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LIVESTOCK

How a Norfolk dairy diversified into tourism and hospitality

Converting a set of Georgian barns into holiday lets 20 years ago involved market research by post for dairy farmers Joanna and David Burroughs. Today, their daughter, Lindsay Miller, is…

FARMER FOCUS

Farmer Focus: A journey to Ukraine for Pickups for Peace

This month, I’ve handed over to my wife, Debbie, to share details of a mission to Ukraine she hopes to help with. She intends to be a driver for the…

FEED AND NUTRITION

Maize grower relief at emergency seed treatment ruling

British maize growers can breathe a sigh of relief that three European seed treatments have been given the green light for UK use next year. UK regulators have granted emergency…

OTHER LIVESTOCK

Why an Irish beef producer diversified into snails

Snails may not be a regular choice in British and Irish diets, but in mainland Europe they remain popular as an everyday staple and delicacy. Yet, in Ireland, snail farming…

DAIRY

How early life calf nutrition affects long-term metabolism

Researchers are discovering more about early life programming and how critical this is for adulthood, according to Trouw Nutrition’s Dr Leonel Leal. This starts with colostrum, but also includes feeding…

FARMER FOCUS

Farmer Focus: Breeding ewes achieve 10p/kg premium over fat

The rams went in with the ewes at the end of October, and as I write this I can see the shocking orange raddle (chosen by my father) on several…

YOUNGSTOCK MANAGEMENT

4 ways to improve on 60-day calf mortality rate

Healthy calves can achieve growth rates of 1,080g/day, but just one day of diarrhoea reduces this by 80g. A calf with respiratory disease will lose 180g/day off its growth rate…

Livestock news

LIVESTOCK DISEASES

Farmers on high alert after bluetongue confirmed in Kent

Livestock farmers across the UK are being urged to stay vigilant after bluetongue virus (BTV) was detected in a dairy cow in Kent – the first confirmed case of the…

LIVESTOCK

Northern farmers urged to 'control the controllables'

Stressed out farmers should accept what they can and cannot control and act on factors within the farmgate to manage their business and protect margins.   Pressures of falling subsidy…

SHEEP

Scops launches new podcast on parasite control in sheep

A sheep industry health initiative has joined the podcasting craze to further its message on sustainable parasite control in sheep. Three podcast episodes are already available via the Sustainable Control…

LIVESTOCK DISEASES

UK at ‘medium’ risk of bluetongue as it spreads in Europe

The chance of bluetongue disease entering the UK is described as “medium” following the latest Defra assessment, with Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands all reporting cases of the BTV-3 strain…

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LIVESTOCK

How a Norfolk dairy diversified into tourism and hospitality

Converting a set of Georgian barns into holiday lets 20 years ago involved market research by post for dairy farmers Joanna and David Burroughs. Today, their daughter, Lindsay Miller, is…

OTHER LIVESTOCK

Why an Irish beef producer diversified into snails

Snails may not be a regular choice in British and Irish diets, but in mainland Europe they remain popular as an everyday staple and delicacy. Yet, in Ireland, snail farming…

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…

DAIRY

How a greenfield dairy targets 'resilient' 50% yield lift

An autumn-calving herd is targeting 7,500 litres from 1.5t of parlour cake after moving farm, breed and system. The Barnes family of Alma Bank Farm, near Oakham, have endured six…

DAIRY

How to help heifers join the milking herd and reduce stress

Training heifers to the parlour, keeping them with their peers, or managing them as a separate milking group can help reduce stress levels when replacements join the milking herd. But…

DAIRY

4 ways to drill down on mastitis data for your herd

It is common practice to use mastitis and cell count patterns to see which broad area of risk is responsible for a herd’s infections. Various software packages, along with programs…

SHEEP

Tips to manage worm challenges and benefit lamb growth

Farmers must learn to “clean-graze” lambs to reduce worm burdens, rather than routinely relying on anthelmintics. This was the message from Matt Colston, who said farmers need to relearn the…

DAIRY

Benefits of training heifers to use the parlour

A snap poll by Farmers Weekly revealed that 52% of dairy farmers who responded, train their heifers through the parlour and 26% run a separate heifer group. Both results are…

LIVESTOCK

Options for harvesting maize in wet conditions

A switch to grain maize could be the answer for farmers with maize crops still standing because harvest has been hampered by wet ground conditions.   This is according to…

DAIRY

Why two systems are running separate heifer milking groups

Milking heifers separately from cows has improved social cohesion and reduced bullying for a block-calving herd and an all-year-round setup at Sansaw Estate in Shropshire. This spring block-calving herd has…

SHEEP

Why and when farmers should weigh sheep

There is a whole heap of reasons to weigh sheep regularly. In fact, the benefits are four-fold: for health, nutrition, management, and genetic purposes, says Peter Stoker, marketing manager from…

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…

HEALTH AND WELFARE

What to do when worm reinfection limits lamb growth rates

In the latest in our series, Ben Strugnell of Farm Post Mortems, County Durham, discusses a tough late summer season of parasite challenge in youngstock at grass. Good-quality grass is…

GRASSLAND MANAGEMENT

Agronomist tips on taking reliable soil samples this autumn

Taking soil samples this autumn will only produce useful data for a nutrient management plan if it is done consistently. This means sampling at the same time of year, in…

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…

Grassland and silage management

Meat markets and prices

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MEAT MARKETS AND PRICES

ABP’s takeover of Scotbeef sites cleared by CMA

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has cleared the acquisition by ABP of Scotbeef’s Bridge of Allan abattoir in Stirlingshire and its Queenslie meat packing plant in Glasgow. The decision…

MEAT MARKETS AND PRICES

Lamb trade supported by increased exports to EU

UK lamb prices are being strengthened by export trade with less lamb available in Europe. Despite some seasonal declines, farmgate prices remain almost 60p/kg up on year-earlier levels, with lambs…

MEAT MARKETS AND PRICES

Rearing calves £40-£50 dearer as confidence grows

A better-looking farming picture means young rearing calves are in greater demand this autumn than last, coaxing higher bids from dealers and growing units. Last autumn’s rising costs and forage…

MEAT MARKETS AND PRICES

Therese Coffey to press China on lifting pork restrictions

Defra secretary Therese Coffey will travel to China next week for talks with officials in a bid to end the last Covid-era restrictions on pork shipments from the UK. China…

MEAT MARKETS AND PRICES

Lamb trade back above 570p/kg, buoyed by tighter supply

Deadweight lamb prices have rallied in recent weeks, with smaller numbers coming forward than this time last year. The GB deadweight SQQ averaged 573.1p/kg for the week ending 28 October.…

MEAT MARKETS AND PRICES

Pedigree Suffolk sheep exported by air to Georgia

A Scottish farm business has flown a flock of Suffolk sheep to a buyer in Georgia in eastern Europe. Irene and James Fowlie of Strichen in Aberdeenshire – previous Farmers…

Livestock community

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FARMER FOCUS

Farmer Focus: A journey to Ukraine for Pickups for Peace

This month, I’ve handed over to my wife, Debbie, to share details of a mission to Ukraine she hopes to help with. She intends to be a driver for the…

FARMER FOCUS

Farmer Focus: Breeding ewes achieve 10p/kg premium over fat

The rams went in with the ewes at the end of October, and as I write this I can see the shocking orange raddle (chosen by my father) on several…

FARMER FOCUS

Farmer Focus: Does RT shambles reveal personal agendas?

Who dropped the ball? Good old Red Tractor (RT) sells us short to the British Retail Consortium (BRC). As farmers, we have a voice on the board via representation from…

FARMER FOCUS

Farmer Focus: Glad to own machinery in wet drilling season

The clocks have gone back and the dark nights are here – but let’s be honest, it’s felt like winter for a while now. This drilling season has been one…

Dairy

LIVESTOCK

How a Norfolk dairy diversified into tourism and hospitality

Converting a set of Georgian barns into holiday lets 20 years ago involved market research by post for dairy farmers Joanna and David Burroughs. Today, their daughter, Lindsay Miller, is…

DAIRY

How early life calf nutrition affects long-term metabolism

Researchers are discovering more about early life programming and how critical this is for adulthood, according to Trouw Nutrition’s Dr Leonel Leal. This starts with colostrum, but also includes feeding…

YOUNGSTOCK MANAGEMENT

4 ways to improve on 60-day calf mortality rate

Healthy calves can achieve growth rates of 1,080g/day, but just one day of diarrhoea reduces this by 80g. A calf with respiratory disease will lose 180g/day off its growth rate…

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…

DAIRY

Calves fed more milk make resilient cows

Feeding more milk to dairy calves to achieve faster growth rates is no longer just a management technique. Dairy farmers need to rethink their calf rearing, because feeding more than…

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…

DAIRY

How a greenfield dairy targets 'resilient' 50% yield lift

An autumn-calving herd is targeting 7,500 litres from 1.5t of parlour cake after moving farm, breed and system. The Barnes family of Alma Bank Farm, near Oakham, have endured six…

LIVESTOCK

Consumers' views could influence end of cow-calf separation

Cow-calf separation is “contentious” and a growing concern for consumers around the world. And while they do not understand what dairy farmers do, they will step in and regulate because…

DAIRY

How to help heifers join the milking herd and reduce stress

Training heifers to the parlour, keeping them with their peers, or managing them as a separate milking group can help reduce stress levels when replacements join the milking herd. But…

DAIRY

4 ways to drill down on mastitis data for your herd

It is common practice to use mastitis and cell count patterns to see which broad area of risk is responsible for a herd’s infections. Various software packages, along with programs…

DAIRY

Benefits of training heifers to use the parlour

A snap poll by Farmers Weekly revealed that 52% of dairy farmers who responded, train their heifers through the parlour and 26% run a separate heifer group. Both results are…

LIVESTOCK

Options for harvesting maize in wet conditions

A switch to grain maize could be the answer for farmers with maize crops still standing because harvest has been hampered by wet ground conditions.   This is according to…

Livestock machinery

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TELEHANDLERS

173hp JCB 542-100 Agri Pro joins Loadall range

Straw contractors have access to some handy extra reach and lift capacity with the launch of JCB’s 542-100 telehandler. The new model can lift 4.2t and is capable of pushing…

TELEHANDLERS

Merlo goes electric with full-size Turbofarmer telehandler

Buoyed by the success of its compact E-worker, Merlo has introduced a full-size electric agricultural telehandler that has a 7m boom and can lift 4.3t. The TFe 43.7 promises similar…

TELEHANDLERS

Kubota unveils diddy RT battery-powered pivot-steer loaders

Two new compact, zero-emissions wheeled loaders have joined the Kubota stable, offering near-silent operation for working indoors, around livestock or in areas where noise is likely to irritate the neighbours.…

TELEHANDLERS

Avant 600-series mini loaders to get cleaner Kohler engine

Avant Tecno, the Finnish maker of diddy green compact loaders, has added a brace of new models to its mid-range 600-series. The primary difference between the two newbies is their…

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