Livestock News

There is enough energy in a hectare of fresh forage maize to support about 30,000 litres of milk production in dairy cows, once animal maintenance needs are met. 

The 4th Show and Sale to be held by the Valais Blacknose Sheep Society and their second AGM, promised to be a huge celebration, and without a doubt it was.

Broadleaved weeds emerging in new-sown leys will reduce the amount of grass that can establish. To optimise the investment in reseeding, farmers should get rid of these weeds by spraying herbicide as soon as the grass shows three true leaves, says Dr Nicola Perry, weed biology specialist for Corteva Agriscience.

A ground-breaking farming campaign, originally launched in Ireland in 2018 to raise money for mental health charities, will host its first UK seminar and auction-based livestock event in Shropshire on Friday 13th September 2019.

Disease diagnostic data from the last five years highlights a spike in the number of lambs succumbing to pasteurellosis during September, October and November (see table below). Number of lamb

Brambles, gorse and broom are tough woody weeds which can grow quickly, taking over areas that could be grazed. 

Livestock producers and food chain specialists now have a rare opportunity to develop a more in depth understanding of how global livestock production can be made more sustainable.

Maize crops in the West are looking good and predicted to yield well despite fears that dry drilling conditions may have hampered performance, explains Wynnstay arable specialist Ed Porter.

There may be incredible uncertainty facing the UK sheep industry at the current time, but with only a year to go until NSA Sheep 2020, the National Sheep Association (NSA) is planning an event that will be more important than ever in terms of focusing on how sheep farmers can be the best they can be.

Farmers, vets and advisors across the UK sheep sector are being asked to help a new industry-led stewardship group demonstrate how they are using antibiotics responsibly throughout the sheep industry.

Use of the two newer wormer groups (4-AD orange and 5-SI purple) has doubled in the two years since they became available through SQPs at merchants, but sheep farmers could still harness their potential more.

A ban on feeding maleic hydrazide-treated potato waste to livestock has now been lifted, leaving growers free to use the active ingredient without fear of losing their end markets.