Dairy & Beef

Dairy farmers are being encouraged to consider the dual benefits of an Aberdeen-Angus sire when selecting beef bulls for their herds.

Latest figures from Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) have revealed prime cattle prices reached record high levels at Scottish abattoirs in February, despite the trend being a reduction in prices for this time of year.

The latest round of the Rural Payments Agency’s (RPA) Farming Equipment and Technology Fund (FETF) offers grant funding for a range of equipment, including mobile sheep handling and herd monitoring systems, with MSD Animal Health also offering support to improve flock productivity.

Farming groups have criticised the government over plans to sign trade agreements with Canada and Mexico that will lead to low-welfare imports of beef and pork undercutting British producers.

It’s important to consider different groups of cattle when thinking about worm control at turnout, as the risk factors will be different for different ages and the different types of parasite, explains Professor Diana Williams, of the University of Liverpool.

The evaluation, carried out through Reading University, found that 17% of milking heifers exit the herd before calving down for a second time.

Emma Ledbury, who lost half of her dairy herd to TB last year, was overwhelmed by support from Clarkson’s Farm fans and resolved to donate some of the funds to the mental health charity RABI (Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution).

To support dairy farmers on the eastern side of the UK, T H White has opened a new base in Attleborough, Norfolk, extending DeLaval territory from Wales to the east coast.

The latest Antimicrobial Focus Report from Kingshay shows a quarter of UK dairy farmers from those sampled are responsible for 49% of total antibiotic usage in the sector.

Having found a shared ambition for farming when they met on a dating app, Abbie Bryant and Andy Moye are coming to the end of their first year as full-time farmers – and it’s been a challenging introduction to say the least.

Since losing his wife to ovarian cancer, Emyr Wigley has raised over £121,000 for Ovarian Cancer Action and the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Trust. Now, following a recent injury, he will sell his herd of 33 cattle on 4th March.

Kate Heller, a vet, dairy farmer and Elanco technical consultant in Truro, shares some of the most common pitfalls and risk factors in transition cow management and how to avoid them.