Livestock top stories

SHEEP

Scops updates sheep wormer advice sheet

A key support tool for sheep worming decisions has been revised, giving farmers the latest product information to manage internal parasite control sustainably. The Sustainable Control of Parasites (Scops) group…

FARMER FOCUS

Farmer Focus: Relief as national park idea is abandoned

In my last article, the possibility of our area being nominated as Scotland’s next national park loomed over us. However, we have recently heard that these nominations have been quashed…

LIVESTOCK

Sheep scab project in NI reveals extent of disease

A sheep scab project in Northern Ireland (NI) has found far higher levels of the highly contagious condition than previous notifiable disease reports suggested. Sheep scab was detected in 70%…

GRASSLAND MANAGEMENT

How to manage dairy cows at grass as seasons get more extreme

Regularly measuring grass growth, assessing trends and being adaptable to changing weather patterns are helping one grass-based dairy manage extreme weather conditions. Herd manager Antony Mitchell milks 600 spring- and…

FARMER FOCUS

Farmer Focus: What would Dragons’ Den think of my farm?

Do you support direct action or not? It’s a difficult question, and the answer possibly depends on where you live now UK agriculture is devolved. I think the English Sustainable…

FARMER FOCUS

Farmer Focus: Welsh challenges felt in town and country

February 2024 will go down in history as the month Welsh farmers came together and said, “Digon yw digon,” “Enough is enough.” Temperatures have been rising for many years. Matters…

Livestock news

BOVINE TB

Defra seeks views on targeted culling to tackle bovine TB

Defra is seeking views on targeted badger culling to tackle bovine TB in England where epidemiological assessments point to a reservoir of disease in wildlife. The government had previously announced…

BOVINE TB

NI farmers must act to stop lower TB compensation payments

Farmers in Northern Ireland are being urged to make their voices heard in the face of a 25% cut in compensation for cattle with bovine TB should existing government proposals…

BOVINE TB

Badger culling policy reduces cattle TB by 56%, study shows

A peer-reviewed scientific analysis of Defra’s badger control policy in England has revealed a 56% fall in bovine TB rates. Defra started its badger control policy in 2013 to reduce…

SHEEP

Ewe worming rates could rise after wet weather pressure

A dismally wet winter has prompted sheep health experts to issue a timely reminder about the importance of ewe body condition when targeting wormers at lambing time. The Sustainable Control…

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DAIRY

How budgeting helped identify farm’s scope for dairy

Long-term budgeting at Hilley Farm in Shropshire has resulted in a more resilient, more profitable business that is better able to support three families. Only by understanding long-term business projections…

GRASSLAND MANAGEMENT

How to manage dairy cows at grass as seasons get more extreme

Regularly measuring grass growth, assessing trends and being adaptable to changing weather patterns are helping one grass-based dairy manage extreme weather conditions. Herd manager Antony Mitchell milks 600 spring- and…

DAIRY

How joint venture helped young couple farm in own right

Two seasons of collaboration with a neighbour gave Rhodri and Siwan Jones the confidence and cash to start dairying on their own. Rhodri trained as a solicitor and met Siwan,…

BEEF

How Angus-crosses beat Blues by ÂŁ200 for integrated graziers

Costings for a Flintshire farm show native-cross cattle are beating continentals by finishing earlier and requiring less concentrate feed. David and Mat Roberts are hoping to finish Angus-crosses exclusively after…

LIVESTOCK

Can living mulch cut maize cost and protect soil health?

Maize is an important component in livestock diets, but growing the crop is often associated with harmful environmental effects caused by soil erosion and run-off. The tendency for maize ground…

DAIRY

4 tips for getting the best return from dairy beef

Dairy beef presents a growing opportunity for dairy farmers to diversify their income and create a profitable new enterprise, as supermarkets and retailers look to secure supplies. Veterinarian Rob Drysdale…

MAIZE

5 ways to reduce the carbon footprint of maize production

Managing maize production as efficiently as possible offers UK growers one of the biggest opportunities to minimise the carbon footprint of their forage production. Dairy and beef sectors are increasingly…

FEED AND NUTRITION

How high-yielding dairy cut soya and lowered crude protein

Removing soya feeds and unnecessary additives from the diet, as well as steadily reducing crude protein levels, have been done without increasing farm costs or compromising production in one Dorset…

MAIZE

What lessons can be learned from 2023 maize harvest?

Farmers harvesting maize later in October 2023 were plagued by wet and difficult conditions. “Maize was a lot riper than people thought it was. Farmers were put off harvesting because…

BEEF

Time saving aids upland suckler cow expansion

First-time farmer Michael Blanche has used business management tips to increase off-farm income to fund the expansion of a suckler herd. The offer of an annual grazing let of 210ha…

LIVESTOCK

How to manage surplus grass at spring turnout

Cornish dairy farmer and experienced grazing manager Chris Knowles will be sharing updates about his 2024 grazing season with Farmers Weekly. In the first article of the series, Chris explains…

SHEEP

5 things to consider before ditching sheep supplements

Use of concentrate feeds has had a major influence on sheep farming in the UK. However, the shifting sands of both input and commodity prices mean even if feeding supplements…

FEED AND NUTRITION

How 40.2p/day beet feeding aims for ÂŁ1,000/ha margin

A North Yorkshire farming outfit is targeting gross margins of £302.50 a head on its dairy-beef wintering operation based around growing fodder beet for 3.35p/kg of dry matter. The cattle-on-beet…

WHATS IN YOUR LIVESTOCK SHED

What’s in Your Livestock Shed? visits a high-tech pig unit

A state-of-the-art indoor pig farrowing and dry sow unit, projected to produce more than 10,000 piglets a year, is showcasing some of the highest levels of indoor pig welfare and…

GRASSLAND MANAGEMENT

How visiting other farms can improve business resilience

Perthshire beef and sheep farmer and Farmers Weekly’s Grassland Manager of the Year 2023 John Ritchie is convinced the biggest improvements on his farm have come from listening to other…

GRASSLAND MANAGEMENT

5 ways to help prevent silage slippage

More silage slippage is being seen on farms because of the increase in the popularity of multicut silage. A multicut system involves cutting grass more frequently than the traditional two-to-three-cut…

Meat markets and prices

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MEAT MARKETS AND PRICES

Reviewed ABP grid heeds dairy-beef trend

Revised specifications from a leading processor signal a contraction in the beef sector and an increase in the number of dairy-beef cattle in the UK, say industry commentators.  Red meat…

BUSINESS

Pressure mounts on UK government as Aussies block British beef

Pressure is mounting on UK government to address the much-maligned Australian free-trade deal after a shipment of British beef was blocked by Australian border controls. An unnamed exporter was told…

MEAT MARKETS AND PRICES

Halal lamb: 'A market farmers can no longer ignore'

The consumption of halal meat may have its detractors, but Awal Fuseini, senior sector manager at the AHDB, says it is a market that farmers and processors can no longer…

MEAT MARKETS AND PRICES

Global beef prices likely to remain elevated for 2024

Higher global beef prices have been supporting the domestic market in recent months and have helped to push GB deadweight cattle up to near £5/kg. Looking forward, global production is…

MEAT MARKETS AND PRICES

Irish grass-fed beef granted all-island PGI status

Irish grass-fed beef has been granted special recognition by the EU Commission for its characteristics and geographical origin, giving it similar protection to champagne, Parma ham and Irish whiskey. Farmers…

MEAT MARKETS AND PRICES

Lamb prices hit ÂŁ7/kg at abattoirs and likely to stay high

A flying finished lamb trade and a positive outlook for the spring will offer some confidence to sheep farmers during the next few months. Strong retail demand, tight supply, increased…

FARMER FOCUS

Farmer Focus: Relief as national park idea is abandoned

In my last article, the possibility of our area being nominated as Scotland’s next national park loomed over us. However, we have recently heard that these nominations have been quashed…

FARMER FOCUS

Farmer Focus: What would Dragons’ Den think of my farm?

Do you support direct action or not? It’s a difficult question, and the answer possibly depends on where you live now UK agriculture is devolved. I think the English Sustainable…

FARMER FOCUS

Farmer Focus: Welsh challenges felt in town and country

February 2024 will go down in history as the month Welsh farmers came together and said, “Digon yw digon,” “Enough is enough.” Temperatures have been rising for many years. Matters…

FARMER FOCUS

Farmer Focus: More efficient cow type is a work in progress

Waterlogged paddocks, failed crops and full lagoons are a common sight. Some of the harvested beet land remains undrilled and what was drilled is patchy. Spring cropping will have to…

Dairy

DAIRY

How budgeting helped identify farm’s scope for dairy

Long-term budgeting at Hilley Farm in Shropshire has resulted in a more resilient, more profitable business that is better able to support three families. Only by understanding long-term business projections…

GRASSLAND MANAGEMENT

How to manage dairy cows at grass as seasons get more extreme

Regularly measuring grass growth, assessing trends and being adaptable to changing weather patterns are helping one grass-based dairy manage extreme weather conditions. Herd manager Antony Mitchell milks 600 spring- and…

DAIRY

How joint venture helped young couple farm in own right

Two seasons of collaboration with a neighbour gave Rhodri and Siwan Jones the confidence and cash to start dairying on their own. Rhodri trained as a solicitor and met Siwan,…

DAIRY

4 tips for getting the best return from dairy beef

Dairy beef presents a growing opportunity for dairy farmers to diversify their income and create a profitable new enterprise, as supermarkets and retailers look to secure supplies. Veterinarian Rob Drysdale…

MAIZE

5 ways to reduce the carbon footprint of maize production

Managing maize production as efficiently as possible offers UK growers one of the biggest opportunities to minimise the carbon footprint of their forage production. Dairy and beef sectors are increasingly…

FEED AND NUTRITION

How high-yielding dairy cut soya and lowered crude protein

Removing soya feeds and unnecessary additives from the diet, as well as steadily reducing crude protein levels, have been done without increasing farm costs or compromising production in one Dorset…

LIVESTOCK

How to manage surplus grass at spring turnout

Cornish dairy farmer and experienced grazing manager Chris Knowles will be sharing updates about his 2024 grazing season with Farmers Weekly. In the first article of the series, Chris explains…

COMPLIANCE

Farmers pushed to leave sector after costly EA inspections

A sharp rise in the number of Environment Agency (EA) inspections nationwide has left hundreds of farmers facing enforcement action, with the dairy sector hit particularly hard. Dairy consultants have…

GRASSLAND MANAGEMENT

5 ways to help prevent silage slippage

More silage slippage is being seen on farms because of the increase in the popularity of multicut silage. A multicut system involves cutting grass more frequently than the traditional two-to-three-cut…

GRASSLAND MANAGEMENT

Advice on sampling fresh grass for this season’s silage

A pre-cut grass sample, analysed for crude protein content and nitrate nitrogen levels, should be used as a gauge to time all silage cuts this season and review fertiliser inputs.…

FEED AND NUTRITION

Bacterial inoculant boosts milk yield 1.9kg/day, study shows

Inoculating silage increases available dry matter, improves aerobic stability, and increases milk yields, according to the findings of a new trial. The independent trial was carried out at Reading University’s…

DAIRY

Dairy survey reveals lack of preparedness as climate changes

Drought, high temperatures and flash flooding are the top three climate challenges for UK dairy farmers, according to a Kite Consulting survey. Climate change is happening, and the consequences are…

Livestock machinery

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GRASSLAND AND MAIZE EQUIPMENT

Wet ground pushes appeal of Pasturetec’s plastic ring feeder

Getting to, filling and moving heavy steel ring feeders is a perennial headache for stock farmers outwintering their cattle, but Derbyshire firm Pasturetec reckons it has the answer. The lightweight…

DIET FEEDERS

Why Shropshire dairies opted for Euromilk feeder wagons

The diet feeder market might be dominated by a few big names, but those who shop around will discover a bevy of smaller outfits proffering decent machines for a lower…

WORKSHOP SKILLS

Inventions Comp 2024: Niall Turley's self-propelled feeder

Niall, Brendan and Brian Turley’s bin lorry feeder wagon was crowned runner-up in the complex category of Farmers Weekly annual Inventions Competition. Rather than buy an expensive tractor to run…

DIET FEEDERS

Teagle ups the output of latest C120 tub grinder

The addition of a wider, longer and stronger twin-ram conveyor has allowed Teagle to increase the throughput of its latest Tomahawk tub grinder by more than 30%. The C120 Calibrator…