Sheep

As I write, several local towns are again cut off by road due to flooding, many for the fourth time in as many weeks. As soon as we enjoy a dry day, there is a two-day deluge and the water rises again to dangerous levels, leaving homes and businesses flooded and roads impassable.

Coronavirus has had a limited impact on UK agricultural commodity prices.

We are celebrating National Butchers Week by catching up with Tom Wood, Artisan Butcher

The AHDB Beef and Lamb-funded project Challenge Sheep has now reached its third year and has, so far, identified a number of key points. Farmers Guardian reports.

Organic farmer, Matt Ridley, has finished his lambs without concentrates for the past seven years achieving the top two grades on forage and grass alone. Ann Hardy reports.

Managing ewes correctly in the last few weeks before lambing is critical. If things go wrong at this stage, lamb birth weight could be low, lamb losses high, colostrum quantity and quality poor, and lamb growth below target.

Better utilisation of grass and streamlining efficiencies has allowed one North Ayrshire monitor farm to significantly increase output over the last three years.

The SNP has said it is ‘exasperated’ by the UK Government’s failure to commit to having a red meat levy repatriation scheme up and running by April next year.

With widespread high rainfall having hit many regions in recent weeks, those spring grazing livestock may be looking at alternative management options.

Pregnant ewes are a major source of worms on pasture during the grazing season, which is why farmers have traditionally wormed their pregnant stock.