Dairy & Beef News

Feeding for optimum rumen function is a way farmers can help to maximise productivity from their herd and potentially improve sustainability, listeners on the latest Mole Valley Farmers’ Podcast heard. 

At transition the dairy cow is perhaps at her highest metabolic vulnerability – she is subject to demands which physiologically she often struggles to sustain. Energy and calcium are two prime examples. Post-calving the cow’s demands for both can suddenly increase by upwards of two-fold compared to what they previously were before calving.

Dairy farmers could be losing milk production worth tens of thousands of pounds by failing to protect their cows from heat stress during the summer, according to independent vet consultant Dr Tom Chamberlain from Chalcombe Ltd, speaking at a Lallemand Animal Nutrition workshop at Total Dairy in Stratford-upon-Avon.

Leading dairy innovator, smaXtec has launched TruDrinking, a new function which accurately records individual cow’s water intake. This latest technical advance is a world first in the sector-leading health monitoring system and helps farmers to optimise milk production and animal management.

Buoyant milk prices mean improving milk from forage is a ‘no brainer’ on UK dairy farms. But high input costs mean doing this cost-efficiently is set to remain essential in 2023.

Due to the sunny weather experienced in spring 2022, first cut silage from this year is exceptionally high in sugar content, allowing farmers to offset the lower value of subsequent cuts throughout the coming winter.

Dairy-Tech is set to return next year with new show features offering practical advice on lameness management, environmental schemes, and how to build a resilient business during these tumultuous times.

Sister and brother Beth and Luke Wilkinson from North Yorkshire took home both the championship and reserve titles during a memorable finale at the 2022 English Winter Fair.

As more calves flood the market than ever before, dairy calf producers are being reminded to choose marketing routes wisely to ensure they are paid a fair price for their livestock.

The Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI) said the risk of liver fluke infection in sheep and cattle will be moderate to high in the Central, South and East regions of Northern Ireland (NI) and a high prevalence of the disease is expected in the West this winter.

Testing and prevention of Mycoplasma bovis is of increasing importance in both beef and dairy sectors as new surveillance data reveals the disease is more common than previously thought.

The four councils, Beef & Lamb, Cereals & Oilseeds, Dairy and Pork, have published sector plans as part of a commitment to outline how the levy will be invested over the next five years.