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Copeland Suckler Group: Growing crops for livestock, demo of handling system and update on RDPE grants
Added on Monday, 21 May 2012
EIGHTEEN farmers attended a particularly rainy meeting of the Copeland Suckler Group at Calder Farm near Seascale earlier this month. The main theme for the event was growing crops for livestock feed, however, farmer Calder Fenwick previously hosted a...
Read Full Article CommentsCoccidiosis in lambs - Adas advice for sheep farmers
Added on Friday, 18 May 2012
With the lambing season now almost complete, the prospect of coccidiosis will be of concern to many sheep farmers, particularly those lambing indoors. Coccidia thrive when animals are kept in close proximity as they can replicate in huge numbers under...
Read Full Article CommentsNew contact for improvement scheme grants - Defra (Penrith)
Added on Monday, 14 May 2012
RDPE Delivery team staff who co-ordinate the Defra improvement scheme grants in the North West have moved offices from Carlisle back to Penrith and are now based at the Environment Agency building off Gillan Way. Having originally moved to the...
Read Full Article CommentsReduce grass to cows now to extend grazing season
Added on Wednesday, 09 May 2012
It is better to reduce grass to the cows now to extend the grazing season grass allocation and offer supplements, said Dr John Roche of Dairy NZ speaking at a recent DairyCo discussion group in Gloucestershire. “This will allow grass to recover...
Read Full Article CommentsPlans, Audits and Grants - New Options
Added on Tuesday, 08 May 2012
SAC and Promar get Defra go ahead on Planning Reviews and Repeat Visits before next grants round opens May 22nd. Full details, with links to the RDPE Network where all info on Round Two of the FFIS grant can be found, are now posted on the...
Read Full Article CommentsCost of rearing heifers – it pays to get it right
Added on Thursday, 03 May 2012
The latest meeting of the dairy health focus group, organised by Myerscough College in conjunction with DairyCo, concentrated on what some might argue is the most important aspect of a profitable dairy business – rearing heifer calves from birth to...
Read Full Article CommentsPigs provide talking point at Reaseheath
Added on Tuesday, 01 May 2012
A series of Northwest Livestock Programme meetings have been planned focusing on the pig sector. The initial meeting held earlier in the year involved a virtual tour of the pig unit at Reaseheath College, details discussed are below.... Since June...
Read Full Article CommentsWool price set to rise again...and subsidised shearing courses available too
Added on Monday, 30 April 2012
For the third year in a row the British Wool Marketing Board is pleased to be able to predict increased wool prices for farmers supplying the BWMB this year. At a time when every penny counts an increase in the wool price will be welcomed by all wool...
Read Full Article CommentsWhy Vaccinate? The pros and cons of vaccinating sheep and cattle
Added on Thursday, 19 April 2012
At the latest Balckburn and Darwen group meeting held at The Boatyard, Riley Green, 20 farmers were present to hear Tracey Taylor from Oakhill vets discuss the pros and cons surrounding the vaccination of cattle and sheep. Why vaccinate It is...
Read Full Article CommentsSchmallenberg virus and liver fluke discussed by Allerdale Livestock and Herdwick Development Groups
Added on Wednesday, 21 March 2012
A total of 31 farmers were present at this meeting at Hundreth Hill Hotel near Cockermouth. Organised by two of Cumbria Farmer Network's farmer groups, presentations were given on the Schmallenberg virus by Amanda Carson MRCVS and on...
Read Full Article CommentsBeef - Better Breeding, Health and Handling
Added on Wednesday, 14 March 2012
A recent demo event in Greater Manchester saw host farmer Bill Mellor welcome 22 farmers to Higher Farm, Hazel Grove. The focus of the day was making more from your beef cattle. The afternoon comprised three sessions all looking at different aspects...
Read Full Article CommentsBlackburn and Darwen Group: Cattle Fertility
Added on Friday, 02 March 2012
At the latest group meeting held at The Boatyard, Riley Green, 14 farmers were present to hear Jude Roberts, Independent Veterinary Surgeon discuss the effects that poor fertility has on the productivity of dairy and beef herds. Good fertility is...
Read Full Article CommentsTrace elements know-how intrigues sheep group
Added on Friday, 02 March 2012
Another excellent turn-out for the latest meeting of the Myerscough vets sheep group, organised in conjunction with Myerscough College, saw 42 farmers come along to The Shireburn Arms to find out more about trace element supplementation in sheep. The...
Read Full Article CommentsRural Economy Grant launched for large farm projects over £62,500
Added on Thursday, 01 March 2012
The Rural Economy Grant (REG) provides grants to enable a significant ‘game-changing', transformational performance in farm, forestry, tourism, agri-food businesses and micro businesses in rural areas in England. Guidance given to farmers...
Read Full Article CommentsAlternative approach to lameness control in sheep
Added on Wednesday, 29 February 2012
Surveys obviously don't lie when it comes to lameness in sheep as 28 farmers turned up to Pendle Heritage Centre (held in February) to hear local vet and sheep specialist Judith Charnley speak about the what can be done to help control this common...
Read Full Article CommentsCow Signals - What are your cows telling you?
Added on Tuesday, 21 February 2012
A small group of farmers, all members of the Lancashire Grazing Group, met up at Newfold Farm, Wrea Green by kind permission of Philip and Margaret Critchley, to discuss the cow signals concept and see what the Critchley's cows were telling them. The...
Read Full Article CommentsThe real value of forage
Added on Monday, 20 February 2012
David Wilde from Wilde Agriculture gave a presentation, about ‘The Real Value of Forage to 19 farming members of the Copeland Suckler and Fellside Milk Production Groups. David began by discussing how world markets for wheat had risen...
Read Full Article CommentsShap sheep group – Results of faecal egg count testing
Added on Friday, 17 February 2012
Thanks to funding from the RDPE North West Livestock Programme, which is funded by DEFRA and the EU, The Farmer Network was able to provide funding for seven farmers to take faecal samples from their sheep and have their worm egg counts...
Read Full Article CommentsThe benefit of foot treatment in dairy cows
Added on Monday, 13 February 2012
Digital dermatitis, although a real problem, is often considered the major problem for all dairy herds, when in fact this is not always case. This was the key point made at a presentation given by farmer Tim Blackshaw to Bollin...
Read Full Article CommentsSchmallenberg Virus in the UK - what is it?
Added on Monday, 06 February 2012
The presence of the Schmallenberg virus has been confirmed on 11 sheep farms in the UK. It affects sheep, cattle and goats and was first detected last August in cattle in the Netherlands and Germany. It causes deformation in the neck, head and...
Read Full Article CommentsImproved calf rearing (Bollin Farmers December Report)
Added on Monday, 30 January 2012
A presentation was given to the Bollin Farmers Group by vice chairman Tim Hartley on how to improve the rearing of dairy heifers. Tim outlined that, in his opinion, the following targets should be obtained for good calf rearing: - Birth...
Read Full Article CommentsBritish beef finishers making progress
Added on Tuesday, 17 January 2012
Beef producers across the country have made valuable progress in improving the financial and environmental efficiency of their enterprises in recent years by significantly increasing the proportion of stock finished at a younger age, the latest EBLEX...
Read Full Article CommentsNorthwest Pig Group - licences, added value, handling and vaccination
Added on Friday, 23 December 2011
Following the successful meeting held in February, this second meeting organised by Myerscough College and the British Pig Association through the Livestock Programme was again very popular with 30 pig producers from across the region...
Read Full Article CommentsLivestock businesses benefit from £3m of grants - and more help is at hand
Added on Wednesday, 21 December 2011
Almost 1,000 farms in the North West of England have already benefited from more than £3 million of Performance Grants available under the RDPE NW Livestock Programme. Now producers in the region can apply for funding from a new £20m...
Read Full Article CommentsJohnes – is your herd affected?
Added on Tuesday, 06 December 2011
Hot on the heels of last week’s meeting at The Shireburn Arms, this meeting organised by Myerscough Vets in association with Myerscough College focussed on Johnes disease. Twenty six farmers turned out to hear the speaker for the...
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