Livestock

Rodenticide Rule Changes are Coming in January 2026

If you are a farmer or grower relying on professional rodenticides to control vermin, you will be required to have certification to buy or use these chemicals from 1st January…

Business and Policy November 2025 – Beef

Festive Demand We are now in the last quarter of the year, with only 3-4 weeks left of Christmas supermarket orders as processors plan their Christmas kill schedules. Prime cattle…

Business and Policy November 2025 – Sheep

October Trade Round-Up The volume of prime lambs coming forward for slaughter rose in October, with slaughter figures for the week ending the 18th of October to be 3% higher…

Converting to Slatted Flooring for Improved Sheep Housing

Andrew Adamson was unsure how best to utilise a general purpose shed on his farm. A study trip to Ireland with his FAS Connect sheep group provided the insight and…

Summer Shows – Animal Movements

Summer show season is now mostly over for another year. It is important that livestock keepers who exhibited livestock at summer agricultural shows ensure that cattle and sheep movements have…

Getting Ewes Ready for Tupping

It’s time to start preparing ewes for mating to lamb in the main lambing season (March – May). Several factors contribute to a successful tupping, with ewe condition having arguably…

Bluetongue Virus Update

As of 30th July, according to the Ruminant Health and Welfare website, there have been seven cases of Bluetongue virus (BTV)-3 identified in England this vector season (2025-2026). These have…

BVD Eradication – Important Changes & Phase 6

Scotland’s BVD eradication scheme has been in place since 2010. Phase 6 of the eradication scheme is starting on 1 July. Changes from July 2025 From 1 July 2025 Persistently…

Grassland Roadshow Ayrshire: Managing Grass for Dairy

Please use the above map for an exact meeting location. Google Maps Location: Low Holehouse Farm Managing Grass in a Changing Climate. This on-farm event will focus on maximising the…

Milk Fever in Suckler cows on Machair Land

Hypocalcaemia, also known as milk fever, is typically not an issue in suckler cows, although experience shows that the conditions on the Uists are just right to be an exception…

Sign up to the FAS newsletters