Know How / Assessing performance Case studiesSee all GRASSLAND MANAGEMENTHow a dairy is using data to identify paddocks for reseedingAnalysing data from grass growth measurements to select the poorest yielding paddocks for reseeding in August will help Lydney Park Farm improve output across the whole grazing platform. The goal… PIGSHow ear tag tech is improving Yorkshire pig farm's efficiencyA family pig business is one of the first in the UK to monitor commercial pig performance from farrow to finish with electronic identification technology. Infrastructure upgrades, marketing age, and… SHEEPHow RamCompare gives pedigree flock commercial edgeSheep industry stalwart and farmer Charles Sercombe believes performance recording holds the key to unlocking the efficiency of the UK’s flock. “Agriculture is at a crossroads: whichever party is elected… LIVESTOCKNew rotary parlour improves milking efficiencyInvesting in a new rotary parlour has almost halved milking times and improved milk quality at a Staffordshire dairy. Third-generation farmer Dave Eardley, who milks 520 cows at Upper House… BEEFHow an intensive beef finisher has cut carbon footprintA Welsh beef finisher is demonstrating that making structured progress towards net zero is achievable in an intensive farming system. Dylan Jones, who farms on Anglesey in partnership with his… BUSINESS MANAGEMENTFarm management app helps Emmerdale star digitise operationsIn our brand new AgVentures by Herdwatch series we visit farms across the UK, Ireland and beyond, showcasing different farming methods, tales and much more. In the latest episode, we… Practical adviceSee all DAIRYAdvice for managing a split-block calving herdHistorically, savings made from efficient block-calving outweighed seasonality penalties. Yet many contracts have tempted farms into going split block. Herds that move to split-block calving to satisfy milk buyer requirements… ASSESSING PERFORMANCEUltra-high or low frequency EID tags: Which is best?A debate is raging about what tag technology should be used in the UK’s national cattle traceability scheme when it eventually arrives. The stand-off is between the low frequency (LF)… ASSESSING PERFORMANCE7 lessons learned outwintering in soaking conditionsWinter growth rates struggled on many outwintering systems this year, and the cattle at Castletown Estates, near Carlisle, were no exception. Ruari Martin, farm and estate director, told the Beef… LIVESTOCKValuable business skills courses for dairy farmersMany dairy farmers tend not to be driven by profit: satisfaction comes from a herd of fine cows, full clamps or milk in the tank. But being good at milking… DAIRYBest ways to use dairy key performance indicatorsLooking at the milk tank ticket has always been the dairy farmer’s reliable key performance indicator (KPI). But tank-watching is not the best way to make business decisions, given that… DAIRYWhat is the business “sweet spot” for a dairy farm?Hard to define and only discovered once it has been passed, farming in the “sweet spot” is the point at which everything works comfortably and is stress-free. The farm’s resources… InsightsSee all GRASSLAND MANAGEMENTWhy cell grazing beat set stocking in Devon trialCell grazing is a more sustainable and productive grazing method than set stocking, results from a four-year grazing trial have shown. Cell grazing consistently outperformed set stocking plots at Rothamsted… BEEFHow beef units could improve efficiency with camera techA camera and electronic identification system that has been successfully used in the dairy sector to measure body condition scores and mobility of cows is now being trialled in the… BEEFWhy radical change is needed for sustainable beef industryPlanning ahead to face upcoming issues and working to improve efficiency and build beef businesses with resilience were among the key conclusions from a round table discussion held at Rothamsted… BEEFStruggle for survival revealed in wide-ranging beef surveySome 66% of beef producers will have difficulty in surviving without the farm subsidy – and only 33% reckon their beef enterprise makes a profit every year. This is according… DAIRYRevised methane method pegs dairy emissions 20% lowerNet carbon emissions from a sample of livestock farms fell significantly when analysed by a carbon methodology that accounts for biogenic methane. Distinguishing between biogenic (methane from ruminants) and fossil… LIVESTOCK6 livestock tech developments to look out forFrom driverless tractors to cameras for identifying diseases, several high-tech innovations are coming down the track. Farmers Weekly looks at six highlights. See also: NI farm transforms slurry and food… DAIRYWearable device for cattle aims to improve dairy healthA new device, which is claimed to be the first integrated health microchip and activity monitor for livestock, could enable early detection of pre-clinical conditions and disease prediction in real… SHEEPHow reducing methane emissions is win-win for flock performanceResults from thousands of methane measurements from sheep flocks across Ireland have confirmed that genetics play a part in enteric fermentation. This means farmers can select for low emitters, reducing… LIVESTOCKThe benefits of investing in a maternal ramAdvances in sheep production systems including flock identification, record-keeping, ultrasound scanning, handling systems and computing power have transformed our ability to use information to identify and breed from sheep with… HEALTH AND WELFAREWhy health gains cut ruminant methane emissions by 10%Three classic livestock benchmarking targets can help sheep and cattle farms raise technical performance and meet obligatory methane goals to battle climate change. Livestock policy leaders are urging farmers to… GRASSLAND MANAGEMENTHow remote sensing tech can help fine-tune grass managementA farm-level study in Wales has shown remote sensors can provide valuable information on how grass responds to inputs. Furthermore, they can do this in greater detail and more rapidly… DAIRYDairy fertility research reveals potential for further gainsThe use of novel traits could be a way to accelerate genetic gain, according to the findings of a research project from New Zealand. In New Zealand, the Breeding Worth… Advertiser contentSee all DAIRYLet’s take a closer look at dry cow managementIs drying off a well-defined and flawlessly executed management task on your dairy farm? There’s no point in cutting corners if you wish to improve your dairy farm’s sustainability. The… BUSINESS MANAGEMENTFarm management app helps Emmerdale star digitise operationsIn our brand new AgVentures by Herdwatch series we visit farms across the UK, Ireland and beyond, showcasing different farming methods, tales and much more. In the latest episode, we… LIVESTOCKFarm data: confidence to make the best decisionsFocusing on performance and profitability are key to livestock farming success. It makes sense. After all, the more information we have, the better the chances of making the best decision.… LIVESTOCKThe farm app helping to increase livestock performanceHerdwatch, the number one farm management software, is now used on over 18,000 farms across the UK. The app which allows farmers to manage their farms at their fingertips caters… LIVESTOCKGathering data on your cows: How Tru-Test makes life easyDatamars is a livestock management company that owns a number of trusted, respected brands, including Tru-Test which many farmers will be familiar with from things like weighing scales, stick readers… LIVESTOCKSustainability key to driving success for BFA winnersKate and Kevin Hoare are full time dairy farmers in Tideford in South-East Cornwall and have been running their own farm business since January 2018. Kate told us “We are…
