Livestock

An 19th century oil painting of a Beef Shorthorn cow has found its way back the family it originally belonged to, after being put up for auction at the recent Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society’s annual awards dinner.

Farmgate cattle and pig prices have reached a new record high as the lamb trade struggles to match levels of early 2021 and 2022, according to an analysis carried out by Quality Meat Scotland (QMS).

Beef and dairy producers should be hit with a new tax in order to incentivise greener farming methods, while consumers should follow a diet restricted to fewer than three portions of meat a week, a new report has suggested.

A 16,000gns call led the Beef Shorthorn bidding at the first Stirling February showcase, to average 5,697, back 49 on the year for the 59 sold, with a clearance rate of 66 per cent.

A top bid of 24,000gns led the Aberdeen-Angus trade at the first round of February bull sales at Stirling, with 12 bulls in total making five-figure sums from the 86 head sold to average 6,727, up 194 on the year for nine m

Limousin bulls met a 15,000gns high at the first round of bull sales at Stirling to average 6,689, up 940 on the year, for the 52 sold and with a solid clearance rate of 93 per cent.

A Somerset farmer has been fined and banned from keeping cattle for life after admitting causing unnecessary suffering to a calf.

The Animal and Plant Health Association (APHA) has announced that field trials for cattle vaccine and new skin test for Bovine Tuberculosis (TB) are moving onto the next phase, in the fight to eradicate the disease.

A switch to cross-breeding can feel like a daunting step, so a Yorkshire farming family put a toe in the water by importing a wagon-load of cross-bred in-calf heifers

With lambing time on the horizon, vets offer a reminder of best practice with a focus on low antibiotic use, colostrum quality and ewe nutrition.