The Farming Forum
Industry-wide ruminant group to tackle endemic diseases across the UK
Written by John Swire
A new UK-wide cattle and sheep industry group is to be created to speed up progress against endemic diseases and reputational challenges which are costing the cattle and sheep sectors at least £500 million per year.
An industry consultation* on creating the new group had a strong majority supporting the move in principle, with many believing it will accelerate work to control conditions like liver fluke, mastitis and lameness.
As a result, the new Ruminant Health and Welfare Group (RHWG) will be formed on April 1.
The consultation was facilitated on behalf of the ruminant industry by the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB), Quality Meat Scotland...
LEAF (Linking Environment And Farming) launches Environmental Land Management Scheme (ELMS) trial
Written by John Swire
LEAF (Linking Environment And Farming) is offering 60 farmers the chance to participate in pre-pilot trials looking at aspects of the Environmental Land Management Scheme (ELMS), that will pay Land Managers for delivering public goods under the 25 Year Environment Plan.
LEAF, which has nearly 30 years of experience in the development and promotion of sustainable farming delivered through Integrated Farm Management, has been asked by Defra to explore how training and advice can help farmers to provide the ‘public goods’ towards which public money will be directed.
Lucy Bates, ELMS project coordinator from LEAF explains: “We are delighted to be working with Defra in...
More than 80,000ac to be transformed by land managers across Scotland
Written by Agriland Team
A new network of “landscape leaders” is meeting for the first time to bring about positive environmental change in Scotland at the biggest possible scale.
The group, participating in a new Landscape Leadership programme, includes a mix of private landowners and managers, NGO and community trust land managers, who collectively manage over 80,000ac of land.
All have diverse aims for their landscapes, but are united in their desire to restore climate and nature for Scotland’s future generations.
“A once in a generation change is needed now,” explained David Michie, deputy director of Soil Association Scotland, who will be leading the Landscape Leadership programme...
AGCO confirms €40m Massey Ferguson site expansion in Beauvais
Written by Agriland Team
AGCO – the company behind the Massey Ferguson, Fendt, Valtra and Challenger agricultural machinery brands – has confirmed a further expansion of its Massey Ferguson manufacturing site in Beauvais, France.
The news was revealed yesterday, Monday, January 20, by Martin Richenhagen, chairman, president and CEO of AGCO at the Choose France summit, led by French President Emmanuel Macron.
The expansion is in line with AGCO’s intention to ramp up the site’s production volumes to 18,000 tractors/year.
Announcing the news, Richenhagen said: “We are delighted to keep our promise, made exactly one year ago at the Beauvais 3 Logistic Centre opening event, to...
Shepherds urged to feed more good quality colostrum
Written by John Swire
Shepherds are being urged to feed newborn surplus lambs more good quality colostrum during the crucial first 24 hours of life because up to 80% of UK sheep producers may not be feeding enough.
According to results from the annual Volac Lamlac surplus lamb rearing intentions survey, carried out at the end of 2019, only 20% of shepherds plan to feed the industry recommended 210ml per kg of newborn lamb liveweight.
“Just before Christmas we received feedback from more than 300 UK sheep producers about their surplus lamb rearing practices. Encouragingly, more than 85% said they always make sure they administer colostrum to any surplus lambs. However, many should feed a...
New study shows that variety is key for wild bees
Written by Charlotte Cunningham
Farmers could help threatened bee species and improve crop yields with a new wildflower seed mixes according to a study by the University of Sussex, supported by the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust. Charlotte Cunningham reports. Building on recent studies showing the importance of wild bees, the project – led by PhD student, Rachel Nichols – teamed up with Emorsgate Seeds to identity which wildflowers attracted certain bee species in the plots where the wildflower seed is produced. This provided the bees with a super abundance of flowers and so was a very rigorous test of their preferences. The findings of this study also suggest that the current mixes...
Agrovista partners with Hummingbird over digital agronomy
Written by Jamie Day
Agronomy services business Agrovista has signed a partnership agreement with Hummingbird Technologies that gives it access to a digital agriculture platform with remote sensing capabilities, as part of its commitment to targeted agronomy. Hummingbird, established as an Imperial College spinout in 2016, has developed a technology platform to capture aerial images of fields from satellite, […]
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FOR SALE - A productive run of 287 acres of arable and pasture land in Devon, with potential to create a new holding (STP).
Productive Grade 2 & 3 land to the North West of Exeter, Devon
• As a whole or in 3 lots
• 287.65 acres (116.41 hectares) in all - Guide price £2,575,000
• Lot 1: 164.29 acres - Guide price £1,520,000
• Lot 2: 53.42 acres - Guide price £480,000
• Lot 3 69.94 acres - Guide price £575,000
• Attractive water meadows and River Yeo frontage
• For sale by private treaty
SITUATION
Lapford 1 mile. Crediton 8 miles. Exeter 17 miles. A30 at Whiddon Down 12 miles
The land is situated to the south of Lapford village with good road links to the A377 to the east and the B3220 to the south. The A377 links with Barnstaple to the North and Crediton to the south. The B3220 links to...
Ewe management: It’s time to administer clostridial vaccinations
Written by Agriland Team
With the lambing season approaching for mid-season flocks, it’s time for farmers to start administering vaccinations.
In particular, a clostridial vaccination should be given to ewes that are four-to-six weeks away from lambing.
It is vitally important that ewes receive this dose as it will have a knock-on effect on their offspring. If ewes are vaccinated on an annual basis it will allow for their antibody levels to remain high, which will then be transferred to the lamb and give it protection.
It is vital that a lamb receives adequate amounts of colostrum within the first few hours of birth.
Clostridia – which is a bacteria – can cause many different types of...