Sheep
Rotational Grazing Vlog: Introducing William Willis & Forest Farm
Introducing William! William is contributing to the farmer video series to give practical insights into rotational grazing management and better grass utilisation. There are three other farmers in…
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Watch Your Water
Both water availability and quality are important considerations for cattle at grass, particularly during periods of hot weather. Although rare, cases of blue-green algae (or cyanobacteria) toxicity have been occasionally diagnosed in cattle by SRUC Veterinary Services and sheep can also be affected. This condition should be considered in cases of otherwise undiagnosed sudden death, particularly in cattle at grass depending on their water supply.
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Podcast: Forward Thinking Farmers – Bill & Helen Smith of The Byres Farm, Fochabers
In the first of our series of podcasts with Forward Thinking Farmers, Mary-Jane Lawrie spoke to Bill and Helen Smith of The Byres Farm, Fochabers. Bill and Helen talk about…
Read More >Opportunities To Control Rushes
Rushes are a major challenge to beef and sheep producers across the country. Rushes are an indicator of poor fertility, poor drainage and low soil pH. However, when you look at the…
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Sheep External Parasites On The Rise?
The winter of 2019/20 was exceptional, breaking records for both high temperatures and high rainfall, with the highest UK December temperature on record and the wettest UK February on record. Coinciding with this there have been reports of more external parasites being found in sheep flocks e.g. lice, ticks and maggots. These parasites will have enjoyed this mild winter and had good survival rates.
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Handling And Stacking Silage Bales
When making silage bales it worth taking extra care around handling, wrapping and stacking of bales to avoid costly nutrient losses and some harmful moulds that can cause issues with livestock.
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Problems With Newborn Lambs and Calves Suckling
We have had more reports this year of newborn lambs and calves having problems suckling. In some cases it appears that the young themselves will not suckle and when checked and encouraged appear not to even have a suckling reflex.
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Ragwort – May 2020
Ragwort is a biennial and a fresh batch of rosettes germinate each spring, particularly if there are gaps in the sward, and plants have been allowed to seed in previous…
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Maximising The Power Of Culling As A Management Tool
Culling cattle out the system is a powerful tool, not only to improve herd performance but also reduce the risk of any animal welfare breakdowns in your herd. There are many reasons for culling cattle, these may vary from farm to farm. However, the time to make culling decisions for breeding animals is restricted.
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