Livestock | The Scottish Farmer

Hairy Highland cattle in their element in the Bien Esk fold TSF

Features

Advice for lean times

ON MOST mixed stock farms the pressure is on to try to get cattle out as forage and feed supplies become more limited each day.
Gearing up for Carlisle

CHAROLAIS breeders from all over the UK and further afield will soon be flocking Carlisle for the May run of bull sales and for one local family, the Vaseys of the Edenhurst herd, it is also one of the highlights of the year.
Females to the fore at Townfoot

PEDIGREE AND commercial Limousin breeders will have their final opportunity to buy, or sell, a new stock bull ready to work in the summer when, hopefully, cows are put out to grass.
Love of dairying keeps family in the game for a fifth generation

IF you could choose anywhere in Britain to dairy farm, the chances are you wouldn't choose to farm where the Waddells farm.
Muirside's red and whites keep the herd in the black

THE manager of an Ayrshire herd which has been three times the highest production herd in Scotland, says breeding high yielding cows is not all about using the highest production bulls.

Tag pin improvements boost sheep welfare, retention and management

Improvements to ear tag design by a leading Scottish manufacturer look to have countered some of the key welfare and tag retention problems experienced by sheep farmers.
New additive to improve protein utilisation in dairy cows

A NEW feed additive, Novatan, can boost milk yield and protein quality through improved protein utilisation has been launched into the UK by French nutrition company Techna and is available through Premier Nutrition.
Lamb shelter launched

A lamb shelter launched by Solway Recycling of Dumfries was designed by a farmer in the Scottish Borders where harsh winds from the East can devastate a lamb crop.
Handling system is safe for man and beast

It can be an often overlooked part of livestock management, but proper handling facilities are, in fact, key elements in reducing accidents in both man and beast.
New Milk-Kart on wheels for quick and easy calf feeding

Dairy Spares has launched a new Milk-Kart on wheels which allows calf feeders to be filled quickly and easily.

Quality is key

WITH DEMAND for blends soaring, Trident's Neil Woolf is advising new blend buyers to focus on quality ingredients to maximise value.
Protecting butterfats

DAIRY FARMERS forced to combine high-concentrate buffer feeds with low-fibre spring grass, as forage stocks run out, are being urged to keep a close watch on butterfats this spring.
New 'road map' for distillers feeds

THERE'S BEEN vigorous debate aabout the future of distillers' feeds, involving all levels of the Scottish livestock farming industry, from individual farmers to the Scottish government commissioning a special study from the Scottish Agricultural College.
Consistency the key for dairy cows

MAINTAINING COW intakes and diet quality during the next few weeks when forages and grass are in short supply will be essential to protect milk production, according to BOCM Pauls.
Get the magnesium right for sucklers

EXPERTS ARE warning that magnesium deficiency in dairy cows and lactating ewes could be a real problem at turnout this spring because so much of the mineral has leached out from pastures this year.

Quality is key

WITH DEMAND for blends soaring, Trident's Neil Woolf is advising new blend buyers to focus on quality ingredients to maximise value.
Copper in a new way

A NOVEL copper source is now being used in Harbro supplements.
New 'road map' for distillers feeds

THERE'S BEEN vigorous debate aabout the future of distillers' feeds, involving all levels of the Scottish livestock farming industry, from individual farmers to the Scottish government commissioning a special study from the Scottish Agricultural College.
Get the magnesium right for sucklers

EXPERTS ARE warning that magnesium deficiency in dairy cows and lactating ewes could be a real problem at turnout this spring because so much of the mineral has leached out from pastures this year.
Be seriously good to cows post-calving

POOR WEATHER over the last year has had a major impact on spring calving suckler cows throughout the country, with many struggling to maintain condition.

Tag pin improvements boost sheep welfare, retention and management

Improvements to ear tag design by a leading Scottish manufacturer look to have countered some of the key welfare and tag retention problems experienced by sheep farmers.
SBV losses hit scanner service

LAMB LOSSES to the Schmallenberg Virus in England have caused the SRUC to cancel a scheduled trip south for its mobile CT scanning unit.
Block out starvation!

STRATEGIC USE of feed blocks, could help sheep producers concerned about ewe and lamb nutrition because of a shortage of early spring grass, says a leading feed company.
Get the magnesium right for sucklers

EXPERTS ARE warning that magnesium deficiency in dairy cows and lactating ewes could be a real problem at turnout this spring because so much of the mineral has leached out from pastures this year.
Profitable lamb production in the spotlight at Eblex workshops

BENCHMARKING PHYSICAL performance and costings in order to optimise flock output will be the focus of a series of in-depth workshops being delivered by Eblex in April and May.