Water company Severn Trent is reminding farmers to stay ahead of wet winter weather with a responsible approach to slurry management. Inconsistent “Even if you’re not in a designated nitrate vulnerable zone, spreading slurry on waterlogged, flooded or frozen ground brings a high risk of environmental damage,” explains Severn... Read more
• Rules for water under scrutiny • Manure ‘mustn’t be excessive’ • Deadline for government reply Autumn manure spreading could be under threat following an investigation into pollution guidance by the Office for Environmental Protection (OEP). The government’s Farming Rules for Water (FRfW) aim to reduce and prevent water... Read more
Incorporating probiotic live yeast into pig diets can reduce finishing time and improve feed conversion ratio, suggests a trial. The year-long trial was carried out across a total of 27,000 pigs in 66 batches. Some 32 batches were supplemented with the probiotic live yeast Levucell SB, says Hannah Elliott,... Read more
LAMMA 2025 set to be ‘best event yet’
Livestock 28/01/2025
• Two-day machinery farm extravaganza • Product launches from manufacturers • Practical demonstration and seminars More than 600 exhibitors will showcase the latest agricultural innovations at next month’s flagship LAMMA event. Due to take place on 15-16 January at NEC Birmingham, organisers say LAMMA 2025 promises to be a... Read more
A new – and faster – Covid-style test-at-home kit for liver fluke in ruminants could bring benefits for sheep producers, writes Nerys Wright. Covid has a lot to answer for, but helping on-farm testing is not one that would have been top of my list. The experience of using... Read more
UK pig producers are being urged develop robust contingency plans as African swine fever continues to spread across Europe. ASF is a highly contagious viral disease of pigs. There are several different strains. Pigs infected with mild strains may not become ill or show typical clinical signs. But severe... Read more
Inspirational pig industry stalwart Howard Revell has won the 2024 David Black Award – recognising his long-standing dedication to the sector. The accolade – recognising Mr Revell’s efforts to help improve animal welfare while mentoring others within the industry for almost 40 years – was presented on 18 November... Read more
Lowest level of livestock antibiotics Multi-drug resistance in pigs and poultry has fallen to an all-time low after a decade of reducing antibiotic use. The amount of antibiotics sold for livestock remains at the lowest level to date, says Defra. But an increase in antibiotic usage for some livestock... Read more
Bold plan to secure profitable future Beef farming could be transformed by using artificial intelligence to make livestock production more profitable, say researchers. Feed efficiency, greenhouse gas emissions and animal welfare could all be improved by harnessing the benefits of AI, according to scientists behind the £1.2m UKRI-funded BeefTwin... Read more
The importance of ewe condition before lambing has been known about for generations, writes Nerys Wright. But recent research has shown that poor ewe body condition score (BCS) has a longer-term impact on flock performance than first thought. A relatively quick and simple way of assessing ewe condition is... Read more