Livestock top stories GRASSLAND MANAGEMENTGrassland focus on upland farm lays foundation for expansionThe return of the fourth generation to Cwmbrynich Farm has given the Havard family renewed confidence in the future of livestock farming in the uplands. See also: Top tips on tailoring… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Maize crop is motoring after a slow startOur June was extremely busy. The old adage that things will be easier next week never seems to happen. At the beginning of the month, I was worried about the… GRASSLAND MANAGEMENTAdvice on when – and if – to ted grass cut for silageTedding a swath of grass needs to reduce metabolisable energy losses by 0.3MJ/kg of dry matter, otherwise it may not justify a contractor’s charge for the job. A single pass… HEALTH AND WELFARE10-step checklist to prevent and control heifer mastitisHeifers with an elevated somatic cell count in early lactation might remain in trouble for their whole lactation. Data suggests they may average about 1kg/day less milk over the lactation,… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Lamb price only fair considering long hoursThe 31 lambs we took to Welshpool Market on 1 June looked small and young. Nevertheless, they averaged 34.2kg, with an average price of £161.94. Two weeks later, we took… 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.… MEDICINESHow pain relief and fluid therapy can benefit ruminantsFor prey species like cattle, expressing pain is risky, as it signals weakness to predators. Knowing this helps us understand why they appear so stoic, even when they are in… LIVESTOCKPig producers achieve 72% drop in antibiotics useUK pig farmers have slashed antibiotic use by 10% in a single year, bringing overall use down by 72% in a decade. Data captured by the electronic Medicines Book (eMB)… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Stock are thriving on high-quality grassJune was quite a month. We have had scorching temperatures, lashing rain, hailstones, thunder, lightning and a whole lot of grass growth. It has been a month of extremes that… HEALTH AND WELFARE3 milking settings to check that help lower mastitis riskHerds with excellent control of environmental hygiene can nevertheless struggle with environmental bacteria infecting cows during lactation. In such cases, a milking time assessment may provide some answers. While parlour… BOVINE TBDaera launches NI bovine TB wildlife consultationNorthern Ireland’s agriculture minister has launched a consultation on wildlife intervention measures to help tackle bovine TB, including options ranging from badger culling to vaccination. Daera minister Andrew Muir said… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Rig lamb foils plan to tighten lambing periodWe’ve finished making our haylage and conditions couldn’t have been much better. It looks like it will be good-quality stuff, though we’ll get it tested before we start feeding it… HEALTH AND WELFARE3 focus areas for managing mastitis risk in robotic herdsA focus on key problem areas for mastitis control in automatic milking systems has informed updates to the Mastitis Control Plan for robotic dairy units. Deliverers of the plan are… HEALTH AND WELFARETeat dip choice key to mastitis protection, study findsThe type of teat disinfection product used post-milking can have a big impact on the level of protection against environmental pathogens. New findings from vet and researcher Sofie Piepers and… Livestock news LIVESTOCKPig producers achieve 72% drop in antibiotics useUK pig farmers have slashed antibiotic use by 10% in a single year, bringing overall use down by 72% in a decade. Data captured by the electronic Medicines Book (eMB)… BOVINE TBDaera launches NI bovine TB wildlife consultationNorthern Ireland’s agriculture minister has launched a consultation on wildlife intervention measures to help tackle bovine TB, including options ranging from badger culling to vaccination. Daera minister Andrew Muir said… LIVESTOCKDefra delays cattle traceability overhaul to 2027Defra has pushed back England’s long-awaited cattle traceability overhaul to mid-2027, citing the need to align with emerging UK-EU livestock traceability requirements. The delay means the new digital traceability system… BOVINE TBJoint Ireland-NI bovine TB project secures £9.6m fundingNorthern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland have released further details on a cross-border bovine TB research project targeting wildlife, cattle and farm biosecurity in border regions. The Department of… 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 GRASSLAND MANAGEMENTGrassland focus on upland farm lays foundation for expansionThe return of the fourth generation to Cwmbrynich Farm has given the Havard family renewed confidence in the future of livestock farming in the uplands. See also: Top tips on tailoring… GRASSLAND MANAGEMENTAdvice on when – and if – to ted grass cut for silageTedding a swath of grass needs to reduce metabolisable energy losses by 0.3MJ/kg of dry matter, otherwise it may not justify a contractor’s charge for the job. A single pass… HEALTH AND WELFARE10-step checklist to prevent and control heifer mastitisHeifers with an elevated somatic cell count in early lactation might remain in trouble for their whole lactation. Data suggests they may average about 1kg/day less milk over the lactation,… 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.… MEDICINESHow pain relief and fluid therapy can benefit ruminantsFor prey species like cattle, expressing pain is risky, as it signals weakness to predators. Knowing this helps us understand why they appear so stoic, even when they are in… HEALTH AND WELFARE3 milking settings to check that help lower mastitis riskHerds with excellent control of environmental hygiene can nevertheless struggle with environmental bacteria infecting cows during lactation. In such cases, a milking time assessment may provide some answers. While parlour… HEALTH AND WELFARE3 focus areas for managing mastitis risk in robotic herdsA focus on key problem areas for mastitis control in automatic milking systems has informed updates to the Mastitis Control Plan for robotic dairy units. Deliverers of the plan are… GRASSLAND MANAGEMENTHow clover leys helped lift profit after loss of rented landThe sudden loss a large block of rented land was a big setback for the Roberts family. But by increasing output from their remaining acreage and reducing inputs, they have… GRASSLAND MANAGEMENTHow solar water pumps can extend areas suitable for grazingLack of water supply can restrict how livestock farms make use of off-lying fields and rented land – but solar energy can offer a solution. Solar watering systems give cattle… SHEEP7 tips for weaning and post-weaning management of lambsWhen to wean is one of the most important decisions in a flock’s calendar, influencing lamb performance and ewe scanning rates. Charlotte Mouland from Synergy Farm Health says the weaning… BREEDING AND FERTILITYHow cow collars saved 150 hours of labour in breeding seasonInvestment in heat detection technology will be recouped within 2.3 years by cost savings on labour and sweeper bulls, a study on a Welsh dairy farm has found. Father and… BREEDING AND FERTILITYHow organic autumn-block herd hit 77% six-week in-calf rateImproving fertility in an organic autumn block-calving herd has cut the calving spread from 16 weeks to 9.5 – without resorting to hormones, buying in replacements or culling cows. Milk… DAIRY8 tips for planning an expansion with a second herdAmbition drives growth in dairy farming, whether on a smaller scale by increasing cow numbers or yield, or the bolder aspiration of setting up an entirely new herd. Establishing a… LIVESTOCKHow dairy course grew young farmer’s business skillsUnafraid of numbers yet with little experience in using them to run a dairy farm, it was George Watts’ decision to buy a 24/48 parlour that made him improve his… LIVESTOCKHow bulk milk sampling tech helped slash mastitis casesA block-calving dairy unit has cut its herd mastitis rate by 75%, helped by a technique that analyses cow DNA using a single milk sample taken from the bulk tank.… FEED AND NUTRITIONAdvice on testing big bale silage to optimise feed decisionsFarms relying on big bale silage to feed cattle should have an idea of its nutritional value – and ideally get some feedback on their field management. The simplest way… 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 PRICES£2m in direct support offered to Scotland's pig producersA new £2m support scheme for Scotland’s independent pig producers has been launched by the Scottish government to help with the significant market challenges facing the sector. Scotland has lost… MEAT MARKETS AND PRICESStrong calf trade helps lift dairy farmer marginsThe run of consistently strong calf values shows no signs of easing, with prices staying firm until at least mid-August when autumn-calving herds start to boost supply. Auctioneers nationwide report… MEAT MARKETS AND PRICESLamb trade sees 'muted' seasonal declineFinished lamb prices are on the way down as the seasonal surge in numbers starts to pressure the market. AHDB data showed a 32p/kg drop in the New Season SQQ… MEAT MARKETS AND PRICESBeef stabilises near £6/kg deadweight after price fallBeef finishers have endured a sharp fall in prime cattle prices during recent months, although signs are emerging that the market is beginning to stabilise. After falling by more than… MEAT MARKETS AND PRICESScottish beef and lamb sector eyes £350m growth boostScottish livestock producers could help generate an additional £350m in output and £100m in economic value by 2032, according to new research highlighting strong consumer support for home-produced red meat.… MEAT MARKETS AND PRICESStrong export demand underpins UK beef and sheep pricesA strong appetite for red meat on the Continent is helping to support domestic prices, with export volumes and values up on the year. Europe remains the largest market for… Livestock communitySee all FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Maize crop is motoring after a slow startOur June was extremely busy. The old adage that things will be easier next week never seems to happen. At the beginning of the month, I was worried about the… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Lamb price only fair considering long hoursThe 31 lambs we took to Welshpool Market on 1 June looked small and young. Nevertheless, they averaged 34.2kg, with an average price of £161.94. Two weeks later, we took… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Stock are thriving on high-quality grassJune was quite a month. We have had scorching temperatures, lashing rain, hailstones, thunder, lightning and a whole lot of grass growth. It has been a month of extremes that… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Rig lamb foils plan to tighten lambing periodWe’ve finished making our haylage and conditions couldn’t have been much better. It looks like it will be good-quality stuff, though we’ll get it tested before we start feeding it… Dairy 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.… HEALTH AND WELFARE3 milking settings to check that help lower mastitis riskHerds with excellent control of environmental hygiene can nevertheless struggle with environmental bacteria infecting cows during lactation. In such cases, a milking time assessment may provide some answers. While parlour… HEALTH AND WELFARE3 focus areas for managing mastitis risk in robotic herdsA focus on key problem areas for mastitis control in automatic milking systems has informed updates to the Mastitis Control Plan for robotic dairy units. Deliverers of the plan are… HEALTH AND WELFARETeat dip choice key to mastitis protection, study findsThe type of teat disinfection product used post-milking can have a big impact on the level of protection against environmental pathogens. New findings from vet and researcher Sofie Piepers and… HEALTH AND WELFAREHow fore-milking can increase mastitis detection by 146%Research conducted on Irish dairy farms showed fore-stripping increased clinical mastitis detection by up to 146%. The finding led PhD student Rachael Millar to conclude that clinical mastitis may be… BREEDING AND FERTILITYHow cow collars saved 150 hours of labour in breeding seasonInvestment in heat detection technology will be recouped within 2.3 years by cost savings on labour and sweeper bulls, a study on a Welsh dairy farm has found. Father and… BREEDING AND FERTILITYHow organic autumn-block herd hit 77% six-week in-calf rateImproving fertility in an organic autumn block-calving herd has cut the calving spread from 16 weeks to 9.5 – without resorting to hormones, buying in replacements or culling cows. Milk… DAIRYHeat-stress strategies for grazing cows tested in NZ herdsFinding ways to mitigate heat stress for cows at grass each summer is posing an increasing challenge as spells of high temperatures become commonplace. But next year, there will be… DAIRY8 tips for planning an expansion with a second herdAmbition drives growth in dairy farming, whether on a smaller scale by increasing cow numbers or yield, or the bolder aspiration of setting up an entirely new herd. Establishing a… NEWSDairy farm numbers slip below 7,000 for first timeDairy producers continue to exit the industry at an alarming rate, with nearly 200 fewer dairy farms operating in April 2026 compared with the same time last year. Just 6,850… LIVESTOCKHow dairy course grew young farmer’s business skillsUnafraid of numbers yet with little experience in using them to run a dairy farm, it was George Watts’ decision to buy a 24/48 parlour that made him improve his… LIVESTOCKHow bulk milk sampling tech helped slash mastitis casesA block-calving dairy unit has cut its herd mastitis rate by 75%, helped by a technique that analyses cow DNA using a single milk sample taken from the bulk tank.… Advertisements Livestock machinerySee all RAKES AND MERGERSKrone unveils 10.4m Swativo forage merger setA 10.4m pick-up and belt-type swather developed by Krone has been designed with particular emphasis on gentle handling of delicate leafy crops such as lucerne and clover – though it… TELEHANDLERSFirst impressions: Tougher boom for Manitou MLT 630 115VIt might not look that different, but a host of nifty design tweaks can be found lurking under the familiar skin of Manitou’s MLT 630 115. These so-called “evolution” upgrades… TRAILERSCereals 2026: Grizzly Terra-Haul Maxx packs all the extrasThere’s a new flagship low loader in Grizzly Trailers’ line-up that comes packed with high-end gear. The Terra-Haul Maxx, seen here with 35ft deck and triple axles, is fitted with… LOADING SHOVELSTaylor Attachments takes on production of MDE grass forksThe giant-size grass forks and other agricultural products produced by MDE Machinery will in future be manufactured by Taylor Attachments at its farm-based factory near Bristol. Taylor is best known… Most popular this week
