Cattle
Rural Roundup – 1. Unsung Heroes – Littleton Farm – Biodiversity (Weeds)
Welcome to this special episode of the Rural Roundup, one of a six-part series called “Unsung Heroes”. In this episode Calum Johnston visits Heather Close at Littleton farm where they discussed outwintering and rotational grazing. Through speaking to Heather, it was clear that on her beef farm, their unsung hero is biodiversity – many farmers would be aghast at the thought of weeds on their farm, but thistles and…
Thrill of The Hill – Cattle Wintering Strategies with Lorna Shaw
Cattle wintering is an unavoidable and hugely important aspect of livestock management in Scotland. Whether stock are housed in traditional courts or managed outdoors on forage crops, wintering systems sit at the heart of animal performance, farm workload and long-term land stewardship. These decisions are not only about keeping cattle fed and sheltered; they influence soil structure, nutrient use, biodiversity and…
Increased Acorn Toxicity Risk To Livestock
Oak trees have produced many more acorns this year and there have been reports of acorn toxicity cases this autumn. Acorns can be attractive to livestock after a period of feed restriction or following stormy weather when large numbers are blown from the trees. Both acorns and oak leaves contain phenols and tannins such as…
Mineral Requirements in Housed Cattle
Key Messages Consider doing a mineral audit to determine if you are meeting the recommended mineral intakes for your cattle. Consider the response of the animal, is it performing as expected? Do not over-supply into the range where you may negatively affect performance or have considerable environmental excretion. Getting minerals correct in your housed cattle…
Agribusiness News December 2024 – Sector Focus: HerdPlan
Enhancing Livestock Health and Productivity through Dynamic Health Planning Effective health planning is essential for enhancing animal health, welfare, and productivity. This can be achieved through close collaboration with your farm team, vet and other specialist advisers. The focus should always be on prevention rather than cure, and it should be a continuous process. Implementing…
Agribusiness News October 2024 – Sector Focus: Bale Grazing
Bale grazing is a method of out wintering cattle. This method has been adapted from practices in Canada and North America and offers numerous benefits to cattle producers. However, prior planning of the system is essential. The System A bale grazing system consists of either silage or hay bales being placed in fields ahead of…
The Farm Management Handbook
The Farm Management Handbook Your guide to Scottish agriculture The Farm Management Handbook is an essential tool for any progressive farm business, providing a comprehensive and up-to-date source of information for farmers, crofters, rural professionals, students and consultants. Subject matter covered includes: Crop Inputs Arable Potatoes Grassland Forage Crops Livestock Dairying Beef Cattle Sheep Red…
How to Look up Calving Intervals on MyHerdStats
Using existing statutory cattle traceability data (births, deaths, and movements), ScotEID has collated this data to provide an insight into herd performance on an online platform, MyHerdStats. Through a series of charts, tables, and key performance indicators (KPIs) MyHerdStats provides information on fertility and mortality. MyHerdStats can be used to identify how many and which…
Are Methane Inhibitors a Silver Bullet for the Sustainability of Beef and Dairy?
This article is part of the Climate Change & Carbon Research Briefings series. More articles in the series can be found below: Understanding Natural Capital Markets Collecting On-Farm Biodiversity Data with Bioacoustics Faba Beans for Alternative Protein and Reducing Monogastric Carbon Footprint Applicability of Slurry Separation and Acidification on Farms in Scotland Advancing Agricultural Practices,…
Agribusiness News July 2024 – Management Matters: Bluetongue
Update on Bluetongue Virus Serotype 3 (BTV-3) There is a very high probability of a new introduction of bluetongue virus serotype 3 (BTV-3) in livestock across Great Britian this year. The disease is spread through infected biting midges, with a high risk of them being blown over from badly affected countries in Northern Europe. They…