Livestock

Changing the time of feeding has been shown to have an effect on the time of day cows will calve.

While pneumonia is a common occurrence, there are steps which can be taken to minimise the risk.

Milk fever is the common term used for the signs seen in cattle when blood calcium levels are low, also known as hypocalcaemia. 

Timing of lungworm can be unpredictable so it is difficult to know when to target worming treatments.  If outbreaks are not caught early, significant lung damage and secondary bacterial infection can occur and deaths are not uncommon.

If using long-acting wormers in calves at grass over the summer, it is worth knowing how long the products persist for. 

The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) is reminding animal transporters that the process for renewal of type 1 transporter authorisations has changed and authorisations are no longer renewed automatically.

The financial value of cattle slurry (based on current N, P & K fertiliser straight prices) will be around £30 per load this spring.  That is around £3,500/250,000 gallons or 20 x 600kg bags of fertiliser, free!

A reminder on the rules concerning the movement of pregnant ewes, tail docking and castration.

There are more than 50 sheep worming products on the market making it impossible to remember them all.  Happily you don’t have to as knowing a few facts will go a long way in helping you choose a product.