Heat stress in calves can easily be ‘missed’ as farmers focus on the milking herd during this extended period of warm and humid weather, which look set to continue well into August.

Some 500 plus sheep were forward for judging at this year’s Garstang show, with judge Frank Towers, Lancaster, responsible for the final inter-breed judging.

With rising input prices set to stay, conventional farmers may be looking with interest at how their organic counterparts are faring.

Dairy farmers growing wheat this year will soon have to make a decision regarding the best use of the crop.

UK dairy farmers are making progress towards better calf colostrum management practices but still need to focus on improved performance monitoring. 

A large entry of sheep at this year’s Royal Cheshire Show saw the overall inter-breed on the first day of judging go to a Suffolk ram lamb from Geoff Biddulph, Macclesfield, Cheshire.

The culmination of two days of judging at this year’s Staffordshire County Show saw 18 breeds take to the ring in the sheep judging with the inter-breed title going to a Charollais yearling ewe from Grant Pink, Shropshire.

Back to its usual May date after a move to July last year, Shropshire County Show, saw the ‘best in show’ for the cattle section go to the beef inter-breed winner, a Charolais heifer, from the Corbett family, Knighton, Powys.