Beef: Rearing Animals
Find information on all aspects of cattle rearing
The Impact of Sub-Fertility in Bulls
This factsheet highlights the impact poor bull fertility can have on suckler herds, some of which can be less obvious. Indicative costs are provided, but the cost on your own…
Select by an area of interest
Milk Fever in Suckler cows on Machair Land
April 3, 2025Hypocalcaemia, also known as milk fever, is typically not an issue in suckler cows, although experience shows that the conditions on the Uists are just...
Read more >
Body Condition Scoring Suckler Cows
November 8, 2024What are the benefits of body condition scoring? Ensuring that cows are at the right body condition means: Efficient use of feed and supplemental feed is not given to cows that don’t need it. Reduced risk of calving difficulties associated with very lean or over-weight cows. Better calf vigour at birth and improved growth until weaning. Improved fertility, making it easier to get the cow...
Read more >
Farm Safety for Temporary Staff
July 11, 2024Key information contained in this publication: Induct all temporary staff before they start work. Ensure all tasks are properly risk assessed by a competent person...
Read more >
Beef Toolkit – Weaning Beef Calves
September 7, 2023Weaning of cows and calves is done so that the cow can recover body condition by transferring her nutrition from milk production to maintaining herself,...
Read more >
Agribusiness News September 2023 – Sector Focus: Bull Fertility
September 1, 2023Improving fertility with semen testing Performance of suckler herds has never been more important as increased input costs continue to put pressure on businesses and...
Read more >
Using the Carbon Audit Tool
April 6, 2023Are you looking to use our new beef carbon tool to guide you towards resources to take that next step towards reducing...
Read more >
Losses at Calving – should I investigate?
March 29, 2023Calf loss is costly and can occur as soon as a pregnancy is established. While very early losses can be challenging to investigate as often...
Read more >
Keeping Newborns Warm in Cold Weather
March 10, 2023With sub-zero temperatures and wintery showers forecast, farmers in the midst of calving and lambing must keep newborns warm to avoid losses, should the cold...
Read more >
Salmonella Dublin in Beef Herds
February 28, 2023Although Salmonella Dublin is commonly more associated with dairy herds than suckler herds, problems can still occur, particularly around calving time. On farms, which experience...
Read more >
Preparing for Calving and Maximising Live Calves
February 21, 2023As calving time approaches, we address how to maximise live calves through management and record keeping in this short video. Highlighting the gold, silver and...
Read more >
Safety When Handling Livestock
February 21, 2023Handling and working alongside livestock, particularly newly calved cows and bulls, can be dangerous. All too often we hear of accidents on farm involving livestock...
Read more >
Safe and Effective Vaccination
January 31, 2023Vaccines are a vital part of disease control and reducing antibiotic usage on farms. At this time of year many routine vaccinations are likely to...
Read more >
Protein Feed Prices Rising
January 23, 2023While cereal prices have eased slightly, protein prices have risen, mainly due to the increase in soya but also due to limited short-term availability of...
Read more >
Parasite Control at Winter Housing
December 6, 2022The unseasonal autumnal weather in October and record high temperatures at the start of November across the country have allowed farmers to delay housing of...
Read more >
Reducing Calving Difficulty – Pelvic Scoring Heifers Case Study
August 30, 2022Making pelvic scoring part of one farmer’s heifer selection policy has enabled him to reduce stress, labour and costs involved in calving his heifer batch...
Read more >
Profiting From Terminal Sire EBVs at Thistleyhaugh
August 26, 2022In this video, Duncan Nelless explains how being involved in the RamCompare project has clearly demonstrated that differences in Estimated Breeding Values (EBVs) between rams...
Read more >
Reduce Risk Of Scald In Lambs This Season
June 17, 2022Scald is caused by bacteria (Dichelobacter nodosus) in the grass and leads to damage to the soft tissue between the toes of lambs. It can...
Read more >
Creep Feeding Spring Born Suckled Calves
June 9, 2022Decisions if/when to creep feed will depend on several factors such as cow condition/milk, grass quality in front of cows and calves and what the...
Read more >
Is Your Bull Working?
May 30, 2022Is Your Bull Working? Now that bulls will have been out with cows for at least one cycle it is important to make sure that...
Read more >
Lead Poisoning Alert
April 22, 2022Ahead of turn out livestock farmers should be aware of the risk of lead poisoning with the greatest risk of poisoning occurring in the period...
Read more >
Using Potatoes as an Alternative to Barley for Finishing Cattle
April 21, 2022Stockfeed potatoes can be used as an alternative to expensive barley and are worth considering for feeding to finishing cattle to spin out home grown...
Read more >
Remember The Golden Rule Of Calving!
March 30, 2022We are getting reports of large numbers of twins currently being born. This makes it even more important to check for a second calf, especially...
Read more >
Testing Requirements For Bull Sales
March 28, 2022Bull sale season is here once again. For those of you with pedigree animals to sell later in the year it’s time to think about...
Read more >
Calving Equipment Checklist
February 22, 2022Are you ready for the start of calving? Do you know where your calving ropes are? Is your medicine cabinet well stocked? With the first...
Read more >
Avoiding Accidental Pregnancies In Young Heifers
June 17, 2021Every year we hear stories of unwanted pregnancies in heifer calves, an issue that creates a lot of work, cost and is a potential animal...
Read more >
Keeping Water Clean For Livestock
June 1, 2021With cattle now out to grass, it is worth remembering to empty and clean out water troughs to stop stale and potentially dirty, contaminated water...
Read more >
Steps to Reduce Caesareans
May 6, 2021There are a number of steps you can take to try and mitigate the need for cow caesareans. Calving is the most important time to have cows in...
Read more >
Caesarean Cows – Breed Again?
April 22, 2021For those of you with cows that have had caesarean sections this spring, the question you may be asking yourself, is whether or not you...
Read more >
Bulling Thoughts
April 19, 2021We may be concentrating on calving at the moment, but it is time to think about what needs to be done to ensure the bull...
Read more >
Technical note (TN747): Recording lamb traits
March 22, 2021Lamb survival is a major factor in determining the number of lambs reared and so the financial performance of any sheep enterprise. Flock management and...
Read more >
Cattle Health Factsheet
February 8, 2021This factsheet aims to highlight the general considerations for cattle health and what to look out for. It should be used as a guide for...
Read more >
Keeping Male Calves Entire?
January 18, 2021With calving either started or not far away, on many farms, now is the time for breeders to consider whether they castrate their bull calves...
Read more >
Dirty Cattle Cost Money
December 15, 2020Ensuring fattening cattle are kept clean for slaughter can be difficult, with long months of winter housing and the cost of straw bedding and its...
Read more >
High Risk Of Unwanted Pregnancies In Heifer Calves
November 20, 2020We are hearing some worrying reports, from vets and scanners all over the country. There have been a large number of heifer calves being found...
Read more >
What Are Antibiotics?
November 17, 2020Responsible use of antibiotics should be at the forefront of all our minds - should I use antibiotics? What antibiotic should I use? Are other...
Read more >
Do You Know What Your Cows Weigh?
August 3, 2020If you do not weigh your cows on a regular basis you might be surprised to know that the weight range between animals within the...
Read more >
Watch Condition of Autumn Calving Cows
July 10, 2020While it is ideal to manage cow condition throughout the year, this is often easier said than done. Cows on good quality grass will put on condition rapidly. Having over fat cows at...
Read more >
Magnesium For Autumn Calving Herds
July 10, 2020When we think about magnesium deficiency, we automatically think about grass staggers. Many suckler herds do not experience problems with staggers in the spring and it tends to...
Read more >
Identifying And Treating Lameness In Cattle
June 5, 2020There are two vital points to remember when tackling lameness in a group of cattle: Identify what the cause of lameness is Don’t assume all...
Read more >
Practical Steps To Reducing Lameness In Finishing Cattle
June 5, 2020As with most things in life, when it comes to lameness, prevention is always better than cure. Lameness is recognised as a major issue in...
Read more >
Beef Cattle Housing
July 6, 2018A guide to help you through the ins and outs of keeping your cattle in and out.
Read more >More in FAS Problem Solver
Select by an area of interest
Milk Fever in Suckler cows on Machair Land
April 3, 2025Hypocalcaemia, also known as milk fever, is typically not an issue in suckler cows, although experience shows that the conditions on the Uists are just...
Read more >
Body Condition Scoring Suckler Cows
November 8, 2024What are the benefits of body condition scoring? Ensuring that cows are at the right body condition means: Efficient use of feed and supplemental feed is not given to cows that don’t need it. Reduced risk of calving difficulties associated with very lean or over-weight cows. Better calf vigour at birth and improved growth until weaning. Improved fertility, making it easier to get the cow...
Read more >
Farm Safety for Temporary Staff
July 11, 2024Key information contained in this publication: Induct all temporary staff before they start work. Ensure all tasks are properly risk assessed by a competent person...
Read more >
Beef Toolkit – Weaning Beef Calves
September 7, 2023Weaning of cows and calves is done so that the cow can recover body condition by transferring her nutrition from milk production to maintaining herself,...
Read more >
Agribusiness News September 2023 – Sector Focus: Bull Fertility
September 1, 2023Improving fertility with semen testing Performance of suckler herds has never been more important as increased input costs continue to put pressure on businesses and...
Read more >
Using the Carbon Audit Tool
April 6, 2023Are you looking to use our new beef carbon tool to guide you towards resources to take that next step towards reducing...
Read more >
Losses at Calving – should I investigate?
March 29, 2023Calf loss is costly and can occur as soon as a pregnancy is established. While very early losses can be challenging to investigate as often...
Read more >
Keeping Newborns Warm in Cold Weather
March 10, 2023With sub-zero temperatures and wintery showers forecast, farmers in the midst of calving and lambing must keep newborns warm to avoid losses, should the cold...
Read more >
Salmonella Dublin in Beef Herds
February 28, 2023Although Salmonella Dublin is commonly more associated with dairy herds than suckler herds, problems can still occur, particularly around calving time. On farms, which experience...
Read more >
Preparing for Calving and Maximising Live Calves
February 21, 2023As calving time approaches, we address how to maximise live calves through management and record keeping in this short video. Highlighting the gold, silver and...
Read more >
Safety When Handling Livestock
February 21, 2023Handling and working alongside livestock, particularly newly calved cows and bulls, can be dangerous. All too often we hear of accidents on farm involving livestock...
Read more >
Safe and Effective Vaccination
January 31, 2023Vaccines are a vital part of disease control and reducing antibiotic usage on farms. At this time of year many routine vaccinations are likely to...
Read more >
Protein Feed Prices Rising
January 23, 2023While cereal prices have eased slightly, protein prices have risen, mainly due to the increase in soya but also due to limited short-term availability of...
Read more >
Parasite Control at Winter Housing
December 6, 2022The unseasonal autumnal weather in October and record high temperatures at the start of November across the country have allowed farmers to delay housing of...
Read more >
Reducing Calving Difficulty – Pelvic Scoring Heifers Case Study
August 30, 2022Making pelvic scoring part of one farmer’s heifer selection policy has enabled him to reduce stress, labour and costs involved in calving his heifer batch...
Read more >
Profiting From Terminal Sire EBVs at Thistleyhaugh
August 26, 2022In this video, Duncan Nelless explains how being involved in the RamCompare project has clearly demonstrated that differences in Estimated Breeding Values (EBVs) between rams...
Read more >
Reduce Risk Of Scald In Lambs This Season
June 17, 2022Scald is caused by bacteria (Dichelobacter nodosus) in the grass and leads to damage to the soft tissue between the toes of lambs. It can...
Read more >
Creep Feeding Spring Born Suckled Calves
June 9, 2022Decisions if/when to creep feed will depend on several factors such as cow condition/milk, grass quality in front of cows and calves and what the...
Read more >
Is Your Bull Working?
May 30, 2022Is Your Bull Working? Now that bulls will have been out with cows for at least one cycle it is important to make sure that...
Read more >
Lead Poisoning Alert
April 22, 2022Ahead of turn out livestock farmers should be aware of the risk of lead poisoning with the greatest risk of poisoning occurring in the period...
Read more >
Using Potatoes as an Alternative to Barley for Finishing Cattle
April 21, 2022Stockfeed potatoes can be used as an alternative to expensive barley and are worth considering for feeding to finishing cattle to spin out home grown...
Read more >
Remember The Golden Rule Of Calving!
March 30, 2022We are getting reports of large numbers of twins currently being born. This makes it even more important to check for a second calf, especially...
Read more >
Testing Requirements For Bull Sales
March 28, 2022Bull sale season is here once again. For those of you with pedigree animals to sell later in the year it’s time to think about...
Read more >
Calving Equipment Checklist
February 22, 2022Are you ready for the start of calving? Do you know where your calving ropes are? Is your medicine cabinet well stocked? With the first...
Read more >
Avoiding Accidental Pregnancies In Young Heifers
June 17, 2021Every year we hear stories of unwanted pregnancies in heifer calves, an issue that creates a lot of work, cost and is a potential animal...
Read more >
Keeping Water Clean For Livestock
June 1, 2021With cattle now out to grass, it is worth remembering to empty and clean out water troughs to stop stale and potentially dirty, contaminated water...
Read more >
Steps to Reduce Caesareans
May 6, 2021There are a number of steps you can take to try and mitigate the need for cow caesareans. Calving is the most important time to have cows in...
Read more >
Caesarean Cows – Breed Again?
April 22, 2021For those of you with cows that have had caesarean sections this spring, the question you may be asking yourself, is whether or not you...
Read more >
Bulling Thoughts
April 19, 2021We may be concentrating on calving at the moment, but it is time to think about what needs to be done to ensure the bull...
Read more >
Technical note (TN747): Recording lamb traits
March 22, 2021Lamb survival is a major factor in determining the number of lambs reared and so the financial performance of any sheep enterprise. Flock management and...
Read more >
Cattle Health Factsheet
February 8, 2021This factsheet aims to highlight the general considerations for cattle health and what to look out for. It should be used as a guide for...
Read more >
Keeping Male Calves Entire?
January 18, 2021With calving either started or not far away, on many farms, now is the time for breeders to consider whether they castrate their bull calves...
Read more >
Dirty Cattle Cost Money
December 15, 2020Ensuring fattening cattle are kept clean for slaughter can be difficult, with long months of winter housing and the cost of straw bedding and its...
Read more >
High Risk Of Unwanted Pregnancies In Heifer Calves
November 20, 2020We are hearing some worrying reports, from vets and scanners all over the country. There have been a large number of heifer calves being found...
Read more >
What Are Antibiotics?
November 17, 2020Responsible use of antibiotics should be at the forefront of all our minds - should I use antibiotics? What antibiotic should I use? Are other...
Read more >
Do You Know What Your Cows Weigh?
August 3, 2020If you do not weigh your cows on a regular basis you might be surprised to know that the weight range between animals within the...
Read more >
Watch Condition of Autumn Calving Cows
July 10, 2020While it is ideal to manage cow condition throughout the year, this is often easier said than done. Cows on good quality grass will put on condition rapidly. Having over fat cows at...
Read more >
Magnesium For Autumn Calving Herds
July 10, 2020When we think about magnesium deficiency, we automatically think about grass staggers. Many suckler herds do not experience problems with staggers in the spring and it tends to...
Read more >
Identifying And Treating Lameness In Cattle
June 5, 2020There are two vital points to remember when tackling lameness in a group of cattle: Identify what the cause of lameness is Don’t assume all...
Read more >
Practical Steps To Reducing Lameness In Finishing Cattle
June 5, 2020As with most things in life, when it comes to lameness, prevention is always better than cure. Lameness is recognised as a major issue in...
Read more >
Beef Cattle Housing
July 6, 2018A guide to help you through the ins and outs of keeping your cattle in and out.
Read more >Something else on your mind?