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Know How / Health and welfare

Animal health is critical to all producers of dairy and beef cattle, sheep and pigs. Get advice on dealing with livestock diseases such as, bovine TB and mastitis, and conditions such as heat stress, lameness and ewe prolapse. See best practice on vaccination, medicines and reducing antibiotics.

Case studies

BEEF

Post-weaning cattle growth rates double with natural spot-on

A family butcher is expecting to see days to slaughter fall in cattle treated with a topical pheromone that has improved growth rates after weaning and castration. When Steve Conisbee’s…

SHEEP

Flock health and farm cost benefits from mineral auditing

Applying fertiliser enriched with sulphur can improve grass yields, but a project in Wales has demonstrated why farmers should monitor impacts on their livestock or risk poor performance. Roger and…

LIVESTOCK

Why Angus breeder prioritises health and forage-only diets

High health status, easy calving genetics and performance from forage are the foundations of Angus Stovold’s Aberdeen Angus herd. His cattle, although largely sold for breeding, also have to succeed…

LIVESTOCK

How a Portuguese green oasis inspired a move to agroforestry

Mike Adams had never seen the point in growing trees in fields. But visits to farms in southern Europe and Turkey proved transformational; he is now sold on their benefits…

DAIRY

Why low-mastitis herd helps keeps tabs on medicines cabinet

The downside of a dairy herd with less than 5% mastitis is having to maintain a stock of in-date antibiotics. This is the case for the Hodginkson family, who run…

DAIRY

How a Somerset dairy cut mastitis cases by 40% in two years

A free monthly report summarising mastitis and somatic cell count patterns prompted changes to dry cow management and milking routine at Westford Park Farm, Chard. Together, these led to a…

Practical advice

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LIVESTOCK DISEASES

Bluetongue virus: What to look out for and how to manage it

Bluetongue virus risk is at a seasonal low, but producers should be ready for that to change in spring. Bluetongue virus is an insect-borne disease that can affect all ruminants.…

LAMBING

Why iodine alternative brings four benefits to lambing shed

A fast-drying navel protection solution has impressed in lambing sheds under trial conditions, providing an effective alternative to iodine. Interest in substitute desiccants for navels has grown since the cost…

SHEEP

Farmers warned care needed with triclabendazole alternatives

Animal health leaders concerned about anthelmintics resistance are urging farmers reaching for alternatives to an established drug to research the active ingredients in liver fluke products. Resistance to triclabendazole, the…

DAIRY

Advice on flexible milking as a management tool

Building flexibility into milking frequency could boost production, alleviate staff shortages, or create a better work-life balance at certain times of the year. There is scope for farm owners to…

PIGS

4 steps to tackle porcine respiratory disease complex

As winter sets in, so the risk of respiratory disease goes up. I have seen an increase in cases on several pig farms recently, especially following cold, dank days and…

HEALTH AND WELFARE

Advice on maintaining a healthy rumen

The dairy cow’s rumen is a large bioreactor, home to a diverse and dense population of microbes. A single teaspoon of ruminal content contains 150bn micro-organisms, which act in co-ordination…

Insights

LIVESTOCK

Feed efficiency research reveals importance of cow grouping

Breeding dairy herds for feed efficiency can be negatively impacted on-farm by managing lactating cows in mixed parity groups. This is because of competition at the feed bunk and a…

DAIRY

Cow health strategy rethink needed after bolus loss

Dairy farms need to review their strategies for preventing metabolic disease in transition cows as monensin boluses are no longer on the market, said independent veterinary consultant Dr David Charles.…

LIVESTOCK

How a farm vet team cut antibiotics use in calf castrations

Antibiotics use in surgical calf castration by a south of England vet practice fell by nearly 60% in one year following a clinical audit. Tonia Simms, clinical director at Hampden…

OFC

OFC 2025: How gene editing in pigs can help eliminate disease

The Oxford Farming Conference returns next January with Farmers Weekly as the media partner. Farmers Weekly talks to one of the speakers, Dr Craig Lewis. The son of a pig…

LIVESTOCK

Why a congenital defect could cause calf losses

Ask a dairy or beef farmer if they have ever had a calf born with atresia, a condition commonly known as “waterbelly”, and the chances are they will say no.…

LIVESTOCK

Benefits of giving dairy calves toys on farm

Giving dairy calves plastic “toys” to play with helps them express their natural behaviour which, in turn, benefits their mental wellbeing. As a result, they are less likely to display…

HEALTH AND WELFARE

Analysis: What farmers need to know about bluetongue

The current outbreak of bluetongue virus serotype 3 (BTV-3) is likely to get worse in the coming weeks before it improves, warn industry leaders. Since the first case in this…

YOUNGSTOCK MANAGEMENT

How a ‘big squeeze’ could help dummy calves to suck

Neonatal maladjustment syndrome in calves – also known as “dummy calf” syndrome – can be a challenge for dairy farmers to manage, often requiring extra labour to tube-feed youngstock. Typically,…

BOVINE TB

Brian May - ‘Badgers are irrelevant in cattle TB spread’

Queen guitarist and animal rights campaigner Sir Brian May has staked his life on badgers playing no role in the bovine TB nightmare for farmers. He believes badgers do not…

LIVESTOCK DISEASES

Could the pig industry survive African swine fever?

As the largest animal disease outbreak ever recorded, African swine fever (ASF) poses a real threat to our domestic pig industry. How ready is the UK for a potential incursion?…

PIGS

Pig tech promises 5-day advantage detecting coughs

A listening device that monitors coughing in pigs can alert the producer to the onset of respiratory disease up to five days earlier than farm personnel. SoundTalks, launched across the…

PIGS

Irish trial shows benefits of microbes for piglet gut health

Feeding piglets microbes from birth to support gut health can reduce scours, lower routine antibiotics use and improve average daily gain, research carried out at a commercial pig farm in…

Online resources

Nadis livestock disease A-Z - Cattle

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Nadis livestock disease A-Z - Sheep

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Nadis livestock disease A-Z - Pigs

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Nadis livestock disease A-Z - Poultry

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