Leading a small entry at the North Wales Show Potential sale at Ruthin at 5,800 was a Charolais cross heifer bred by Gary Jones and family, Betws y Coed.

The county council farm system has been instrumental in helping Paul and Becky Fenton realise their ultimate dream of buying their own farm. Lauren Williamson reports.

Soil compaction often goes unnoticed in grassland soils and yet it can have an adverse impact on productivity comparable to the effect in cultivated soils.

Taking a targeted approach to the use of manures and slurries as part of a comprehensive nutrient management planning process is essential to keep input costs manageable.

Dairy farmers are constantly being urged to increase milk from forage, but the exact financial benefits of doing this are not always spelled out.

As market analysts predict milk price rises into autumn 2022, dairy farmers who can maintain milk yields over this period will be in the best position to take advantage of this buoyant market.

Ross Dilks, an agronomist with Agrii and a dairy farmer in Derbyshire, says although his clients have tried a variety of home-grown feed sources over recent years, his experience shows grass is consistently the most cost-effective way to feed dairy cows.

Exploring all the options to increase milk from forage is yielding results on one Cambridgeshire dairy farm.

Yield mapping for grassland provides vital information to inform future decision making and diet planning and the technology need not cost the earth.

Machinery which is set up correctly lasts longer and makes better silage. These simple steps enable tedders, rakes and mowers to work effectively.