Feed and Forage [DA.FF]
Cow Grazing Strategies in Wet Conditions
When large amounts of rainfall leave grazing fields saturated, how do we deal with wet conditions to manage the grazing platform and minimise damage to fields and gateways from poaching?…
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MMN March 2024 – Rumen Microbes: Adapting to change
The rumen is a diverse and complex ecosystem of microbes comprising of bacteria, archaea, protozoa and fungi. These rumen microbes are vital in the digestion and breakdown of fibre, starch…
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Considerations for Growing Maize Silage
In southwest Scotland in particular we are hearing of an increased area of maize being planned for the 2024 season. This is predominantly due to the low availability of other…
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Herbal Leys – The Challenges
This articles follows on from Herbal leys – what to consider in selecting a mix. Herbal leys contain a variety of species of grass, legumes and herbs and as such…
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Stock Talk – Dairy Market Outlook & Looking to the Future
In this podcast we hear from Lorna MacPherson, SAC Dairy Consultant, and Jimmy Goldie, Technical Manager at Carrs Billington. They speak about the dairy market outlook for the winter season…
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Outwintering Heifers on Brassicas, Is Iodine Deficiency an Issue?
Rearing dairy heifers is one of the largest expenses of milk production so outwintering heifers can reduce costs due to less time spent housed, saving in feed and bedding. During…
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MMN September 2023 – Planning Winter Feed Requirements
Planning Winter Feed Requirements With summer nearing a close and housing just around the corner, it is worth spending some time planning ahead how much forage and purchased feeds you…
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Minimising Dry Matter Losses in Clamped Silage
Dry matter (nutrient) losses from clamped silage can be on average 25%, representing a significant amount of feed value disappearing between cutting the grass and feeding the silage out to…
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How to reduce silage nutrient loss in the heat
The silage season is well underway with many farms having already successfully harvested a first cut and some even cutting or considering further cuts. However, with the hot and dry…
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Herbal leys – what to consider in selecting a mix
There has been increasing interest in the use of herbal leys (also known as multi-species swards) for livestock farmers over the last few years. Summer drought conditions appear to be…
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