Know How / Assessing performance Case studiesSee all BEEFHow efficiencies are cutting beef unit’s carbon footprintLess reliance on bought-in cereals and greater use of home-grown forage in cattle rations, as well as a sharper focus on herd health, are driving down greenhouse gas emissions from… ASSESSING PERFORMANCEHow data management drives decision making for Romney flockA pocket data management system combined with automated handling has improved workflow and decision making for sheep farmer Tom Hadley. With a flock of Romneys, together with shearing and other… PIGSHow collecting weight data helps improve pig unit efficiencyRoutinely weighing a batch of pigs helps improve farm efficiency and creates a business that is attractive to staff, ultimately leading to better pig welfare and more profit. Northants pig… YOUNGSTOCK MANAGEMENTHow passive transfer testing gives calves a good startOn-farm blood testing to check dairy calves for successful passive transfer from colostrum has helped a 780-cow herd validate its protocols. Within six months, correlating the outcomes with calf health,… ASSESSING PERFORMANCESheep and cattle new entrant shares 4 key lessonsA small grassland farm is turning profits from sheep, sucklers and dairy heifer rearing for a dairy breeding consultant cum part-time farmer. Tom Sellers runs a 25ha (62-acre) Powys County… DAIRYHow milking robots have driven upland dairy’s expansionBromfield Farm, near Wigton in Cumbria, has embraced cutting-edge technology with the installation of seven robotic milking systems and two robotic feed pushers. This has eased workloads and improved cow… Practical adviceSee all ASSESSING PERFORMANCEHow milk recording revival is identifying most efficient cowsThirty years ago, milk recording was dropped from spring-calving herds intent on cutting out superfluous cost. Breeding replacements became a simple strategy that focused only on the most fertile cows… DAIRYAdvice on measuring milk from forage in grass-based herdsFarmers Weekly’s recent dairy sustainability survey revealed the average herd is producing 3,258 litres from forage. But is this metric still a reliable measure of efficiency in a grass-based business?… DAIRYHow to use herd data to create effective change on farmWe have access to more herd data than ever, but how can we ensure we are using these data effectively to improve the areas that are important to us? The… DAIRYHow to replace concentrates and get more milk from forageDairy farms clamping grass silage with digestibility of more than 70% should have the courage to challenge their production of milk from forage. Substituting 1kg of concentrates with 1kg of… LIVESTOCKHow to influence good people to help your farm businessWinning friends and influencing people is not just a job description for an individual who earns a living from persuading others to follow their lifestyle choices on social media. Dairy… DAIRYAdvice on flexible milking as a management toolBuilding flexibility into milking frequency could boost production, alleviate staff shortages, or create a better work-life balance at certain times of the year. There is scope for farm owners to… InsightsSee all ASSESSING PERFORMANCEAre smaller dairy cows a concern for the beef supply chain?The drive for smaller dairy cows has gained momentum over recent years as more milk producers appreciate the efficiencies of a lower cow maintenance cost. But while this trend has… DAIRYWhy efficiency is the route to dairy farm sustainabilityEvery time dairy farmers think about sustainability, they should be thinking instead about efficiency. This was the conclusion of a roundtable of farmers, independent experts and industry representatives who gathered… DAIRYData collection for dairy herds: What to considerDeveloping cow technology in response to the trend for fewer dairy farms milking more cows, and ongoing labour shortages, has to be more than just a data generating system. Capturing… BEEFSuckler cow depreciation: Why it mattersSuckler producers looking to improve profitability should consider calculating cow depreciation and creating strategies to manage value loss in their herd. This is the advice of rancher and consultant Dallas… LIVESTOCKFeed efficiency research reveals importance of cow groupingBreeding dairy herds for feed efficiency can be negatively impacted on-farm by managing lactating cows in mixed parity groups. This is because of competition at the feed bunk and a… LIVESTOCKData drives business decisions on US dairyA data-driven culture operates at High Plains Ponderosa Dairy in Kansas, with all business decisions and performance goals based on data. This is according to chief executive and managing partner… ASSESSING PERFORMANCECarbon study shows scope for beef and sheep efficiency gainsFirst-year results of a major carbon footprinting study have shown a huge variation in greenhouse gas emissions from beef and sheep farms across the UK. The average carbon footprint of… GRASSLAND MANAGEMENTWhy cell grazing beat set stocking in Devon trialCell grazing is a more sustainable and productive grazing method than set stocking, results from a four-year grazing trial have shown. Cell grazing consistently outperformed set stocking plots at Rothamsted… BEEFHow beef units could improve efficiency with camera techA camera and electronic identification system that has been successfully used in the dairy sector to measure body condition scores and mobility of cows is now being trialled in the… BEEFWhy radical change is needed for sustainable beef industryPlanning ahead to face upcoming issues and working to improve efficiency and build beef businesses with resilience were among the key conclusions from a round table discussion held at Rothamsted… BEEFStruggle for survival revealed in wide-ranging beef surveySome 66% of beef producers will have difficulty in surviving without the farm subsidy – and only 33% reckon their beef enterprise makes a profit every year. This is according… DAIRYRevised methane method pegs dairy emissions 20% lowerNet carbon emissions from a sample of livestock farms fell significantly when analysed by a carbon methodology that accounts for biogenic methane. Distinguishing between biogenic (methane from ruminants) and fossil… Advertiser contentSee all DAIRYLet’s take a closer look at dry cow managementIs drying off a well-defined and flawlessly executed management task on your dairy farm? There’s no point in cutting corners if you wish to improve your dairy farm’s sustainability. The… BUSINESS MANAGEMENTFarm management app helps Emmerdale star digitise operationsIn our brand new AgVentures by Herdwatch series we visit farms across the UK, Ireland and beyond, showcasing different farming methods, tales and much more. In the latest episode, we… LIVESTOCKFarm data: confidence to make the best decisionsFocusing on performance and profitability are key to livestock farming success. It makes sense. After all, the more information we have, the better the chances of making the best decision.… LIVESTOCKThe farm app helping to increase livestock performanceHerdwatch, the number one farm management software, is now used on over 18,000 farms across the UK. The app which allows farmers to manage their farms at their fingertips caters… LIVESTOCKGathering data on your cows: How Tru-Test makes life easyDatamars is a livestock management company that owns a number of trusted, respected brands, including Tru-Test which many farmers will be familiar with from things like weighing scales, stick readers… LIVESTOCKSustainability key to driving success for BFA winnersKate and Kevin Hoare are full time dairy farmers in Tideford in South-East Cornwall and have been running their own farm business since January 2018. Kate told us “We are…
