British sheep farmers are being urged to remain vigilant following confirmation of a new bluetongue strain spreading rapidly in the Netherlands. Concern about the proximity of the BTV-3 virus to the UK – and eastern region sheep flocks in particular – prompted an emergency meeting of representatives from more... Read more

Dairy farmers are being urged to start planning now for winter feeding to ensure cows receive consistent rations and achieve optimum milk yields. With varying silage quality experienced this year, nutrition experts say it is important for dairy farmers to undertake analysis of their forages to gain an accurate... Read more

Livestock producers are being advised to increase hygiene levels in cattle enclosures and calving equipment to prevent unnecessary calf losses this winter. Winter calving can present farmers with a host of environmental challenges, with colder temperatures threatening the survival of weaker animals, the increased risk of disease, and reduced... Read more

A government fund for new or refurbished calf housing has opened for applications from beef and dairy producers. The Calf Housing for Health and Welfare fund offers grants ranging from £15,000 to £500,000. It covers up to 40% of the cost of calf housing and buildings which improve health... Read more

Three new forage maize varieties from Limagrain have been added to the BSPB/NIAB Descriptive List for 2023-24. The list compares major maize varieties across the key growing locations of the UK. Comparisons are made on crop dry matter, crop yield, agronomic data such as lodging, and quality characteristics of... Read more

Twelve new varieties have been added to the British Society of Plant Breeder’s forage maize descriptive lists for 2024. The lists describe the performance of different maize varieties across a range of locations. Sites are classified according to different factors – including length of growing season and spring soil... Read more

Challenging conditions in recent years have seen an increase in sales of rapidly growing one-year leys as a quick fix to boost forage stocks – but these could mask deeper grassland problems. Read more

With rising demand to boost productivity while maintaining grassland health, Midland Farmer discovers some top tips to restore and improve soils from Timac Agro UK technical manager David Newton. Read more

Herbage seeds help mitigate drought

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