Livestock top stories DAIRYFW Awards: Meet the 2026 Dairy Farmer of the Year finalistsThis year’s finalists are profitable block-calving herds with a good work/life balance and high standards in staff management. See also: FW Awards: Meet the 2026 Poultry Farmer of the Year finalists… SHEEPNew tech offers solution to waste sheep dip disposalAn on-farm treatment system that removes almost all traces of insecticide from used sheep dip could solve one of the sheep industry’s biggest environmental challenges. If approved for use by… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Haymaking done, but feed value is debatableThe past few days have been manic. The winter barley yielded about 8.15t/ha at 13% moisture; not the boldest sample we have ever seen, but there is a large pile… LIVESTOCK DISEASESAdvice for dealing with bluetongue as cases spread rapidlyNorth Devon-based Torch Farm and Equine Vets were called out to their first suspected case of bluetongue (BTV) on 7 July. In less than a month (up to 3 August),… LIVESTOCK DISEASESChief vets call for bluetongue vaccination as cases surgeChief veterinary officers have urged livestock farmers to vaccinate against bluetongue serotype 3 (BTV-3), warning the current outbreak is accelerating, with the worst still to come. Briefing journalists this week,… HEALTH AND WELFAREBenefits of practical approach to dry cow therapy protocolsResearch and tighter rules on antibiotics use have given one Somerset dairy farm the push it needed to move away from blanket dry cow therapy and adopt a more selective… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Bull hire - quality genetics at lower costThe prolonged dry spell is beginning to bite. Winter feed stocks are disappearing far quicker than we had planned, as everything is now being fed on haylage. Not only is… DAIRYThe five non-negotiables of a resilient dairy businessFarming with one eye on the future – hoping some of their nine grandchildren will want to join their dairy business – Rodney and Dorothy Elliott are also learning from… FEED AND NUTRITIONFirst maize harvest is just a 'salvage operation'Maize harvesting is already under way in parts of the UK worst hit by drought and high temperatures as growers seek to make the most of dying crops. In Cambridgeshire… LIVESTOCK DISEASESSheep farmers urged to vaccinate as bluetongue spreadsSheep producers are being urged to vaccinate animals as bluetongue virus outbreaks worsen. The disease has now been detected on a growing number of farms in the South West and… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Culling and concentrates up as drought bitesMany people reading this from England will be rolling their eyes when I say we haven’t had decent rainfall in more than four weeks in Northern Ireland. Our rocky knowes… DAIRYWhat makes a good employee on a dairy unit?Punctuality is top of the list when it comes to the attributes dairy farmers seek in an employee, closely followed by someone who has a “happy personality” and is “willing… LIVESTOCKFW Awards: 2026 Poultry Farmer of the Year finalistsUnlike last year when all three finalists were egg producers, this year sees three poultrymeat producers vying for the coveted title. See also: FW Awards 2026: Meet the finalists The… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Dry weather great for site work but not cowsAfter almost two years of planning and waiting, the electricity transformer blocking the new parlour site has been moved. That’s allowed us to make the most of the dry weather… Livestock news LIVESTOCK DISEASESChief vets call for bluetongue vaccination as cases surgeChief veterinary officers have urged livestock farmers to vaccinate against bluetongue serotype 3 (BTV-3), warning the current outbreak is accelerating, with the worst still to come. Briefing journalists this week,… FEED AND NUTRITIONFirst maize harvest is just a 'salvage operation'Maize harvesting is already under way in parts of the UK worst hit by drought and high temperatures as growers seek to make the most of dying crops. In Cambridgeshire… LIVESTOCK DISEASESBluetongue cases surge as vets warn of severe seasonRapidly rising numbers of bluetongue cases (BTV-3) have sparked growing concern among vets and industry leaders, who say this year’s outbreak is proving far more severe than previous seasons. Speaking… LIVESTOCK DISEASESBluetongue cases rise as farmers urged to stay alertFarmers are being urged to monitor livestock closely after 24 cases of BTV-3 bluetongue were confirmed across the UK since 1 July. The latest figures show 21 cases in England… 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 DAIRYFW Awards: Meet the 2026 Dairy Farmer of the Year finalistsThis year’s finalists are profitable block-calving herds with a good work/life balance and high standards in staff management. See also: FW Awards: Meet the 2026 Poultry Farmer of the Year finalists… LIVESTOCK DISEASESAdvice for dealing with bluetongue as cases spread rapidlyNorth Devon-based Torch Farm and Equine Vets were called out to their first suspected case of bluetongue (BTV) on 7 July. In less than a month (up to 3 August),… HEALTH AND WELFAREBenefits of practical approach to dry cow therapy protocolsResearch and tighter rules on antibiotics use have given one Somerset dairy farm the push it needed to move away from blanket dry cow therapy and adopt a more selective… DAIRYThe five non-negotiables of a resilient dairy businessFarming with one eye on the future – hoping some of their nine grandchildren will want to join their dairy business – Rodney and Dorothy Elliott are also learning from… LIVESTOCKFW Awards: 2026 Poultry Farmer of the Year finalistsUnlike last year when all three finalists were egg producers, this year sees three poultrymeat producers vying for the coveted title. See also: FW Awards 2026: Meet the finalists The… DAIRYAdvice on protecting dairy staff from workplace dangersDairy farmers may have a legal responsibility to protect their workers – family and staff – but everyone on farm has a collective responsibility for health and safety. Rather than… FEED AND NUTRITIONTips on choosing brassicas for home-grown winter forageBrassicas dovetail neatly with grass production, producing forage in the months of lower grass growth, from August to February, depending on the variety. Given good growing conditions, they can provide… HEALTH AND WELFAREHow wide hedges tightened farm's biosecurityNew 5m-wide, double-fenced hedges are helping protect stock from infectious disease as well as enhancing biodiversity on a Northumberland beef and sheep farm. “It’s good biosecurity before the trees have… DAIRYTips on improving people skills from a NZ dairy managerManaging a herd of cows may be far easier than managing a team of staff, but dairy farmers can develop their people skills. All it takes is a willingness to… HEALTH AND WELFAREHow multi-pronged health focus raised flock performanceLower-than-average scanning and rearing percentages on a Denbighshire sheep farm persuaded a father and daughter team to seek help for a solution. As they discovered, it is rare to get… HOUSING AND HANDLINGHow two farmers improved handling facilities for TB testingTB testing can be one of the most demanding and dangerous jobs on a cattle farm, particularly in high-risk areas where frequent testing is required. Well-designed handling facilities can transform… DAIRYHow to identify outliers to raise herd performanceTargeting average numbers to track performance and monitor changes takes too long to have impact – it is also misleading because a herd’s average can hide a huge range in… FEED AND NUTRITIONHow willow can help provide vitamin B12 to growing lambsThe use of willow for browsing by lambs is being rolled out on a Northumberland farm to help address a cobalt deficiency. The move follows on-farm field trials which, despite… BEEFFW Awards: Meet the 2026 Beef Farmer of the Year finalistsThis year’s finalists are maximising self-sufficiency and lowering costs by growing as much home-grown feed as possible. See also: FW Awards 2026: Meet the finalists Finalists Hawes Farms, Meads Farms, Aylesbury,… BREEDING AND FERTILITYHow NZ genetics added hybrid vigour to wool-shedding flockAs direct subsidies are phased out and significant changes made to agricultural support, sheep farmers are thinking outside the box by adjusting their systems to become more resilient. For John… LIVESTOCK8 tips to optimise brooding of free-range turkey poultsThe arrival of free-range turkey poults and goslings on rearing farms marks a critical stage in the production cycle for the Christmas market. This is when the foundations for the… Grazing advice Benefits of digestible cocksfoot and tall fescue in drought 3 ways for dairy units to make on/off grazing work Advice on grazing management to reduce tick risk to cattle Spring grazing strategies to maximise lamb performance Meat markets and pricesSee all MEAT MARKETS AND PRICESFarm groups fear influx of Brazilian meat after EU banOrganisations representing UK farmers and meat processors are demanding the suspension of imports of meat and animal products from Brazil in line with action the EU will instigate next month.… MEAT MARKETS AND PRICESMeat exporters challenge new French border inspectionsLegal action by UK meat suppliers is being prepared to challenge new border inspections of meat carcasses destined for France. Since 1 August, hauliers are being ordered to assist French… MEAT MARKETS AND PRICESPig prices remain subdued in oversupplied marketPig prices remain suppressed amid ongoing supply and demand imbalances, both in the UK and further afield. In the week to 25 July, the UK Standard Pig Price stood at… MEAT MARKETS AND PRICESBeef prices hold firm as cattle supplies tightenFinished cattle prices remain strong, moving up across most categories in early July, before stabilising again by the middle of the month. At the same time, slaughtering numbers are down,… MEAT MARKETS AND PRICESTighter supplies underpin summer lamb pricesReduced stocking densities and tighter domestic demand are supporting lamb prices, despite the usual seasonal drop in values as new-season lamb enters the market. “Supply has been quite tight in… MEAT MARKETS AND PRICESDefra minister rejects call for targeted pig supportDefra farming minister Stephen Morgan has rejected calls for targeted support for beleaguered pig producers, insisting current market difficulties do not warrant any government intervention. The case was made by… Livestock communitySee all FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Haymaking done, but feed value is debatableThe past few days have been manic. The winter barley yielded about 8.15t/ha at 13% moisture; not the boldest sample we have ever seen, but there is a large pile… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Bull hire - quality genetics at lower costThe prolonged dry spell is beginning to bite. Winter feed stocks are disappearing far quicker than we had planned, as everything is now being fed on haylage. Not only is… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Culling and concentrates up as drought bitesMany people reading this from England will be rolling their eyes when I say we haven’t had decent rainfall in more than four weeks in Northern Ireland. Our rocky knowes… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Dry weather great for site work but not cowsAfter almost two years of planning and waiting, the electricity transformer blocking the new parlour site has been moved. That’s allowed us to make the most of the dry weather… Dairy DAIRYFW Awards: Meet the 2026 Dairy Farmer of the Year finalistsThis year’s finalists are profitable block-calving herds with a good work/life balance and high standards in staff management. See also: FW Awards: Meet the 2026 Poultry Farmer of the Year finalists… LIVESTOCK DISEASESAdvice for dealing with bluetongue as cases spread rapidlyNorth Devon-based Torch Farm and Equine Vets were called out to their first suspected case of bluetongue (BTV) on 7 July. In less than a month (up to 3 August),… HEALTH AND WELFAREBenefits of practical approach to dry cow therapy protocolsResearch and tighter rules on antibiotics use have given one Somerset dairy farm the push it needed to move away from blanket dry cow therapy and adopt a more selective… DAIRYThe five non-negotiables of a resilient dairy businessFarming with one eye on the future – hoping some of their nine grandchildren will want to join their dairy business – Rodney and Dorothy Elliott are also learning from… DAIRYWhat makes a good employee on a dairy unit?Punctuality is top of the list when it comes to the attributes dairy farmers seek in an employee, closely followed by someone who has a “happy personality” and is “willing… DAIRYAdvice on protecting dairy staff from workplace dangersDairy farmers may have a legal responsibility to protect their workers – family and staff – but everyone on farm has a collective responsibility for health and safety. Rather than… DAIRYTips on improving people skills from a NZ dairy managerManaging a herd of cows may be far easier than managing a team of staff, but dairy farmers can develop their people skills. All it takes is a willingness to… MAIZEWhy UK faces growing mycotoxin risk in silageExtreme weather patterns are increasing the risk that mycotoxins will cause problems for the UK’s high-yielding dairy herds. A global shift in crop production fuelled by climate change is expected… HOUSING AND HANDLINGHow two farmers improved handling facilities for TB testingTB testing can be one of the most demanding and dangerous jobs on a cattle farm, particularly in high-risk areas where frequent testing is required. Well-designed handling facilities can transform… DAIRYHow to identify outliers to raise herd performanceTargeting average numbers to track performance and monitor changes takes too long to have impact – it is also misleading because a herd’s average can hide a huge range in… GRASSLAND MANAGEMENTAre longer rest periods feasible in grazing dairy herds?Changing grazing management to allow taller entry covers and residuals can be successfully used to improve degraded pastures on dairy farms, a three-year trial has shown. Soil health improved and,… FEED AND NUTRITIONAdvice on supplementing dry cows with magnesiumMagnesium is an essential mineral in preventing milk fever in fresh calvers. When dry cow nutrition is based on a total mixed ration, magnesium can be integrated in the mix.… Advertisements Livestock machinerySee all TEDDERSMid-range Claas Volto tedders get major driveline revampClaas has revamped its mid-range tedders to bring them into line with the larger trailed machines. Five models span working widths from 6.6m to 10.8m, with the largest available in… TECHNOLOGYConverted Leyland 255 powered by used electric car partsA quick drive-by of Ben Bament’s low-key workshop in Farmborough, Somerset would reveal nothing of the wizardly engineering cloaked under the most ordinary of machines berthed outside. Among his curious… DIET FEEDERSTrioliet offers more accurate Solomix feed ration weighingLivestock mixer-feeder specialist Trioliet has devised a new weighing system for its Solomix tandem-axle models designed to be more accurate and easier to maintain than previous installations. The snappily titled… LOADING SHOVELSClaas Torion 537e gets battery-electric powertrainBattery power has reached Claas' Liebherr-built Torion 537, signified by its "e" designation and flash of blue across the bonnet. The zero-emissions mini shovel has a 32.2kWh pack as standard,… Most popular this week
