Menu

Know How / Beef / Health and welfare

Read up-to-date information on major welfare issues and diseases affecting dairy animals including infectious disease such as TB and BVD, respiratory disease, lameness and keep up to date with the latest welfare requirements.

Must reads

Case studies

GRASSLAND MANAGEMENT

How cattle on herbal leys have transformed Essex farm

A short video about grazing herbal leys sparked a complete change of direction for an Essex arable farm. Gone are the wheat, oilseed rape and potato crops, and in their…

DAIRY

Bovine TB blow prompts dairy farmer to join Longhorn scheme

Price security and the ability to better weather a bovine TB outbreak were the main reasons dairy farmer Jonathan Scott signed up to a Longhorn scheme. In 2016, TB hit…

LIVESTOCK

How a calf unit has reduced antibiotics use by 60%

In the two years that Dominic McKenzie has been farm manager at Long Lane Development Farm in Somerset, the antibiotics use has fallen by 60% at the calf-rearing unit that…

SOILS

How Herefordshire mixed farmer won Soil Farmer of the Year

The farming system at Boycefield didn’t just tick all the judges’ boxes when searching for the Soil Farmer of the Year. It is ticking all the boxes when it comes…

LIVESTOCK

Collaborative calf-rearing venture brings multiple benefits

A joint calf-rearing enterprise between two neighbouring farms in the Midlands is bringing benefits to both parties. The new profit-sharing agreement has brought extra income to beef and sheep farming…

BEEF

10 ways one farm makes suckler beef profitable

In 10 years, Philip Jones has shaved 36 days off his calving index, cut heifer age at first calving to 24 months and eliminated bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD) from his…

Practical advice

See all

HEALTH AND WELFARE

The risks of dog faeces to livestock and how to prevent them

Having five carcasses condemned for discolouration caused by cysts has cost a farm dearly and highlighted the issue of the dangers of dog muck. The costly case happened in 2021…

HEALTH AND WELFARE

How to stop calf pneumonia reducing heifer longevity

Calf pneumonia has stayed in the top 10 of the most frequent diagnoses from carcass submissions* in Great Britain for almost a decade. And while heifers can recover and eventually…

HEALTH AND WELFARE

Liver fluke: Symptoms, diagnosis, treatment and prevention

Liver fluke is a common parasitic disease of grazing animals. Caused by the trematode Fasciola hepatica, it is endemic to our national herd and flock, so it is important to…

HEALTH AND WELFARE

Advice on reducing pneumonia risk amid autumn weather swings

Pneumonia prevention should be top of the agenda this autumn as high humidity and swings in ambient temperatures are creating the perfect storm for the disease. Dr Gwen Davies of…

YOUNGSTOCK MANAGEMENT

How genetics and data sharing can aid calf management

A high percentage of dairy and suckler farmers report that calves are born dead on arrival. In an exclusive Farmers Weekly survey, 21% of dairy farmers and 29% of suckler…

HEALTH AND WELFARE

Why pre-housing is the time to ward off pneumonia in calves

With your suckler herd hopefully still out grazing, I’m sure that housing cattle seems a long way off, but it’s time for a bit of planning now, to maximise your…

Insights

YOUNGSTOCK MANAGEMENT

Calf monitoring and health plans key to future performance

Some 90% of farmers want to make changes to improve the future sustainability of their youngstock management in the next 12 months, according to a Farmers Weekly exclusive survey. Yet…

LIVESTOCK

Why diverse forage mixtures could improve outwintering

Findings from a recent trial in Devon have concluded that outwintering cattle on a diverse mix of forages can help improve both animal and soil health, while also benefiting the…

BOVINE TB

How the free bovine TB advisory service is helping farmers

The TB Advisory Service (TBAS), is a Defra-funded initiative which gives free, practical advice to help dairy and beef farmers control bovine TB on farms in England.  The TBAS programme…

ROYAL HIGHLAND SHOW

Could thermal imaging transform livestock health management?

Thermal imaging is common in human medicine, but research from Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) shows there is huge potential for it to be used in the early detection of cross-species…

MEDICINES

Livestock Medicine Hub - what it's for and how it can help

A new database that enables farms to record, monitor and benchmark their antibiotics use has been developed by representatives from across the ruminant sector. Medicine Hub is available now and…

HEALTH AND WELFARE

Why health gains cut ruminant methane emissions by 10%

Three classic livestock benchmarking targets can help sheep and cattle farms raise technical performance and meet obligatory methane goals to battle climate change. Livestock policy leaders are urging farmers to…

HEALTH AND WELFARE

Coccidiosis project raises hope for new treatment

Coccidiosis is a perennial parasitic problem in growing lambs. It presents some difficulties in diagnosis, treatment and prevention – but good news could be around the corner.  Lambs and calves…

SHEEP

Video: Fluke video gives powerful insight into parasite

A video documenting the different stages of the harmful liver fluke parasite has been made to help farmers understand its complex life cycle. The video (below) shows the liver fluke…

HEALTH AND WELFARE

Vet survey reveals serious challenges ahead for profession

Poor retention and recruitment rates, Brexit and dissatisfaction in the industry could see a shortage of farm vets in the future if action isn’t taken.  Farmers Weekly carried out a…

BOVINE TB

4 farmers’ badger-proofing inventions help cut TB risk

Inventive farmers are mitigating the risk of bovine TB spreading from badgers to their dairy and beef cattle by devising their own obstacles to wildlife incursions. Some of the winners…

FARM POLICY

Next phase in Defra bovine TB strategy explained

After months in the making, the government has launched its latest consultation (PDF) on the next stages of its strategy to eradicate bovine TB in England by 2038. The eight-week…

BOVINE TB

UK bovine TB rules, penalties and incentives

Defra has introduced more rigorous, evidenced-based bovine TB testing regimes for cattle this autumn, backed by tougher penalties and incentives to encourage farmers to improve biosecurity. While the number of…

Online resources

Nadis livestock disease A-Z - Cattle

Learn more

Nadis livestock disease A-Z - Sheep

Learn more

Nadis livestock disease A-Z - Pigs

Learn more

Nadis livestock disease A-Z - Poultry

Learn more

Advertiser content

See all