Cell grazing and top sheep genetics are maximising production from grazed grass on a Welsh farm. Maximising the value of meat produced from every hectare of grazed grass is the number one objective for sheep and beef producer, Alwyn Phillips on his farm in North Wales. He achieves this on his 59 hectares (145acres) at […]
A decade ago, Ian Norbury came back to the family farm full time with his dad part time. They had milked cows but then got into sucklers. The ethos needed to change in order to make money and Ian decided to go pedigree. Mobberley Angus and the beef he produces is making great strides. […]
GrassCheckGB participant, Andrew Brewer, hopes to graze his 600 dairy cows for 365 days of the year to maximise the use of grass on his coastal Cornish farm. While much of the dairy farming community is preparing to bring (or has brought) cows in for the winter, Andrew Brewer, who farms at […]
Grassland management through rotational grazing can see a close to doubling of grass quantity, quality and utilisation if moving from a traditional set stocking regime. One of the perceived barriers is the additional infrastructure required, such as watering points and fencing which are crucial elements in the management of grazing livestock. During peak grass growth, […]
Pig producers in the UK face a diverse range of disease challenges and with 40% of the national herd outdoors, rearing units have diverse challenges so individual farm specific solutions for disease prevention and control are essential. They largely focus on good biosecurity, husbandry, nutrition and a robust herd health plan, to prevent and control […]
So, what is BVD? Across the UK BVD (Bovine Viral Diarrhoea) has become an increasingly worrying problem for cattle farmers. BVD is a virus that can have diverse effects on calves and cows including diarrhoea, calf pneumonia, reproductive disorders, increased occurrence of other diseases, and death. Ultimately, decreasing cattle performance and yields leading to reduced […]
With around 85% of the finished lamb market requiring E, U and R grades for conformation and 2 and 3L for fat class, prime lamb production is reliant on nutritional needs as well as good health and welfare to deliver and receive a premium from the market. Yet with around 40% of Prime lambs not […]
Best Practice for installing an Earthing System Ensuring the proper functioning of the earth system is essential for maintaining a consistent flow of electricity through the fence, thereby deterring animals or intruders effectively. Pel underground cable is double insulated galvanised steel or aluminium wire to reduce the risk of voltage leakage. Earth kits, equipped with […]
When rearing healthier calves on milk replacer, good hygiene and nutrition is essential. But the first step is ensuring sufficient high-quality colostrum within 12 hours of birth. A newly born calf’s ability to absorb immunoglobulins in colostrum reduces significantly from about six hours and has gone completely by 24 hours (Source; AHDB Better Returns). If […]
Outwintering Outwintering whether on deferred grazing or brassicas supplemented by conserved forage can reduce costs by a very impressive 70% even though they need 10-20% more energy to do so. Considering the age of animals, what growth you want to achieve over winter or merely maintenance requirements. With mature stock, assess existing body condition score […]
Avoiding losses between scanning and lambing make a big impact on live lamb numbers. Abortion can be attributed to a few causes and protection from EAE and Toxoplasmosis is essential, we discuss causes, treatment and some useful vaccinator tips and suggestions. Get the facts and protect your flock. Credit: Mr […]
All BVD test samples from the Datamars tissue sample tag range previously tested by SAC are now processed by NMR in their extensive Glasgow laboratory. This change will take effect from 25th August 2023 after SAC announced they were no longer testing Datamars tissue tags. Any BVD tags and SAC tests samples already purchased from […]
