This Week in Farming: Mastitis, Mitsubishi and Groundswell

Welcome back to another edition of This Week in Farming, your one-stop shop for the best Farmers Weekly content from the past seven days.

First, here’s your markets (opens as PDF). Lamb as seen its seasonal fall, with further analysis here.

Now, on with the show.

Harvest update

It’s now full-blown harvest season for an ever-increasing slice of eastern England, as threshers whir into action in winter barley crops.

I salute the joys and pitfalls of the culmination of the cropping year in this week’s editorial, as well as offer a few thoughts on Groundswell, which (given the dry forecast) was surely some folk’s last big day out for a while.

Farm policy latest

Defra secretary of state Emma Reynolds was also at the event, revealing that more than 25% of the SFI pot for farms under 50ha was snapped up on the first day the scheme opened.

She also revealed that any English farmer can now submit an expression of interest in Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier, replacing the previous invite-only model.

In Wales, the application window is now for farmers to apply for up to £12,000 to support established discussion groups, while first minister Rhun ap Iorwerth has a new promise about solar on farmland.

Finally, we have an important deep dive on the recently released bovine TB strategy for England that asks – can it deliver a TB-free nation by 2038?

Stopping mastitis

Three articles this week on detecting and managing mastitis more effectively, all plucked from the recent British Mastitis Conference.

First, making fore-stripping a regular, routine detection tool massively increased clinical mastitis detection, according to the preliminary results of an academic study in Ireland.

Then, for those with robots, we three focus areas to consider, including post-milking management, with cow behaviour often very different to parlour milking.

Finally, another study has found the significant impact teat dip choice can have on the level of protection against environmental pathogens.

Mitsubishi’s back

After a five-year break, Mitsubishi’s double-cab L200 is back, and machinery editor Oli Mark has all the details, including why it might be a good time to take on Toyota and Ford.

Elsewhere in machinery, we visit Somerset farm manager Patrick Benney for the latest instalment of What’s In Your Shed?

Who’s up and who’s down?

On the up this week is Chris Molyneux, after he scooped this year’s much-coveted Soil Farmer of the Year award.

Feeling less chipper are farmers in the Alverdiscott region of North Devon, after learning of a proposal to site one of Europe’s largest data centres in their locality.

Listen to the FW Podcast

Don’t forget to listen to the latest Farmers Weekly Podcast, brought to you this week by Hugh Broom and Louise Impey as Johann enjoys a well-earned break.

This week they were at Groundswell, talking to farmers, exhibitors and even Kemi Badenoch.  

You’ll find it anywhere you get your podcasts, or listen free on the FW website.