Livestock top stories SHEEPSheep system change sees agreement between father and sonIntroducing some smart technology, buying a quad bike and replacing a sheep breed on the family livestock farm seem easy decisions for one young farmer, compared with managing his dad’s… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Tax change could help smart young farmersThe Christmas period is fast approaching, and with that comes the yearly rush of trying to get as many jobs tied up in the weeks leading up to 25 December… LIVESTOCK DISEASESBluetongue movement rules relaxed in Northern IrelandAnimal movement restrictions linked to bluetongue virus (BTV) will be relaxed within the Temporary Control Zone (TCZ) in Northerrn Ireland following the completion of surveillance testing from today (Friday, 19… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Easy-calving heifers biggest success of yearIt is hard to believe that we are fast approaching the end of yet another year. Last year was quite a challenging one for us as a family. However, 2025,… HEALTH AND WELFAREDefra to increase payments for vet visitsPayment rates for government-funded annual vet visits to farms in England will increase by 16% from 22 January 2026. Funding will continue to be available as part of Defra’s Animal… LIVESTOCKHow off-farm pursuits are benefiting two livestock farmsA change is as good as a rest, the saying goes, and getting away from the farm to do something completely different is a great way to recharge the batteries.… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Cows dry and culls gone for a good priceAnnual shut down is here. The herd was all dried off this week – though we had already dried off 150 over the previous month. They all get a teat… POULTRYBenefits of premium turkey contract for beef and sheep farmGrowing turkeys is allowing a Powys farm to earn an additional income stream from its beef and sheep sheds at a time of the year when they would otherwise have… FARMER FOCUSFarmer focus: Pig educational unit will help industry careersAt this festive time, we look back on the year that’s been, writing with triumph on the many achievements while also reflecting on the inevitable, but occasional, low points. I’m… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Slurry storage gap filled by friend’s lagoonI think the less said about the Budget, the better. But surely Leeds West and Pudsey had a better candidate for MP at the last election than Rachel Reeves. She… BEEFHow cost focus unlocked beef and sheep farm’s potentialThere is nothing like a debt to focus the mind – and a farming partnership restructuring that allowed Richard McCornick and his brother Craig to farm independently certainly did that.… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Milk solids holding up nicely to meet demandIt seems no time since the clocks went back, and now we’re thinking about Christmas. I retreated to the office to write this and left my wife, Kathryn, tangled up… HEALTH AND WELFARECalf toys: What’s on offer and are they worth it?Introducing toys into the calf pen can enhance the development and wellbeing of youngstock, helping them thrive and become resilient animals in adulthood. However, these should not be at the… PARASITIC DISEASESAdvice on an integrated approach to endoparasite managementManaging endoparasites, including worms, fluke, and coccidia, remains a persistent challenge for UK farms that directly affects animal welfare and profitability. As resistance to anthelmintics – and understanding of their… Livestock news LIVESTOCK DISEASESBluetongue movement rules relaxed in Northern IrelandAnimal movement restrictions linked to bluetongue virus (BTV) will be relaxed within the Temporary Control Zone (TCZ) in Northerrn Ireland following the completion of surveillance testing from today (Friday, 19… HEALTH AND WELFAREDefra to increase payments for vet visitsPayment rates for government-funded annual vet visits to farms in England will increase by 16% from 22 January 2026. Funding will continue to be available as part of Defra’s Animal… BREEDING AND FERTILITYNew entrant Coyote tops latest Holstein genomic rankings Exceptional weight and percentage of fat (62.2kg and +0.3%) have earned a UK-born and bred bull top place in AHDB’s genetic evaluations for genomic Holstein sires (published 2 December).… HEALTH AND WELFAREUK border security warning as African swine fever hits SpainAn outbreak of African swine fever (ASF) in wild boar in Spain has raised concerns about border security in the UK, given previous poor performance, according to the National Pig… More articles Explore livestock Know How Business advice Essential guides Practical tips Case studies Dairy Beef Sheep Pigs Other livestock Grassland management Slurry and manure management Explore all topics Latest from livestock Know HowSee all SHEEPSheep system change sees agreement between father and sonIntroducing some smart technology, buying a quad bike and replacing a sheep breed on the family livestock farm seem easy decisions for one young farmer, compared with managing his dad’s… LIVESTOCKHow off-farm pursuits are benefiting two livestock farmsA change is as good as a rest, the saying goes, and getting away from the farm to do something completely different is a great way to recharge the batteries.… POULTRYBenefits of premium turkey contract for beef and sheep farmGrowing turkeys is allowing a Powys farm to earn an additional income stream from its beef and sheep sheds at a time of the year when they would otherwise have… BEEFHow cost focus unlocked beef and sheep farm’s potentialThere is nothing like a debt to focus the mind – and a farming partnership restructuring that allowed Richard McCornick and his brother Craig to farm independently certainly did that.… PARASITIC DISEASESAdvice on an integrated approach to endoparasite managementManaging endoparasites, including worms, fluke, and coccidia, remains a persistent challenge for UK farms that directly affects animal welfare and profitability. As resistance to anthelmintics – and understanding of their… HEALTH AND WELFAREAdvice on using natural predators to control nuisance fliesEarly birds may get worms, but livestock farmers planning fly control in winter benefit by preventing a population explosion of common and stable flies next summer. Starting a tailored fly… PIGSHow organic pig breeder setup benefits business performanceProducer Guy King has doubled sow numbers from 500 to 1,000, and the 2023 Farmers Weekly Pig Farmer of the Year is now selling 350-400 finished pigs a week from… BEEFHow switch to organic has improved forage across two farmsFor Liz and Rob Priest, switching to organic has sharpened their focus on forage – improving quality, productivity and utilisation. The result is lower costs, strengthened business resilience and peace… LIVESTOCKFrench new entrants find price rewards in bison productionA keen eye for a commercial opportunity and a willingness to take a risk have paid off for a French couple looking for a way into farming. Establishing a herd… YOUNGSTOCK MANAGEMENTHow a heifer rearing unit works successfully at scaleEconomies of scale have allowed a contract farming business to maximise efficiency by sending replacement heifer calves from three of its dairy herds to a single, dedicated rearing unit. Farming… LIVESTOCKHow a beef and sheep farmer learned to set realistic goalsGoing on a business course not only helped Matt Jordon to work out what he wanted to do with his family farm – it clarified what he did not aspire… HEALTH AND WELFAREAdvice on applying lime to cubicles to aid mastitis controlLiming cubicles may not be anyone’s favourite job, but it remains an important task in mastitis control. Push/pull-along dispensers, auger-driven models (spreading lime with bedding sawdust), or the traditional bucket-and-mug… LIVESTOCK DISEASESAdvice on winter measures to keep bluetongue virus at bayAlthough falling temperatures will now curtail midge activity and bluetongue virus replication, farmers can still take measures to reduce infection pressure this winter by disrupting the midge life cycle. Poorly… DAIRYHow teamwork got dairy herd’s mastitis spike under controlWhen mastitis rates unexpectedly surged in Steve and Emma Furnival’s spring-calving herd, it put pressure on every part of their business — from cow health and profitability to team morale.… FOOT HEALTHSole ulcers in dairy: Risk factors and how to reduce themSole ulcers persist as one of the major causes of lameness in dairy cattle in the UK. For both animal welfare and economic reasons, minimising the incidence of these cases… HEALTH AND WELFAREHow smiley faces can be used to share cow milking statusSimple, visual alerts still have their place in the milking parlour, even in the era of smart cow technology. A sequence of three dots followed by a line on the… Get ready for winter How to budget and allocate rotational grazing for ewes Winter grazing crop outperforms brassicas in sheep trial Benefits of winter sheep grazing for silage performance Advice for winter feeding in-calf beef heifers How to manage poultry housing environments in winter Advice for beef winter rations as feed shortages loom large Tips on preparing your pig unit for winter Dairy winter housing upgrade helps cut new infection rates Meat markets and pricesSee all MEAT MARKETS AND PRICESUK beef and sheep numbers contract while prices hold upStrong finished beef and lamb prices during the past year have been underpinned by tight supplies, with recent figures published by Defra showing further declines in the number of cattle… MEAT MARKETS AND PRICESExceptional beef trade holds at £6.60/kg amid tight suppliesFinished cattle prices are still commanding a healthy premium above last year’s levels, with prices up throughout the supply chain, including at retail. Extremely tight supplies of cattle has kept… MEAT MARKETS AND PRICESLamb trade hits £7/kg despite competition from importsBase prices for finished lambs pushed back above £7/kg deadweight at abattoirs in early December for the first time in several months. Tight supplies and improved demand for lamb throughout… MEAT MARKETS AND PRICESFlying beef trade at Winslow Christmas Primestock ShowChristmas primestock shows have been in full swing at auction markets across the country in the past week, with an already buoyant beef trade receiving a festive uplift. Winslow Christmas… MEAT MARKETS AND PRICESGB pig price falls to £2/kg as margins tighten on farmAfter several buoyant years for the pork sector, falling pig prices are once again squeezing margins for producers. Finished pig prices have slipped by almost 8p/kg in the past three… MEAT MARKETS AND PRICESLamb trade strengthens as tight supplies support pricesThe lamb trade appears to have turned a corner, with tighter supplies and improved export demand helping prices recover in recent weeks. Deadweight lamb prices plateaued during October, but have… Livestock communitySee all FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Tax change could help smart young farmersThe Christmas period is fast approaching, and with that comes the yearly rush of trying to get as many jobs tied up in the weeks leading up to 25 December… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Easy-calving heifers biggest success of yearIt is hard to believe that we are fast approaching the end of yet another year. Last year was quite a challenging one for us as a family. However, 2025,… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Cows dry and culls gone for a good priceAnnual shut down is here. The herd was all dried off this week – though we had already dried off 150 over the previous month. They all get a teat… FARMER FOCUSFarmer focus: Pig educational unit will help industry careersAt this festive time, we look back on the year that’s been, writing with triumph on the many achievements while also reflecting on the inevitable, but occasional, low points. I’m… Dairy BREEDING AND FERTILITYNew entrant Coyote tops latest Holstein genomic rankings Exceptional weight and percentage of fat (62.2kg and +0.3%) have earned a UK-born and bred bull top place in AHDB’s genetic evaluations for genomic Holstein sires (published 2 December).… YOUNGSTOCK MANAGEMENTHow a heifer rearing unit works successfully at scaleEconomies of scale have allowed a contract farming business to maximise efficiency by sending replacement heifer calves from three of its dairy herds to a single, dedicated rearing unit. Farming… HEALTH AND WELFAREAdvice on applying lime to cubicles to aid mastitis controlLiming cubicles may not be anyone’s favourite job, but it remains an important task in mastitis control. Push/pull-along dispensers, auger-driven models (spreading lime with bedding sawdust), or the traditional bucket-and-mug… NEWSUK dairy farming benefits environment says reportThe virtues of UK dairy farming, including its contribution to nutrition, health and environmental sustainability, are highlighted in a new report by the AHDB. The report, 'Balancing health and sustainability:… DAIRYHow teamwork got dairy herd’s mastitis spike under controlWhen mastitis rates unexpectedly surged in Steve and Emma Furnival’s spring-calving herd, it put pressure on every part of their business — from cow health and profitability to team morale.… FOOT HEALTHSole ulcers in dairy: Risk factors and how to reduce themSole ulcers persist as one of the major causes of lameness in dairy cattle in the UK. For both animal welfare and economic reasons, minimising the incidence of these cases… HEALTH AND WELFAREHow smiley faces can be used to share cow milking statusSimple, visual alerts still have their place in the milking parlour, even in the era of smart cow technology. A sequence of three dots followed by a line on the… LIVESTOCK DISEASESHow Johne’s management cut disease to less than 2% of herdConsistent efforts to prevent Johne’s disease in a high-yielding Wiltshire dairy herd have resulted in cases falling from a high of 25% (cows identified as Johne’s positive or high risk)… FEED AND NUTRITIONHow one dairy is managing forage stocks for weather extremesThree weather apps and a bespoke spreadsheet are helping to feed cows cost-effectively at Clive Hall Farm – despite more extreme weather patterns affecting forage stocks for this spring block-calving… DAIRYHow two dairies are using bovine pheromone to reduce stressHigh-yielding herds milking through robots and running heifers as a separate milking group are now using a bovine pheromone to further reduce stress levels at first calving. Despite already operating… HEALTH AND WELFAREHow targeted mastitis treatment drove down vet and med costsA concerted effort to tackle high incidences of clinical mastitis and repeat cases in high-yielding cows is helping a 200-cow Lancashire dairy farm save on vet fees and reduce milk… FEED AND NUTRITIONBovaer maker defends product after Danish farmer fearsThe manufacturer of the methane-reducing feed additive Bovaer has moved to calm fears over its safety after Danish farmers raised concerns linking the product to cattle illness and deaths. DSM-Firmenich,… Advertisements Livestock machinerySee all RAKES AND MERGERSSamasz targets four-rotor rake market with new Z4-1550Polish maker Samasz has unveiled a prototype four-rotor rake that will go into production in 2027. The Z4-1550 carries a quartet of newly designed 3.8m rotors, each running on six… BALERS AND WRAPPERSTerraDrive driven axle boosts grip for McHale Fusion 4 balerFor those who find their McHale Fusion 4 a hard beast to handle on challenging terrain, there’s now the option of buying one with a hydraulic driven axle. The TerraDrive… BALERS AND WRAPPERSAgritechnica 2025: Claas unveils high-density Cubix balerCompetition is heating up at the apex of the 120x90 baler market, with Claas signalling its intention to challenge New Holland et al with a new high-density design. See also: Driver's… MOWERSAgritechnica 2025: Kuhn pushes mounted GMD mower to 14.5mFarmers and contractors could get their grass scythed a smidge quicker by upgrading to the latest version of Kuhn’s non-conditioning GMD. The 3.8t 15030 has an albatross-like wingspan of 14.5m… Most popular this week
