Know How / Breeding and fertility Case studiesSee all SHEEPFarmer imports breed to lift wool cheque up to five-foldA large-scale, low-input Romney breeder has added low-micron fleece to his breeding goals, with the aim of turning a loss-making wool enterprise into a profitable one. Frank Langrish, of Langrish… BEEFHow a Sutherland suckler herd achieved a compact calvingScottish farmers Vic and Jason Ballantyne have condensed their calving period of 10 weeks in recent years, to seven weeks over the past two seasons. This is contributing to a… DAIRYHow a high-yielding dairy herd hits 1,000kg milk solids a cowA multi-pronged approach with ration consistency and genetics at its core has helped the Campbell family increase kilos of fat and protein from 754kg to 1,000kg a cow since 2016.… BREEDING AND FERTILITYHow terminal sire stud is producing top 1% ramsSelecting high-index sheep in a challenging commercial system has resulted in sales of 100 terminal sire lambs a year with no hard feed for one Devon breeder. Peter Baber and… BREEDING AND FERTILITYWhat is behind French Salers breed’s calving ease?Any breed growth in a sector that is contracting is worth attention. This is true of many of Great Britain’s native breeds: ease of fleshing, calving ease and functionality have… LIVESTOCKHow an upland farm doubled its hill sheep index in three yearsAn upland farmer is increasing his income from lamb sales by performance recording his closed flock of Welsh Mountain ewes. In five years, the average weight of lamb produced a… Practical adviceSee all DAIRY5 heritable traits to improve mastitis and cell countsUdder health traits can have a profound effect on milk price and herd profitability. Genetics are among many factors that have helped improve udder health, such as better tools for… LIVESTOCKHow to get maiden heifers in-calfGetting maiden heifers in-calf requires a farm-specific plan if an easy calving at 24 months of age, followed by a healthy, productive herd life, is to be achieved. Mating heifers… BREEDING AND FERTILITYWhy refreshing cattle insemination technique mattersAll-year-round calving herds carrying out their own inseminations need to ensure operators attend a refresher course at least every two years. For block-calving herds, it should be an annual event,… BREEDING AND FERTILITYTips on managing sweeper bullsTo achieve good pregnancy rates, careful planning and consideration are required when using sweeper bulls. Heat detection technology, coupled with the use of sexed semen, has meant that fewer sweeper… SHEEPHow lambing data helps closed flocks run smootherA desire to safeguard flock health has seen a recent trend for closed flocks. This has been helped by the ability to monitor individual ewe and sire performance through ear… BREEDING AND FERTILITYTips for ensuring cattle semen is stored safely and cleanlyHow clean is the farm’s semen flask? Artificial insemination (AI) training, a starter pack including flask, guns and gloves, and a liquid nitrogen contract will fail to generate a return… InsightsSee all BREEDING AND FERTILITYSurrogate rams: An alternative to artificial insemination?Surrogate rams could provide an alternative to artificial insemination, helping producers reach their sheep breeding goals, such as higher feed efficiency rates and lower environmental impact, more quickly. This could… BREEDING AND FERTILITYWhy genetics are critical for improving dairy cow fertilityDairy cow fertility is at the heart of herd profitability, driving milk yields, cutting interventions and improving cow lifespans. Evidence supporting the role of genetics in improving fertility has accumulated… LIVESTOCK5 must-knows about feed efficiency indexesPaying more attention to feed efficiency indexes when selecting sires for dairy herds will help compensate the escalating costs of feed being witnessed today. With that in mind, dairy farmers… BEEFGamechanging beef initiative gives security to dairy farmersThe rapidly growing success of a fully integrated beef supply chain programme has triggered demand for more dairy farmers and beef rearers and finishers to get in on the game. … LIVESTOCKHigh-yielding herds top efficiency stakesHigh-yielding dairy herds are more feed-efficient than low-yielding herds, but improvements must be made in cow fertility and longevity to lower methane emissions. A study of 21 farms across five… SHEEPWhy "breed snobbery" could challenge liveweight salesA desire to change the system, lower the cost base and move towards self-replacing maternal genetics has left some businesses in the cold when selling liveweight, Farmers Weekly has heard.… LIVESTOCKHow rising costs threaten future of Icelandic sheep farmingTough and resilient – the farmers in Iceland are much like the sheep they have bred to cope with the rugged terrain and sub-Arctic winter conditions. But many, like 44-year-old… DAIRYWhy milking robots are a good fit for Iceland’s dairiesAbout half of all dairy cows in Iceland are now milked through robots, with the fast-paced adoption of technology allowing farmers to enjoy a more laid-back way of life. With… BEEFWhy clear identification of polled genetics is neededDisbudding calves is a challenging and expensive job and, as herds scale up and calving patterns tighten, it can put huge financial and time pressure on beef farmers. But, while… HEALTH AND WELFAREWhy animal health is key to improving sustainabilityAs farm vets working in practice in the UK, we have an essential role in ensuring that farming is part of the solution to the climate crisis. Vets are in… LIVESTOCKThe benefits of investing in a maternal ramAdvances in sheep production systems including flock identification, record-keeping, ultrasound scanning, handling systems and computing power have transformed our ability to use information to identify and breed from sheep with… BREEDING AND FERTILITYWhy big cows are inefficient and how to breed smaller stockCows are getting bigger. UK dairy farmers are feeding and managing the equivalent of nearly five extra cows for every 100 in their herds, compared with 30 years ago. And…
