Livestock

Fodder beet could be an attractive alternative to costly bought-in feeds, says Mark Snell who grows the crop to use for his own livestock business and also to sell to other farmers.

According to the Control of Worms Sustainably (COWS) group, vaccinating calves before turnout can protect them against lungworm and reduce economic losses from ill-health.

In what is thought to be the largest recorded data-set for sheep colostrum collected under commercial farming conditions, a new study has emphasised the importance of a good diet in late pregnancy and its link with colostrum quality.

Plans to ban meat at a Lancashire primary school and at Oxfordshire Council events have prompted scorn from across the farming spectrum this week.

Defra’s plan to help ease the pig backlog must be turned into reality without delay to provide ‘desperate farmers with some hope of a viable future’.

In 2022, the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway will be launched as part of the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI); the culmination of more than two years’ worth of research and co-design between farmers, vets and Defra specialists.

Despite there being speculation that Northern Ireland would lose its non-accredited status for Maedi Visna (MV) officials have reassured breeders that Northern Ireland’s sheep flock will remain MV accredited.

With the price of ammonium nitrate almost three times what it was this time last year, it is not surprising that many farmers are thinking hard about what they can do to mitigate this escalating input cost. And it is not just fertiliser prices which are rising.

A top call of 5,350 was among a number of highlights at the Farmers Guardian supported sale of show potential calves at Brecon, where heifers set a thought to be record average of more than 2,700.

Farming unions have expressed concern that the Welsh Government’s latest TB consultation has failed to assess the impact its proposals will have on farm finances, cattle welfare and veterinary capacity.