Dairy & Beef News

Results from an ongoing study indicate heat stress is becoming a costly problem on UK dairy farms and can affect milk yields in both housed and grazed cows, with some businesses facing losses of up to £90,000.

As we make our homes fit for purpose to cope with climate change, researchers are asking, should we do the same for our livestock?

Farmer-owned dairy cooperative Dale Farm is the first enterprise in Northern Ireland to switch to clear bottle caps on all of its own-label milk in a bid to make Dale Farm milk packaging more sustainable.

Wynnstay’s new Forage4Profit campaign is aimed at helping dairy farmers maximise milk from forage and cut feed costs by improving the quality of homegrown forage, which can also help reduce farms’ environmental footprint.

As farmers face pressure to reduce environmental impact and antibiotic usage, the National Office for Animal Health is sharing vaccination best practice on World Animal Vaccination Day.

UK-based cattle genetics company Genus ABS has performed strongly at the April proof evaluation, receiving credit for 12 of the top 25 genomic £PLI (Profitable Lifetime Index) sires, as well as all top five homozygous polled sires.

New Innovative Farmers research is investigating the use of hay bales for winter mob grazing in a bid to boost soil health, biodiversity and animal welfare while cutting housing and labour costs.

GEA, one of the world’s largest systems suppliers for the food, beverage and pharmaceutical sectors, has acquired South West dealer Venture Dairy Services in a deal which will consolidate its presence in the region and improve its offering to dairy producers.

A seasonal study, carried out on Islay as part of the RHASS Presidential Initiative (PI), has demonstrated that treating livestock ‘as little as possible, but as much as necessary’ for liver fluke can deliver a multitude of benefits for both animal and environmental health.

Farmers are being reminded of the risk of botulism after the disease was found to be the culprit behind the sudden death of over 100 dairy cows at a Jersey farm in December 2022.

Livestock farmers are being reminded to look into the causes of pneumonia and coughing in calves and youngstock and take steps to understand the mycoplasma status of their herd.

Three cutting-edge projects relating to robotics and automation will receive a share of £9.13 million through the government’s Farming Innovation Programme, aimed at boosting agricultural productivity, sustainability and climate resilience.