cows

The livestock industry is an integral part of the agricultural sector, encompassing various aspects of animal husbandry and production. It plays an important role in global food security and supports the livelihoods of millions of people worldwide.

The livestock industry presents many challenges and opportunities for the future. Some of these include:

  • Disease management
  • Changing consumer preferences
  • Increasing globalisation and interconnectedness within the industry
  • Technological advancements
  • Environmental concerns
  • Regulatory changes

To help the industry navigate these factors, knowledge production and sharing will be of increasing importance. Please share tools, information and resources for the livestock industry.

 

FAO Animal Production page

Grasscheck GB Grass monitoring project

AHDB Livestock content and resources

Related Organisations

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Connected Content

ADAS provides ideas, specialist knowledge and solutions to secure our food and enhance the environment. We understand food production and the challenges and opportunities faced by organisations operating in the natural environment

This Livestock and Pasture study is part of the wider UKRI STFC-funded EO4Agroclimate programme.  

Mob grazing is a form of intensive managed grazing where large numbers of animals graze a small area of land for a short period of time. There is increasing interest in this system due to perceived productivity and environmental benefits. However, there is very limited research to quantify the impact of mob grazing systems, and many farmers adopting the system have been influenced by anecdotal evidence from other farmers.

There are around 4.76 million pigs kept on agricultural holdings in the UK. With the UK pork market valued at £1.44 billion in 2020 (Statista). 

Today’s farmers keenly understand their roles as custodians of our farmed environment. Agriculture is a vital industry in East Anglia, but in the driest region in the UK water supplies are precious and needs safeguarding.  Anglian Water is working closely with farmers to ensure that we maintain healthy water quality as well as healthy crops and a healthy rural economy.

Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) was established in 2012 through the merger of the Scottish Agricultural College (SAC) with Barony, Elmwood and Oatridge Colleges. Through these institutions, we can trace our lineage back over 100 years.

National Sheep Association (NSA) is an organisation that represents the views and interests of sheep producers throughout the UK.

Grass in farming is interconnected with livestock systems for their feed, in the form of grazing, haylage and silage, and is also used as 'leys' (short-term grasslands) to regenerate soil structure and quality.

Thrive through change with the Royal Agricultural University

In 2021 Defra commissioned an ADAS led consortium to look at the environmental and productivity benefits of mob grazing systems in the UK. 

Animal nutrition plays a crucial role in livestock agriculture for several reasons, as it directly impacts the health, productivity, and overall wellbeing of farm animals.

Innovation for Agriculture (IfA) is an independent knowledge exchange charity that aims to bridge the gap between science and practice. 

Sheep scab is an infection caused by the mite Psoroptes ovis, which spends its entire lifecycle on the sheep. Unfortunately, it can cause significant health and welfare issues within flocks as it is highly contagious. Each year, the Welsh sheep industry loses £5.86m between treatments and loss of production. It also implies serious economic and welfare losses at farm level from reduced stock growth, lower reproductive rate, wool loss and skin damage.  Tackling scab is a challenge as sources of infections are not limited to one farm. Risks of infection are either increased by the presence of scabs within neighbouring flocks or reduced if those flocks are prophylactically treated. 

Pioneering innovation, technology and precision engineering for UK farming. 

This topic refers to the whole food supply chain, from farm fork, and all the products and services that contribute to food production.

GrassCheckGB is a grass monitoring project involving 50 dairy, beef and sheep farms.   Growth and quality data is published weekly throughout the growing season

Devon silvopasture 12-year on-farm trial including site at Rothamsted's North Wyke

Pasture Optimisation for Resilience and Livelihoods (PASTORAL) will work with farmers to co-design a new digital platform to help improve data to inform on-farm decision making to increase farm productivity and carbon efficiency using satellite data to plan pasture management.    

Chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese and ducks are the main categories of poultry kept for eggs, meat and breeding. 

Lots of people and organisations take photos in agriculture, of people, landscapes, fields, buildings, machines, animals, crops, insects, plants, the natural environment or just the countryside.  

Sowing Future Seeds. Seed company specialising in grass and clover mixes, as well as brassica, lucerne and stubble turnips.

Tree forage has many nutritional benefits for livestock as it diversifies their diet, provides additional nutrients and contains tannins that reduce methane production. Dr Lindsay Whistance from Organic Research Centre offers her advice on the best trees for silvopasture in a recent Innovative Farmers blog. 

The 18th Recycling of Agricultural, Municipal and Industrial Residues in Agriculture Network (RAMIRAN) conference was a resounding success. See selected resources from the conference below.

Useful Soil Association webpage with farmer's & researchers experience of Mob Grazing. 

ADAS and Defra are inviting dairy, beef, laying hens, sheep, and pig farmers to take part in a De

Guide from CIEL on GHG emissions from livestock farming and how to reduce them.

In February 2018, ADAS, AHDB and Defra launched the Grass and herbal leys farm network. The network is a partnership between farmers, researchers and industry and provides a platform to investigate the long term impacts of leys in rotations, such as: Quantifying changes in soil organic matter and soil health from introducing temporary grass/herbal leys across a range of soil types and rainfall areas. Quantifying subsequent changes to soil organic matter and soil health following the destruction of the temporary grass/herbal leys and return to arable production. Investigating the effectiveness of grass/herbal leys in controlling blackgrass in ‘problem’ fields.

Organic materials, including livestock manures, biosolids, compost and digestate contain valuable plant nutrients which can save farmers money on their fertiliser bills, and organic matter which can help improve soil quality.

Share resources, ideas and experiences on running successful agri-businesses.

Sheep were one of the first farmed animals, reared for thousands of years for meat and milk.

Animal health is integral to the sustainability, profitability, and ethical considerations of livestock farming. It involves a combination of preventative measures, good management practices, and veterinary care to ensure that animals are raised in a manner that is both economically viable and environmentally responsible while prioritizing their well-being and public health.

  https://www.rothamsted.ac.uk/north-wyke-farm-platform

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  Lameness is a significant health issue affecting farmed animals, including cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, and poultry. It refers to an abnormal gait or difficulty in walking, and it can have various causes, leading to pain and discomfort for the animals.

The SUPER-G project is a European wide project aiming to work with farmers and policy makers to develop sustainable & effective permanent grassland systems.

Giving farmers the confidence to grow.    The precision livestock network for forward thinking farmers.

If you’re responsible for a farm animal you must make sure that you care for it properly. (DEFRA)

Antibiotics are substances given in a controlled amount, meant to kill or reduce the growth of microorganisms, particularly bacteria (Ghosh et al., 2007).

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in agriculture is a pressing global concern that arises when microorganisms, including bacteria, develop resistance to antimicrobial agents such as antibiotics and antifungals commonly used in agricultural practices. This resistance can have far-reaching consequences for both agriculture and public health.

Proper housing is essential for the well-being, health, and productivity of livestock, as well as for the efficient management of farm operations. The type of housing and its design can vary depending on the species of livestock, climate, and specific management goals.

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The project is a farmer-led initiative aiming to work collectively to reduce the incidence of sheep scab in the Talybont North Ceredigion area.

An active network dedicated to finding innovative solutions for antibiotic resistance

A group of farmers from the Powys are undertaking this project to determine the prevalence and sources of the parasite on their farms. They hope to increase their understanding of the pathways by which it is transmitted among sheep and also identify measures they can take to control and prevent the disease in sheep.

Identifying and increasing sustainable practices along the supply and production chains of European livestock.

Whatever your challenges, from practical to strategic, Kingshay have the expertise to help you get the best from your farm.

Agro Mavens helps you and your business get talked about in the world of agriculture and agritech. A specialist marketing and communications agency for agriculture, from our base in the UK we work with agriculturally active brands all around the world, from multinationals to start-ups.

Independent research to enhance the performance of grass and forage crops

Grazing winter cereal crops - otherwise known as the golden hoof - is a method where sheep graze down cereal crops for short periods of time during tillering, providing the benefit of reducing fungicide use, removing diseased crops and increasing the soil organic matter.

There are only two types of treatment for sheep scab – organophosphate (OP) plunge dips (containing diazinon) and endectocides (injectable group 3-ML). 

NSA Scotsheep is a biennial event organised by NSA Scotland and will be the most important specialist event in the calendar for sheep producers in Scotland and North of England in 2024.

Animal tissues colonised with pathogenic organisms are said to be ‘infected’.

Though peas and beans have long been a trusted part of cropping rotations, it is perhaps only recently that the scope and value of their potential is being realised.

Chaired by Peter Myles, NSA Scottish Region, join experts Matt Colston (vet), Beth Wells (Moredun) and Simon Thorp (Bracken Control Group) for an evening webinar on reducing the risks of ticks and louping ill in your flock.

We are pleased to announce a final LEAP conference on 16 April 2024 at Lady Margaret Hall. Registration is now open.

Soil is the basis of every grassland system and aiming to constantly improve soil health will pay dividends in grassland productivity.

At Teagasc Athenry, researchers have been investigating the use of mixed swards in pasture-based sheep production systems. The results suggest increased diversity may be beneficial for animal performance.

This report aims to explore N cycling in livestock production systems, highlighting the roles of different forms of N, particularly its vital role in protein production, and where losses occur from the cycle.

What is silvopasture? Silvopasture is a form of agroforestry where trees are deliberately planted to be part of a farms livestock system. Three tree planting designs are being trialled as part of a field lab investigating the benefits of agroforestry.

In Devon, a group of six farmers and Rothamsted’s North Wyke research farm have teamed up through Innovative Farmers to form the Devon Silvopasture Network.

The role of livestock in our ecosystems and economy.

Recent spikes in consumer and retailer concern for the welfare of farmed animals (including chickens) have led to the development of animal welfare standards, changes in how animals are housed and managed, and new research opportunities to develop animal-based indicators of animal welfare.

Lameness is the third most impactful disease in dairy cattle, with respect to economics and animal welfare

The livestock industry is often scrutinised for its carbon footprint even though many farmers are actively working to reduce emissions and farm in the most sustainable manner. Despite this, more can always be done. CIEL’s Net Zero & Livestock: How Farmers can reduce emissions report launched in 2022 provides sheep farmers with practical tips to help reduce emissions on-farm, which we list in the blog below:

The dairy sector is often in the firing line when it comes to the criticism cows receive for their contribution to greenhouse gas emissions. This is despite total emissions from UK dairy production falling by 16.1% between 1990 and 2020.

From identifying lesions to treatment and nutrition, our information and resources can help you to manage all aspects of lameness.

The agricultural industry is heading toward a more sustainable, profitable, and efficient future. Future Farming Expo will bring together forward-thinking Scottish farmers, advisors, and rural businesses over two days for knowledge hubs, discussion, and networking across a busy exhibition hall.

It is impossible to be certain if a sheep has sheep scab without a diagnosis.

The TB Advisory Service is proud to be hosting the second national TB conference. This is a unique opportunity to bring together all those involved in TB control ensuring a collaborative approach.

New study suggests “techno-grazing” approaches can support more cattle in less space without adversely affecting soil structure and function

  NSA is proud to present its inaugural Sheep Farmers’ Conference – an important addition to the biennial NSA calendar offering a packed day of high level presentations, optional workshops and networking opportunities.

Our slurry wizard helps you work out slurry storage requirements, explore options and comply with regulations.  

New report highlights the role reducing key endemic diseases in ruminants can play in contributing to the Global Methane Pledge formed at COP26 to reduce methane emissions by 30% by 2030.

GrassCheckGB Forage Quality Webinar

Grasscheck Bulletins provide up-to-date information on the state of grass growth in Great Britain

There are two main challenges for the lamb sector; the first is to maintain the production of high-quality meat and the second is to ensure sheep farming is financially viable.

Prioritising the future of your herd and looking closely at your youngstock housing should be at the forefront of every farmer's mind.

Find out how a strategic approach to feeding and weaning can help get the most out of your dairy-beef genetics.

Sheep scab is an acute or chronic form of allergic dermatitis caused by the faeces of sheep scab mites (Psoroptes ovis).

After yet another successful event in 2023, Dairy-Tech will return on Wednesday 7th February 2024 at Stoneleigh Park.

As the leading event for the UK pig, poultry and egg sectors, the Fair is renowned for showcasing the very latest innovations and new ideas, while being the no.1 meeting place for everyone in the industry. Join us for the 2024 event at the NEC on 15th & 16th May! 

Learn about the benefits of livestock in the arable rotation. See our information on forage crops, cover crops, outdoor pigs, farmyard manure and more.

The RWAS Feature County for 2024, Ceredigion will host the Sustainable Grass and Muck event at Aberystwyth University Farm, Trawsgoed on Thursday 30th May 2024.

Improving cattle handling for Better Returns

As part of the NCS project, McArthur Agriculture have started to carry out trials in dehulling and roasting beans to start testing for different outcomes.

The project aimed to utilise mob grazing methods to manage grasslands better, increase sward species diversity, and create biodiverse pastures.

Catch crops are grown post-harvest or following silage, these crops hunt nutrients to reduce leaching from the soil while also allowing cover for the soil which prevents erosion.

The SEEGSLIP project sought to evidence the practices of a particular group of farmers, the Pasture-Fed Livestock Association (PFLA) in terms of their social, ecological and economic sustainability. This video explains the project, the pasture-fed concept and some of our research findings.

This guide collates the available knowledge and numbers on forage utilisation and feeding.

Combining regenerative farming with a drive for home-grown cattle feed is increasing sustainability and profitability on a challenging, northern farm.

Youngstock are the future of any farm. Investing in them is an investment in the farm’s future, too.

Four farmers, who are working with ADAS in an Innovative Farmers field lab, have found grazing ewes on herbal leys containing the legume can even have a positive effect on pregnancy rates.

The aim of this guide is to aid decision making for livestock producers who are looking to outwinter stock and what systems may best suit their farm.

 Resistance in scab mites to the injectables has been confirmed in the UK, which means we need to be increasingly careful about how we use both treatment choices.

Driving feed efficiency is crucial in all beef growing and finishing systems. 

Brassica crops such as kale, forage rape, grazing turnips, stubble turnips, swedes and new rape/kale hybrids, can provide nutritious, cost-effective feeds for beef cattle and sheep.

Silvopasture is a form of agroforestry where trees are deliberately planted to be part of a farms livestock system. Three tree planting designs are being trialled as part of a field lab investigating the benefits of agroforestry.

The search for a catch crop to fill the gap between lifting carrots in late spring and drilling winter wheat, led a Norfolk farmer to a 19% protein baled haylage from a quick-growing legume.  

Carbon footprints are presented within the contemporary media, commercial entities and frequently by government agencies as a proximate measure for sustainability.

As the UK sheep industry has become more reliant on pastures grazed only by sheep, dependence on anthelmintics (wormers) has increased.

Protein-rich peas and beans are replacing concentrates in the winter ration of sheep and cattle at a Radnorshire farm.

To maximise their financial returns, beef producers need to produce and sell the type of finished cattle markets want.

Get the most you can from grazed grass and silages.

Somerset beef and arable producer, Richard Coles, has substantially reduced his costs of production by cutting out expensive, bought-in ingredients and replacing them with home-grown feed, including high protein beans.

The relationship between wetlands and livestock farming is complex and a subject of growing importance in the face of climate change and biodiversity loss.

A flowchart on how to assess body condition score in dairy cattle, using the Penn State assessment method.

Do pigs fit into a regenerative farming system? Can their diet be sustainable? Can they be pastured?

Stephanie Eldon and her family farm a unit with 199 dairy cows in Northern Ireland, producing 75 heifers calving into the herd per year. It is a Holstein closed herd calving all year round, with a 305-day average yield of 8,896 litres (L).

Technical Guide

UK feeding industries rely heavily on imported soya bean meal (SBM) as the main protein source in monogastric feeds, including for pigs.

Lameness is a serious cost to the sheep industry.

Improving existing buildings or designing new builds to the best standards has a lasting and positive impact on animal health and productivity.

Use our practical videos of on-farm tasks to help train and refresh staff and boost pig production.

Grass is an important crop and grazed grass is the cheapest feed on farm, yet it rarely earns the respect it deserves as a potentially high-quality, natural ruminant feed.

Join us on a farm walk to explore how silvopasture has been incorporated onto this Biodynamic and organic mixed farm.

There is more data being collected on sheep farms than ever before, but we need to make sure it is being used effectively.

Silvopastoral agroforestry – integrating shelterbelts, hedgerows or in-field trees with grazing livestock – can provide domestic animals with benefits, including shelter and shade, as well as supplementing their diets as tree browse or fodder.

The condition of soil on livestock farms directly influences the yield and quality of grass and forage crops, animal performance and profitability.

Managing ewes correctly throughout the year is vital for generating the highest possible output from any sheep enterprise.

Bale Grazing is a simple method of out wintering dry cows often used in North America.

 Sheep and arable farmers lack insight into each other’s work and viewpoint on cover crop.

Review and develop your herds breeding plan.

Grass grown for silage has different needs to grass grown solely for grazing.

Fertility is the key driver of profit in the dairy herd and is dependent on genetics, nutrition and health status.

Buying a standing crop of beans and producing 21% protein forage has helped sheep and beef producer, Steven Smith, improve profitability on his Northumberland farm.

Can we breed resilient lambs that tackle worms naturally without impacting their growth rate? Find out more from the latest on-farm trial.

NSA Sheep Event is a biennial one-day show held at the Three Counties Showground, Malvern, Worcestershire. It is the flagship event of the National Sheep Association, complemented by a series of regional events held within a two-year calendar.

This checklist aims to provide a structured approach to assess a calf rearing system.

Nutrient management can often be forgotten on beef and sheep farms, yet there is considerable scope to reduce costs and improve output through the use of home-produced and bought-in nutrients.

An innovative approach to growing and preserving peas, beans and lupins has cut out bought-in protein from almost all livestock rations while also meeting greening rules on a Durham farm.

Quality Meat Scotland’s (QMS) new report is set to unlock greater productivity, profitability and sustainability for a wealth of individuals and businesses.

Our bull selection manual explains what to look for when selecting a bull for breeding, including how to use genetics and EBVs, and judging if a bull is fit to work.

The key to maximising financial returns is to produce and sell the type of finished cattle the marketplace wants and is willing to pay for.

This booklet provides an accurate, easy-to-use reference guide on all available anti-parasitic products in their various chemical groups and summarises the parasites they have been licensed to control.  

Forage first sheep systems seek to optimise lamb production from pasture to minimise costs.

Water from farms may be contaminated to different degrees. The level of contamination will determine how they should be managed.

The national crop area of beans, practices of home feeding, and utilisation within the feed industry in general have increased.

Join us for an insightful day at the Oxford FAI Farm where we will be showcasing the groundbreaking progress of 'bigger steps for smaller footprints towards climate-positive beef', funded by the Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs’ Farming Innovation Programme Feasibility Round 1 Competition.

Dr Emma Davies: IBERS, Aberystwyth University.

A Welsh farming family, who grew and crimped peas and beans as part of a government/EU trial, has been able to completely cut out bought-in feed from their cattle rations.

The forecast predicts the hatch date for nematodirus based on temperature data from 140 weather stations throughout the UK and should be used in combination with your grazing history (more below) to assess the risk of nematodirus infection in your lambs.

An online tool to help dairy, beef and sheep producers monitor and compare medicine use and tackle the threat of antimicrobial resistance.

Six Pasture for Life member farms have come together in an Innovative Farmers Field Lab to undertake a four year study to explore the impacts of bale grazing on soil and forage.

Optimising fertility is critical to the success of any suckler herd.

As ewes approach lambing, their requirement for protein increases by almost 50%.

Green Genes - Revolutionising Cattle Breeding For A Sustainable Future' Is The Theme Of The 2024 British Cattle Breeding Conference, As Chosen By Our Chair Ben Harman.  

Find out how the five-point plan can help to reduce the number of new clinical cases of lameness.  

This manual aims to help you understand the issues that could improve your breeding ewes, and the overall financial performance of your sheep system.

Housing Systems for Species-specific Rearing with Mother Cows and Nurse Cows

A manual for consultants, vets and producers. 

With increasingly tight financial margins in beef and sheep production , minimising the losses of saleable meat and offal is important for the whole supply chain. 

The way for sheep producers to maximise returns is to produce and sell the type of sheep buyers really want and are willing to pay for.

Interested in stockpiling grass for winter? Tall Grass Grazing' webinar with Rib Harvard, farmer and ecologist from Worcestershire.

Let's dive deep into the world of fugitive methane, for this event, we IFEAA are teaming up with AFN Network +

From grazing management to pest and disease, our advice and resources will help you to successfully manage clover. (AHDB)  

A mixed farming system, based around livestock and cropping, is a fundamental part of organic, agroecological and regenerative farming.

Beef cattle in the arable rotation has many benefits to both beef and arable producers. But what are the costs and margins involved?

Improving animal performance and reducing physical losses are key to ensuring sheep farming is profitable.

Specifically designed for beef and sheep enterprises, this cash flow spreadsheet will help you quickly see when money is coming into and out of your business and where it’s coming from and going to.

This Poster from DairyNZ provides a useful guide for assessing lameness in cattle.

This recording from the Oxford Real Farming Conference is of a discussion between farmers involved in the Innovative Farmers Bale grazing project.

Pastured poultry can be a great regenerative enterprise. Hear from the farmers making it work!

Join us (AHDB) virtually for a practical workshop, highlighting the shed ventilation solutions at Willow Tree Farm.

Diseases in sheep and cattle have made the headlines many times over the last few years.

Liver fluke (Fasciola hepatica) can have a devastating effect on the health and welfare of grazing livestock and historically, control has relied heavily on the routine blanket use of flukicide treatments.

The performance of a suckler beef herd is significantly impacted by poor cow and calf health.

This document is intended for farmers looking to reduce their reliance on soya in pig systems, or as a jumping off point for those hoping to establish a new pastured pig operation.

Join us (AHDB), alongside Pasture for Life and Innovative Farmers, for an on-farm discussion covering everything you need to know about bale grazing.

The objective of this farmer-led research trial was to investigate a new approach to winter feed provision for livestock that considers the overall health of the farm system, including soil health, biodiversity, animal welfare, farmer welfare and economic sustainability.

Opportunities and constraints for conventional farming systems on rewetted peat soils

Organic Management Techniques to Improve Sustainability of Non-Organic Farming.

At this event, we (AHDB) will introduce the value of genomics (the study of genes) and explain how important it is for future ram breeding decisions. We will help you to understand how to use performance traits to benefit your pedigree flock or your commercial lamb enterprise.

With CAP'2ER®, carry out the environmental assessment of a farm online in a few minutes

For a one day exhibition showcase of the British Beef Industry, the National Beef Association’s Beef Expo event is heading to J36, Rural Auction Centre, Crooklands on Saturday 27th April 2024.  

Nutrient management can often be forgotten on beef and sheep farms, yet there is considerable scope to reduce costs and improve output through the use of home-produced and bought-in nutrients.

This HENNOVATION technical note describes an innovative technique for reducing predation of free ranging laying hens. The case study was conducted in Spain but it has application across Europe.

Across the UK, many farmers are working to reduce their dependence on soya.

This handbook (NetPoulSafe) compiles in one document 50 factsheets for both farmers and advisors (including veterinarians) in poultry production, detailing the best supporting measures for biosecurity.

This informative and practical event featured Lynn Cassells of Lynbreck Croft, James Reid of Tap o’ Noth Farm, and Dr Lindsay Whistance of the Organic Research Centre, discussing how making hay from trees can be a valuable way to supplement winter forage and support livestock nutrition and welfare.

NSA considers what makes a successful lambing, how to mitigate risk and what to do if things start to go wrong. 

The search for a catch crop to fill the gap between lifting carrots in late spring and drilling winter  wheat, led Charlie Davison to a 19% protein baled haylage from a quick-growing legume.

This paper aims to summarize the evidence base concerning carbon storage in pasture land used for livestock production.

The ability of an animal to be resilient to diseases is dependent upon several factors which include; immune status, husbandry practises, vaccination, genetics among others.

As part of Countryside COP, NSA hosted a webinar on Wednesday 22nd November at 7pm to talk about the use of genetics to tackle methane emissions on sheep farms.

Join us to hear from a panel of experts who will provide an update on bluetongue and the current BTV-3 strain that has been confirmed in cases in cows and sheep in Kent and Norfolk.

An online tool has been developed in Germany for broiler farmers, herd veterinarians and advisors to enable individual assessment of farm and pathogen pathogen-specific biosecurity concepts.

This publication gives an overview of dairy beef systems to consider, with their advantages and disadvantages, along with helpful hints on potential health issues and guidance on preparing and selecting animals for slaughter.

During this webinar, Mandy Nevel, AHDB Head of Animal Health & Welfare, and Lizzie Wilson, CEO of the National Pig Association (NPA), will share practical things that you can do to prepare for a possible outbreak of African swine fever (ASF).

This manual gives advice to producers on buying a recorded ram.  

Trials conducted back in 2015 and 2016 explored a range of opportunities for boosting the protein content of the wholecrop cereal silage the Flemings have always grown to provide extra winter fodder and a productive crop under which to establish new grass leys.

Learn about progress with the development of a new BTV-3 vaccine with veterinary vaccine consultant Professor Andy Peters and AHDB's Head of Animal Health and Welfare, Dr Mandy Nevel.

UK grasslands are an essential cog in ecosystem function. They lock in vast amounts of carbon, accounting for one-third of the earth’s carbon storage and two billion tonnes of carbon in UK grassland soils.

Farmers are invited to join RASE for a Farm of the Future demonstration day at Plumpton College in East Sussex.

Livestock populations provide people with a variety of products and services, including meat, milk, eggs, fibre and draught power, in a wide range of environments. This diversity of function is only possible because of the diversity of their genetic make-up.

The BroilerNet project involves a bottom-up approach to identify challenges and innovation needs for broiler farmers in Europe, and to collect promising and already successfully implemented Good Practices to meet the challenges in questions.

Signet Breeding Services is run by the AHDB and their website contains lots of useful information and resources around genetics and breeding for beef and sheep herds.

This conference aims to promote best practice and facilitate the exchange of ideas relevant to all stages of youngstock rearing. It will feature a series of practical seminars addressing the latest developments in cattle breeding, nutrition and health.

The following information from SRUC summarises their approach to research in livestock genetics and genomics. 

The recognition of the nitrogen (N) fixation, benefits in forage quality and animal performance of grass-white clover pastures has led to a resurgence of interest.

About 57 percent of the soybeans imported by the UK for animal feed comes from Brazil.

This farmer-led project investigated the feasibility and practicality of incorporating multi-species swards on Northern Ireland commercial beef and sheep farms. 

Indirect causal links between soy and deforestation may exist that need further exploration. 

This resource from Farm Consultancy Group describes one method for implementing an agroforestry livestock system.

In Serra do Alvão, Portugal, the "Rebanhos +" project is using targeted grazing to manage the understorey, preventing fires and restoring degraded areas.

How can data be used to improve farm animal health and welfare? Take this free training course from the University of Edinburgh.

Join us (RASE) live from 1pm until 2pm to hear how three farmers are producing meat using holistic livestock management systems, how they communicate what they do with their customers and how this adds value to their farm business.

A fact sheet on the potential use of grass press cake as a fodder source for dairy cows.

During this webinar, experts from the four nations and the continent will discuss the latest updates regarding bluetongue virus.

UK Dairy Day, the UK’s leading free-to-attend dairy event, will be held at the Telford International Centre in Telford, TF3 4JH on Wednesday 11th September 2024.

These factsheets give advice and guidance on a range of key technologies for successful production of dairy beef.

Integration of livestock and crops as a viable alternative to specialized systems that can improve resource efficiency and ecosystem services. A case study from Lemnos, Greece.

Find out how building genetics into your breeding programme can maintain herd strengths and address areas of weakness.

The event will be hosted by FNZ Monitor Farmers, Matt and Pip Smith. The day will cover a range of topics to increase the profitability and environmental sustainability of sheep production.

In this case study, we describe field investigations of liver fluke risk to livestock associated with grazing under two different agri-environmental schemes and discuss best practice for conservation grazing and sustainable fluke control.

Scientists based at Rothamsted Research have found a clear link between the weight of lambs early in their life and subsequent meat quality – which is good news for consumers, farmers, and the environment.

Join us at this on-farm meeting to learn how to assess the nutrition and mineral status of your herd and ensure the correct balance is being delivered to get the best performance from grazed grass and silage. Mineral levels and nutrition from pasture can vary through the season, as can livestock requirements.

Join us for Dairy Show 2024 on Wednesday 2nd October.

Sheep Breeders Round Table (SBRT) is a biennial technical conference for sheep breeders, farmers, academics, consultants and industry representatives. This year’s theme will be ‘Breeding sheep for a greener future’ and the event takes place 15–17 November 2024.

In the context of ever-growing demand for food and associated concerns regarding the environmental impacts of high-input agricultural systems, there is growing interest in mixed farm enterprises to deliver greater sustainability compared with mono-enterprise production systems. 

Teagasc with the support of the British Society of Animal Science (BSAS) and ABP are hosting an International Technical Conference in Ireland on the 16th, and 17th of October 2024 focusing on the production of beef from the dairy herd.

Over the past few decades farms have become increasingly specialised, with arable growers losing

Grazing on pasture closed and set aside for winter grazing can significantly reduce feeding costs

Write whatever you want here - this is the main section. You can add links, add pictures and embed videos. To paste text from elsewhere use CTRL+Shift+V to paste without formatting. Add videos by selecting 'Full HTML' below, copying the 'embed html' from the source page (eg Youtube), clicking 'Source' above and pasting where you want the video to appear.
You can upload an image here. It can be jpg, jpeg, gif or png format.
Upload requirements

You can upload a file here, such as a pdf report, or MS Office documents, Excel spreadsheet or Powerpoint Slides.

Upload requirements
Authors Order
Add Authors here - you can only add them if they already exist on PEP. Just start writing their name then select to add it. To add multiple authors click the 'Add another item' button below.

Please ensure that you have proof-read your content. Pages are not edited further once submitted and will go live immediately.

Configure the meta tags below.

Use tokens to avoid redundant meta data and search engine penalization. For example, a 'keyword' value of "example" will be shown on all content using this configuration, whereas using the [node:field_keywords] automatically inserts the "keywords" values from the current entity (node, term, etc).

Browse available tokens.

Simple meta tags.

The text to display in the title bar of a visitor's web browser when they view this page. This meta tag may also be used as the title of the page when a visitor bookmarks or favorites this page, or as the page title in a search engine result. It is common to append '[site:name]' to the end of this, so the site's name is automatically added. It is recommended that the title is no greater than 55 - 65 characters long, including spaces.
A brief and concise summary of the page's content, preferably 150 characters or less. Where as the description meta tag may be used by search engines to display a snippet about the page in search results, the abstract tag may be used to archive a summary about the page. This meta tag is no longer supported by major search engines.

Meta tags that might not be needed by many sites.

Geo-spatial information in 'latitude; longitude' format, e.g. '50.167958; -97.133185'; see Wikipedia for details.
Geo-spatial information in 'latitude, longitude' format, e.g. '50.167958, -97.133185'; see Wikipedia for details.
Robots
A comma-separated list of keywords about the page. This meta tag is used as an indicator in Google News.
Highlight standout journalism on the web, especially for breaking news; used as an indicator in Google News. Warning: Don't abuse it, to be used a maximum of 7 times per calendar week!
This meta tag communicates with Google. There are currently two directives supported: 'nositelinkssearchbox' to not to show the sitelinks search box, and 'notranslate' to ask Google not to offer a translation of the page. Both options may be added, just separate them with a comma. See meta tags that Google understands for further details.
Used to rate content for audience appropriateness. This tag has little known influence on search engine rankings, but can be used by browsers, browser extensions, and apps. The most common options are general, mature, restricted, 14 years, safe for kids. If you follow the RTA Documentation you should enter RTA-5042-1996-1400-1577-RTA
Indicate to search engines and other page scrapers whether or not links should be followed. See the W3C specifications for further details.
Tell search engines when to index the page again. Very few search engines support this tag, it is more useful to use an XML Sitemap file.
Control when the browser's internal cache of the current page should expire. The date must to be an RFC-1123-compliant date string that is represented in Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), e.g. 'Thu, 01 Sep 2016 00:12:56 GMT'. Set to '0' to stop the page being cached entirely.

The Open Graph meta tags are used to control how Facebook, Pinterest, LinkedIn and other social networking sites interpret the site's content.

The Facebook Sharing Debugger lets you preview how your content will look when it's shared to Facebook and debug any issues with your Open Graph tags.

The URL of an image which should represent the content. The image must be at least 200 x 200 pixels in size; 600 x 316 pixels is a recommended minimum size, and for best results use an image least 1200 x 630 pixels in size. Supports PNG, JPEG and GIF formats. Should not be used if og:image:url is used. Note: if multiple images are added many services (e.g. Facebook) will default to the largest image, not specifically the first one. Multiple values may be used, separated by a comma. Note: Tokens that return multiple values will be handled automatically. This will be able to extract the URL from an image field if the field is configured properly.
The URL of an video which should represent the content. For best results use a source that is at least 1200 x 630 pixels in size, but at least 600 x 316 pixels is a recommended minimum. Object types supported include video.episode, video.movie, video.other, and video.tv_show. Multiple values may be used, separated by a comma. Note: Tokens that return multiple values will be handled automatically.
A alternative version of og:image and has exactly the same requirements; only one needs to be used. Multiple values may be used, separated by a comma. Note: Tokens that return multiple values will be handled automatically. This will be able to extract the URL from an image field if the field is configured properly.
The secure URL (HTTPS) of an image which should represent the content. The image must be at least 200 x 200 pixels in size; 600 x 316 pixels is a recommended minimum size, and for best results use an image least 1200 x 630 pixels in size. Supports PNG, JPEG and GIF formats. Multiple values may be used, separated by a comma. Note: Tokens that return multiple values will be handled automatically. This will be able to extract the URL from an image field if the field is configured properly. Any URLs which start with "http://" will be converted to "https://".
The type of image referenced above. Should be either 'image/gif' for a GIF image, 'image/jpeg' for a JPG/JPEG image, or 'image/png' for a PNG image. Note: there should be one value for each image, and having more than there are images may cause problems.
The date this content was last modified, with an optional time value. Needs to be in ISO 8601 format. Can be the same as the 'Article modification date' tag.
The date this content was last modified, with an optional time value. Needs to be in ISO 8601 format.
The date this content will expire, with an optional time value. Needs to be in ISO 8601 format.

A set of meta tags specially for controlling the summaries displayed when content is shared on Twitter.

Notes:
  • no other fields are required for a Summary card
  • Photo card requires the 'image' field
  • Media player card requires the 'title', 'description', 'media player URL', 'media player width', 'media player height' and 'image' fields,
  • Summary Card with Large Image card requires the 'Summary' field and the 'image' field,
  • Gallery Card requires all the 'Gallery Image' fields,
  • App Card requires the 'iPhone app ID' field, the 'iPad app ID' field and the 'Google Play app ID' field,
  • Product Card requires the 'description' field, the 'image' field, the 'Label 1' field, the 'Data 1' field, the 'Label 2' field and the 'Data 2' field.
A description that concisely summarizes the content of the page, as appropriate for presentation within a Tweet. Do not re-use the title text as the description, or use this field to describe the general services provided by the website. The string will be truncated, by Twitter, at the word to 200 characters.
By default Twitter tracks visitors when a tweet is embedded on a page using the official APIs. Setting this to 'on' will stop Twitter from tracking visitors.
The URL to a unique image representing the content of the page. Do not use a generic image such as your website logo, author photo, or other image that spans multiple pages. Images larger than 120x120px will be resized and cropped square based on longest dimension. Images smaller than 60x60px will not be shown. If the 'type' is set to Photo then the image must be at least 280x150px. This will be able to extract the URL from an image field if the field is configured properly.
The MIME type for the media contained in the stream URL, as defined by RFC 4337.