Sustainable Systems
Basic Farm Water Resilience Audit (Summer 2026)
A practical guide to building resilience to water scarcity and drought This document is a water resilience audit for Scottish farms – you can complete it online or it is available to download. It draws on regulatory guidance and other adaptation checklists…
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Using Biochar For Sustainable Waste Management and Barley Cropping – Support Further Research!
In Scotland, spring barley accounts for 66% of national cereals grown, however production is under threat; Increasing climate variabilities are projected to significantly alter establishment, anithesis, grain filling and yield…
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Precision Farming in Practice – Spot Spraying And Variable Rate Nitrogen
Precision methods help farmers to reduce input waste while maintaining output, which are two priorities for Scottish agriculture as costs rise and environmental expectations tighten. This article focuses on Variable…
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Clostridial Vaccinations in Breeding Sheep Flocks
Clostridia bacteria are almost everywhere in the environment and so are a constant threat. Furthermore, most cases of clostridial disease are fatal resulting in a large economic and environmental cost…
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Slatted Sheep Housing Made Simple
Click Here to Download a PDF/Print Version Housing sheep on slats significantly reduces bedding costs and labour demands while improving hygiene within the housing environment. When designed and managed correctly,…
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From Conventional to Organic: A Farmer’s Reflections
The Stewart family farms 700 acres across three fully organic units, Marshill, South Draffan and Southfield. Converting to organic in 2020, the business runs 390 Holstein Friesians. Cows are ai’d…
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Biodiversity Audits for Whole Farm Plan
A biodiversity audit is applicable to all businesses under the Whole Farm Plan. For 2026, 2 out of the 5 Whole Farm plan items are required. If you are looking…
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Thrill of The Hill – Cattle Wintering Strategies with Lorna Shaw
Cattle wintering is an unavoidable and hugely important aspect of livestock management in Scotland. Whether stock are housed in traditional courts or managed outdoors on forage crops, wintering systems sit at the…
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Stock Talk – Innovation and Technology in the Livestock Industry
Welcome to Stock Talk hosted by Kirsten Williams. On today’s episode, Kirsten is joined by Ross Robertson, a Farm Technology Specialist at the UK Agri-Tech Centre. Ross collaborates with a…
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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…
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