Sheep

Vets are urging farmers to test for enzootic abortion of ewes (EAE) if they have experienced abortions in their flock.

Sea eagle predation appears to be spreading to new areas of the Western Isles, as the population of the giant raptors continues to increase.

New Zealand huntaway’s are an asset in Sion Morgan’s team of working dogs, which he runs alongside his border collies to manage several thousand Scottish Blackface sheep in the Scottish Borders.

The kelpie is native to Australia and first arrived in the UK in the 1980s, however it is thought they may be linked to the Scotch collie which was exported from Scotland to Australia in the 1800s.

The switch from selling sheepdogs in the field at live auction to timed auctions, therefore, opening sales up to a wider audience, is thought to be a key factor in the boom in prices over the last year or so.

The inaugural sale of pedigree female sheep at Worcester saw the Dutch Spotted breed dominate the day’s trade with a top price of 4,900gns for a ewe with a pair of lambs at foot.

With lamb prices remaining about 50 per cent higher than the five year average despite recent declines, Alex Black takes a look at the lamb trade around the UK

The origin of feed is becoming a key issue for livestock producers, but care is needed transitioning to sustainable protein sources.

Research by Robert Wilkinson, principal lecturer in ruminant nutrition at Harper Adams University, found adding prebiotics, namely mannan-oligosaccharide (MOS), to the diet of pregnant ewes improved the quality of colostrum.

Reseeding is a reliable way of increasing productivity and quality of grassland leys, but several factors should be considered before taking action. Hannah Noble reports.