmed. The new measures come into… POULTRYEgg sector in big push to oppose impending cage banThe UK egg sector is mounting a major push to resist government plans to phase out enriched cage systems for laying hens, pullets and breeder layers. The ongoing Defra-led consultation,… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: No answer to milk yield drop as rain continuesAs farmers, one of the main things we seem to talk about is the weather: too hot; too cold; too wet; too dry. At Newlands, we have a very high… GRASSLAND MANAGEMENTBenefits of hay over silage for outwintered suckler cowsConserving multispecies swards as hay instead of silage has cut losses from spoilage and saved wrapping and disposal costs for Sam Pearman’s outwintered suckler cows on a bale-grazing system. See… SHEEPAdvice on feeding a home-mixed ration to pregnant ewesSheep farmers are often cautious about adopting total mixed ration feeding, in the belief that a manufactured compound is best suited to ewe intakes in late pregnancy. See also: Advice on… LIVESTOCKNFU issues pre-lambing safety adviceThe NFU has issued pre-lambing advice, warning that longer hours, late nights, early starts and fewer breaks, can increase the risk of exhaustion and accidents. Keeping mentally and physically healthy… LAYERSUK egg sector faces housing investment gapThe UK egg sector is facing a serious investment gap in new housing, with ageing sheds and a sharp slowdown in construction raising concerns over future production, according to a… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Scan result good but straw tight for lambingEvery year l look forward to scanning day. This year, the earlies were a little disappointing, while the main flock is a little over the top. With 10% ewe lambs… BEEFHow easy calving underpins low-input suckler herd successBreeding a low-input cow that has good temperament and functionality, thrives on challenging pastures and produces a calf unaided has been the goal at Atlantic Angus for more than 20… BEEFNorthern Ireland consults on mandatory EID tags for calvesFarmers in Northern Ireland are being urged to share their views on mandatory electronic identification (EID) for newborn cattle as the government consultation nears its end. The Department of Agriculture,… Livestock news LIVESTOCK DISEASESBVD movement restrictions to start in Northern IrelandFarmers in Northern Ireland are being reminded of the impending movement restrictions for breeding‑age females in herds where bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD) has been confirmed. The new measures come into… LIVESTOCKNFU issues pre-lambing safety adviceThe NFU has issued pre-lambing advice, warning that longer hours, late nights, early starts and fewer breaks, can increase the risk of exhaustion and accidents. Keeping mentally and physically healthy… BEEFNorthern Ireland consults on mandatory EID tags for calvesFarmers in Northern Ireland are being urged to share their views on mandatory electronic identification (EID) for newborn cattle as the government consultation nears its end. The Department of Agriculture,… LIVESTOCK DISEASESSouth Africa secure vaccine to tackle foot-and-mouthThe South African government has classified an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in the country as a “national disaster” and has started to produce its own vaccine for the first… 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 DAIRY3 ways for dairy units to make on/off grazing workA combination of low (or no) silage stocks and a falling milk price means there are dairy farmers turning cows out, despite wet conditions. On/off grazing is the most effective… GRASSLAND MANAGEMENT6 tips on producing grass silage at optimal dry matterGood-quality grass silage is the foundation of the winter ration for livestock, and throughout the year for housed systems. A key metric for achieving the best intakes and performance from… GRASSLAND MANAGEMENTBenefits of hay over silage for outwintered suckler cowsConserving multispecies swards as hay instead of silage has cut losses from spoilage and saved wrapping and disposal costs for Sam Pearman’s outwintered suckler cows on a bale-grazing system. See… SHEEPAdvice on feeding a home-mixed ration to pregnant ewesSheep farmers are often cautious about adopting total mixed ration feeding, in the belief that a manufactured compound is best suited to ewe intakes in late pregnancy. See also: Advice on… BEEFHow easy calving underpins low-input suckler herd successBreeding a low-input cow that has good temperament and functionality, thrives on challenging pastures and produces a calf unaided has been the goal at Atlantic Angus for more than 20… CALVINGAssisted calving: Advice on how and when to helpSome calving cows and heifers may just need more time to go through the different stages of labour, rather than have immediate assistance to get the calf out quickly. Yet… CALVINGHow to achieve the best results with outdoor calvingCalving suckler cows outside successfully needs the right body condition, good shelter, and a plan B for extreme weather events and emergencies. Although outdoor calving immediately lowers housing and bedding… BEEFHow a vaccine transformed crypto control for one beef systemA new vaccine for cryptosporidium has markedly improved calf health and eased labour demand on a Perthshire beef farm – but it relies on excellent colostrum management to be effective.… LAYERSHow free-range egg diversification solved labour dilemmaLabour is one of the biggest costs associated with running a business and can be a barrier to farmers becoming employers. For Aberdeenshire farmer Bruce Irvine, it was integrating a… BEEFHow meeting beef carcass specification reduced farm costsA switch from terminal to maternal genetics and a focus on carbon efficiency have enabled a Nottinghamshire beef farmer to make significant strides in rearing to meet market specification. And… SHEEPHow Welsh hill flock benefited from performance recordingA flock of purebred Welsh Mountain ewes has seen multiple benefits as a result of performance recording – including a switch to outdoor lambing near Ruthin in North Wales. Coleg… LAMBINGAdvice on treatment for vaginal prolapse in ewesFitting a harness and administering anti-inflammatories is the best way to treat a very mild case of vaginal prolapse in a ewe. Compared with spoons or sutures, this treatment is… LAMBINGHow to minimise bacteria build-up in the lambing shedA clean, dry floor in the lambing shed is a simple, essential step for a successful lambing season – and is best achieved when it is not left until the… DAIRYHow integrated data systems could transform livestock farmsTechnology using artificial intelligence has the potential to transform management of livestock farms, but further development to integrate disparate data sources is needed to truly unlock farm-changing insights. Such integrated… LIVESTOCK DISEASESOrf disease: Two ways sheep farmers are tackling the virusOrf is the more common name for contagious pustular dermatitis, and is considered endemic in the UK, and prevalent on most sheep farms. A recent study by the Royal Veterinary… BEEFHow to save money by meeting beef retail market specFailing to meet UK retail market specifications for beef can cost farmers about 30p/kg for cattle over 30 months of age, and about 10p/kg for those under 270kg or over… Lambing advice How to identify and treat five sheep 'iceberg diseases' Step-by-step guide to dealing with vaginal prolapse in sheep 5 tips for successfully feeding newborn lambs How to recognise and manage ringwomb in livestock in labour 5 top tips to prevent watery mouth in lambs Expert advice on assessing and managing lambing difficulties Guide to preventing enzootic abortion in ewes Video: How to successfully wet-adopt a lamb Meat markets and pricesSee all MEAT MARKETS AND PRICESStrong beef prices fail to prevent falling cattle numbersExceptionally strong beef prices throughout the past year were not enough to stem a continued decline in cattle numbers, with UK beef production down by 3.5% in 2025. Auctioneers, meat… MEAT MARKETS AND PRICESMeat suppliers condemn rise in FSA inspection feesMeat trade body the Association of Independent Meat Suppliers has condemned an imminent hike in official controls charges by the Food Standards Agency, calling for its immediate suspension and a… MARKETS AND TRENDSRed meat and dairy enjoy record year for exportsExports of UK dairy and red meat surpassed £4bn in 2025, driven by increased global demand for high-quality produce. HMRC trade figures show UK dairy exports rose by 17% on… MEAT MARKETS AND PRICESStore cattle trade buoyant despite falling finished priceStrong demand for replacements has kept the store trade elevated so far in 2026, even as prices for finished cattle ease back. GB deadweight steers have fallen by 25p/kg in… MEAT MARKETS AND PRICESTesco rules out chlorinated chicken and hormone-fed beefRetail giant Tesco has ruled out stocking chlorinated chicken and hormone-fed beef after a giant chicken and a fake Tesco delivery van appeared outside a major London store. Campaign group… MEAT MARKETS AND PRICESKFC to boost British poultry purchases by £10m a yearFast food giant KFC has said it will boost its contribution to the British poultry sector by £10m a year, upping its intake of chicken from British farms from 30%… Livestock communitySee all FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Basic on-farm innovation holds key to progressSitting down to write my last Farmer Focus is surprisingly challenging, not least because when it all began back in February 2019, I thought at best I could be making… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: No answer to milk yield drop as rain continuesAs farmers, one of the main things we seem to talk about is the weather: too hot; too cold; too wet; too dry. At Newlands, we have a very high… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Scan result good but straw tight for lambingEvery year l look forward to scanning day. This year, the earlies were a little disappointing, while the main flock is a little over the top. With 10% ewe lambs… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: New baby and new bull lift winter gloomIt's been very, very wet. Since my last article, we have had the worst six weeks of winter weather I can remember for a long time. The first days of… Dairy DAIRY3 ways for dairy units to make on/off grazing workA combination of low (or no) silage stocks and a falling milk price means there are dairy farmers turning cows out, despite wet conditions. On/off grazing is the most effective… DAIRY MARKETS AND PRICESAnalysis: Milk price crash tests dairy resilienceWith farmgate milk prices down by more than a quarter since the autumn, dairy producers are dealing with a margin squeeze few producers have experienced at this pace. Since October,… BEEFNorthern Ireland consults on mandatory EID tags for calvesFarmers in Northern Ireland are being urged to share their views on mandatory electronic identification (EID) for newborn cattle as the government consultation nears its end. The Department of Agriculture,… CALVINGAssisted calving: Advice on how and when to helpSome calving cows and heifers may just need more time to go through the different stages of labour, rather than have immediate assistance to get the calf out quickly. Yet… DAIRYWearable tech for cows: How do farmers rate the options?Heat detection brings the biggest gains from wearable monitors – but reliability, good backup and ease of use matter just as much as price, an independent survey of dairy farmers… DAIRYProbiotics could hold key to lifetime dairy performanceTargeted use of probiotics in early life can support health, growth and, potentially, future milk yields, according to new research. Dr Colin Byrne, ruminant technical and deployment manager at Lallemand… STAFF MANAGEMENTEmploy more dairy staff for fewer hours, farmers advisedThe dairy industry does not have a labour shortage. Instead, farmers need to fundamentally address the way they manage people to make the sector more attractive, believes recruitment specialist Paul… DAIRYIs there a future for spring milk in the UK?A dairy consultant is warning that if the industry is to avoid worsening supply imbalances, spring milk production must evolve to create flatter production profiles. Current UK processing capacity is… DAIRYHow integrated data systems could transform livestock farmsTechnology using artificial intelligence has the potential to transform management of livestock farms, but further development to integrate disparate data sources is needed to truly unlock farm-changing insights. Such integrated… LIVESTOCKCornish herd claims 2025 NMR RABDF Gold Cup awardHigh genetic merit, business efficiency and strategic management have earned a Cornish farm a top dairy accolade. Paul Broad and Irwin Morrow of TN Morrow and Partners, Treveale Farm, Ladock,… DAIRYEnergy-saving heat pump wins Royal Dairy Innovation AwardAn energy-efficient milk cooling and water heating system has won a top prize for innovation in the dairy industry. Arkaya Energy’s Milk Source Heat Pump scooped the 2026 Royal Dairy… MEDICINESAntimicrobials usage falls again in UK dairy herdsA 4% drop in antimicrobials usage on UK dairy farms means industry reduction targets have been met just months after they were set. Average total antimicrobials usage (AMU) between 2024… Advertisements Livestock machinerySee all WORKSHOP SKILLSInventions Comp 2026: John Carrick's novel feed hopper fillerJohn Carrick has won second place in our complex category. In need of a more efficient method of topping up large in-field sheep feed hoppers, John Carrick hatched a plan… MOWERSAcre-eating GreenTec Tiger rotary mower can work at 11mphThe Tiger rotary mower from Danish outfit GreenTec is geared up for high-output vegetation taming with a speedy working range of 9-11mph. And yet power requirements are modest, with a… MACHINERYMore slew for mid-range McConnel 62-Series reach mowersAn increase in slew angle to 120deg to ease manoeuvres in field corners is among a number of enhancements to McConnel’s mid-range 62-Series Power Arm reach mowers. The broader scope… TRAILERSSMS to introduce larger Porto V18 bale transporterCzech agricultural equipment manufacturer SMS is preparing to introduce a larger capacity version of its Porto bale transporter for producers looking to clear fields of silage or straw bales quicker… Most popular this week
