Livestock top stories FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Benefits of clover starting to showIn my previous articles, I mentioned the importance of leaving the farmyard. Whether that’s for a holiday, sports matches or more farming-related events, it is good that we have a… LIVESTOCK DISEASESNew social media campaign to dispel bluetongue vaccine mythsFarmers in Wales are being urged to vaccinate their livestock against bluetongue as uptake stalls, amid growing concerns that misinformation is deterring action. A new Wales based industry-led social media… HEALTH AND WELFAREAdvice on managing mobile water troughs for flocksAs temperatures rise and rotational grazing becomes more widespread, getting water to livestock efficiently is a must. Mobile water systems can help sheep farmers overcome the challenge of providing a… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: New arrival prompts fresh look at dairy goalsThis time last year I was busy with my building projects, installing slurry channels and starting to think about milking robots. This year, something – or rather someone – has… SHEEPSheep vaccination protocols prove their worth in farm trialA structured approach to preventative vaccination in sheep has driven significant improvements in flock health, antibiotics use and cost efficiency – cutting lameness levels by 66%, among other benefits. This… LIVESTOCKRevamped Dairy Roadmap aims to unite supply chainA new chapter for the Dairy Roadmap has been revealed, which aims to make the dairy sector more sustainable as it shares responsibility across the whole supply chain. The changes,… LIVESTOCKWelsh shearer shatters eight-hour British solo ewe recordA young Welsh shearer has carved his name into the record books after an extraordinary display of endurance and precision shearing. Huw Jones, 27, from Abergynolwyn, Mid Wales, set a… ASSESSING PERFORMANCEAre smaller dairy cows a concern for the beef supply chain?The drive for smaller dairy cows has gained momentum over recent years as more milk producers appreciate the efficiencies of a lower cow maintenance cost. But while this trend has… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Aussie farmers share drought stats on UK tourI have just completed a two-week stint as tour guide for Field Farm Tours with a group of Australian farmers, mostly from New South Wales. Several of these visitors were… BEEFHow efficiencies are cutting beef unit’s carbon footprintLess reliance on bought-in cereals and greater use of home-grown forage in cattle rations, as well as a sharper focus on herd health, are driving down greenhouse gas emissions from… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Lambs on creep feed to maintain ewe conditionFirst-cut silage is now in the clamp. While all went without a hitch, grass yields were well down. I’m hoping for a bulkier second cut, which we will aim to… DAIRYFW Awards: Meet the 2025 Dairy Farmer of the Year finalistsTheir farming systems are very different, but production efficiency and vision are the common denominators that link these three highly successful dairy enterprises. Finalists Dan Lovatt, New Grange Farm, Staffordshire… LIVESTOCKScots apply bluetongue restrictions on English livestockWith the whole of England now an active bluetongue restricted zone (RZ), cattle and sheep keepers must comply with new regulations prior to sending their animals over the border into… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Milk solids up 20% on the yearA recent run of low colostrum yields in fresh-calved cows prompted us to do some blood tests to try to track down the reason why. These showed the cows were… Livestock news LIVESTOCK DISEASESNew social media campaign to dispel bluetongue vaccine mythsFarmers in Wales are being urged to vaccinate their livestock against bluetongue as uptake stalls, amid growing concerns that misinformation is deterring action. A new Wales based industry-led social media… LIVESTOCKRevamped Dairy Roadmap aims to unite supply chainA new chapter for the Dairy Roadmap has been revealed, which aims to make the dairy sector more sustainable as it shares responsibility across the whole supply chain. The changes,… LIVESTOCKWelsh shearer shatters eight-hour British solo ewe recordA young Welsh shearer has carved his name into the record books after an extraordinary display of endurance and precision shearing. Huw Jones, 27, from Abergynolwyn, Mid Wales, set a… LIVESTOCKScots apply bluetongue restrictions on English livestockWith the whole of England now an active bluetongue restricted zone (RZ), cattle and sheep keepers must comply with new regulations prior to sending their animals over the border into… 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 HEALTH AND WELFAREAdvice on managing mobile water troughs for flocksAs temperatures rise and rotational grazing becomes more widespread, getting water to livestock efficiently is a must. Mobile water systems can help sheep farmers overcome the challenge of providing a… BEEFHow efficiencies are cutting beef unit’s carbon footprintLess reliance on bought-in cereals and greater use of home-grown forage in cattle rations, as well as a sharper focus on herd health, are driving down greenhouse gas emissions from… DAIRYFW Awards: Meet the 2025 Dairy Farmer of the Year finalistsTheir farming systems are very different, but production efficiency and vision are the common denominators that link these three highly successful dairy enterprises. Finalists Dan Lovatt, New Grange Farm, Staffordshire… PIGS6 ways to find – and keep – staff on pig farmsPig producers struggling to find and retain good-quality staff are advised to focus on getting the basics right and consistently meeting key needs. “Pay must be fair and should always… HEALTH AND WELFARE5 tips to help ensure dairy cows drink enough waterSince a cow’s milk yield is directly linked to the volume of water in her body, keeping intakes at an optimum drives herd productivity. Yet many dairy farms fall short… LIVESTOCKCosts stack up for primed seed, fodder beet trial showsA fodder beet crop established at a Welsh livestock farm with primed seed and a late-season application of nitrogen fertiliser yielded 40% more forage than standard seed and two applications.… DAIRYThree-row v two-row sheds: How do they influence performance?Many farmers fall into the temptation of adding cubicles in a shed to cut building cost a cow. However, Ivor Davey from dairy housing and design company CowPlan says design… ASSESSING PERFORMANCEHow milk recording revival is identifying most efficient cowsThirty years ago, milk recording was dropped from spring-calving herds intent on cutting out superfluous cost. Breeding replacements became a simple strategy that focused only on the most fertile cows… LIVESTOCKHow rotational hedge management is helping store more carbonHedgerows managed on a 12- to 15-year laying rotation store six times more carbon than those flailed annually, studies on a Cornish beef farm have shown. Overall carbon emissions at… LIVESTOCKDifferent ways to reward good farm employeesLarge farming operations with multiple sites have more opportunities to develop their people and retain high performers. But there is no single successful way to reward good staff, according to… DAIRYWhat is the secret to a smooth calving period?Anything that can be done to make an intensive block-calving period run as smoothly as possible will be advantageous for a busy farm team. It stems from preparing staff, processes… DAIRYHow cow ownership can retain staff on block-calving unitsOffering staff the chance to own cows in the business is maintaining a good policy of recruitment and retention for a New Zealand dairy business that operates 58,000 cows. But… DAIRYHow advance planning for drying off protects herd healthThinking ahead and being organised to plan drying off the whole herd is an opportunity to do a superb job and set the business up well for the following season.… DAIRYAdvice on measuring milk from forage in grass-based herdsFarmers Weekly’s recent dairy sustainability survey revealed the average herd is producing 3,258 litres from forage. But is this metric still a reliable measure of efficiency in a grass-based business?… ASSESSING PERFORMANCEHow data management drives decision making for Romney flockA pocket data management system combined with automated handling has improved workflow and decision making for sheep farmer Tom Hadley. With a flock of Romneys, together with shearing and other… PIGSHow collecting weight data helps improve pig unit efficiencyRoutinely weighing a batch of pigs helps improve farm efficiency and creates a business that is attractive to staff, ultimately leading to better pig welfare and more profit. Northants pig… Sheep grazing advice Advice on feeding creep to lambs efficiently How to budget and allocate rotational grazing for ewes Farmer learnings on grazing sheep on multispecies swards 5 tips for managing livestock and grazing in drier weather Meat markets and pricesSee all BUSINESSAustralian meat sector pulls plug on 2030 net zero pledgeThe Australian cattle industry has dropped a long-standing pledge to be net zero by 2030. Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) first committed to the target in 2017 for net zero… MEAT MARKETS AND PRICESUK beef retains strong price premium due to limited suppliesFinished cattle continue to trade at unprecedented levels with steers trading at a 155p/kg premium compared with the same period last year. Deadweight prices have eased back slightly since peaking… MEAT MARKETS AND PRICESPoultry markets perform well in 2025 despite mixed outlookBroiler prices in the EU have surpassed €3/kg (£2.58) to a new record high, having been on an upwards trajectory since the start of the year. The EU broiler price… BUSINESSNSA adds additional ram sales amid bluetongue restrictionsThe National Sheep Association (NSA) is holding additional ram sales this summer in response to bluetongue regulations in Wales, which restricted animal movements from 1 July. The decision has been… MARKETS AND TRENDSTrade at livestock markets hit by bluetongue policy changesAuction marts on the English-Welsh border are concerned at the impact the looming bluetongue policy changes will have on breeding sales, with some effects already being felt. From 1 July,… MEAT MARKETS AND PRICESSpring lambs see resurgence as values lift back above £7/kgThe lamb trade seems to have had a resurgence in the past month after a fairly subdued spring. Tight supplies have supported lamb prices in June, with fewer hoggets left… Livestock communitySee all FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Benefits of clover starting to showIn my previous articles, I mentioned the importance of leaving the farmyard. Whether that’s for a holiday, sports matches or more farming-related events, it is good that we have a… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: New arrival prompts fresh look at dairy goalsThis time last year I was busy with my building projects, installing slurry channels and starting to think about milking robots. This year, something – or rather someone – has… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Aussie farmers share drought stats on UK tourI have just completed a two-week stint as tour guide for Field Farm Tours with a group of Australian farmers, mostly from New South Wales. Several of these visitors were… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Lambs on creep feed to maintain ewe conditionFirst-cut silage is now in the clamp. While all went without a hitch, grass yields were well down. I’m hoping for a bulkier second cut, which we will aim to… Dairy LIVESTOCKRevamped Dairy Roadmap aims to unite supply chainA new chapter for the Dairy Roadmap has been revealed, which aims to make the dairy sector more sustainable as it shares responsibility across the whole supply chain. The changes,… ASSESSING PERFORMANCEAre smaller dairy cows a concern for the beef supply chain?The drive for smaller dairy cows has gained momentum over recent years as more milk producers appreciate the efficiencies of a lower cow maintenance cost. But while this trend has… DAIRYFW Awards: Meet the 2025 Dairy Farmer of the Year finalistsTheir farming systems are very different, but production efficiency and vision are the common denominators that link these three highly successful dairy enterprises. Finalists Dan Lovatt, New Grange Farm, Staffordshire… HEALTH AND WELFARE5 tips to help ensure dairy cows drink enough waterSince a cow’s milk yield is directly linked to the volume of water in her body, keeping intakes at an optimum drives herd productivity. Yet many dairy farms fall short… DAIRYThree-row v two-row sheds: How do they influence performance?Many farmers fall into the temptation of adding cubicles in a shed to cut building cost a cow. However, Ivor Davey from dairy housing and design company CowPlan says design… ASSESSING PERFORMANCEHow milk recording revival is identifying most efficient cowsThirty years ago, milk recording was dropped from spring-calving herds intent on cutting out superfluous cost. Breeding replacements became a simple strategy that focused only on the most fertile cows… LIVESTOCKDifferent ways to reward good farm employeesLarge farming operations with multiple sites have more opportunities to develop their people and retain high performers. But there is no single successful way to reward good staff, according to… DAIRYWhat is the secret to a smooth calving period?Anything that can be done to make an intensive block-calving period run as smoothly as possible will be advantageous for a busy farm team. It stems from preparing staff, processes… DAIRYHow cow ownership can retain staff on block-calving unitsOffering staff the chance to own cows in the business is maintaining a good policy of recruitment and retention for a New Zealand dairy business that operates 58,000 cows. But… DAIRYHow advance planning for drying off protects herd healthThinking ahead and being organised to plan drying off the whole herd is an opportunity to do a superb job and set the business up well for the following season.… DAIRYAdvice on measuring milk from forage in grass-based herdsFarmers Weekly’s recent dairy sustainability survey revealed the average herd is producing 3,258 litres from forage. But is this metric still a reliable measure of efficiency in a grass-based business?… YOUNGSTOCK MANAGEMENTBenefits of lung scanning for respiratory disease in calvesA study involving eight commercial dairy farms has flagged up the value of scanning calf lungs for respiratory disease damage. Some two-thirds of the animals found with lesions had never… Advertisements Livestock machinerySee all BALERS AND WRAPPERSDriver's view: Liam Rooney's Claas Quadrant 5300 EvolutionThe 5300 Evolution occupies the top spot in Claas’s Quadrant line-up, with a hydraulic pre-chamber that helps create dense 120x90 bales. Two such machines are operated by Shropshire native Liam… BALERS AND WRAPPERSDriver's view: Will Reed's Krone Big Pack 1290 HDP Gen 5Now in its fifth generation, the Big Pack 1290 HDP is Krone’s answer to high-density, six-string baling. It’s the frontline machine of choice for Suffolk straw merchant Will Reed of… BALERS AND WRAPPERSDriver's view: Blackwater Baling's NH BigBaler 1290 HDNew Holland’s battle for big baling supremacy is led by the 1290 HD, which is the tool of choice for Gavin and Liz Strathern’s Blackwater Baling outfit. Five of them… BALERS AND WRAPPERSDriver's view: Robert Redman's MF LB 2234 XD balerPacking a heavier flywheel than its standard-spec sibling, Massey Ferguson’s LB 2234 XD is geared up for producing high-density bales. Two of these 120x90 six-stringers are the frontline machines for… Most popular this week
