Beef

ON the first day of the February bull sales at Stirling, Aberdeen-Angus peaked at 15,000gns, with the 66 bulls averaging 6,499, up 67 on the year with an 86 per cent clearance rate.

A Beef Shorthorn bulls sold to 27,000gns, a breed record, and also had a record average of 6,127, up 1,347 on the year, with a 79 per cent clearance rate. Females topped at 7,500gns, a record price for the February sale.

A new record top price of 5,500gns and a record average of 3,477 was set at the premier sale of Herefords at Dungannon.

It comes as emissions from cattle are increasingly under the spotlight.

An ongoing English consultation into gene editing has stirred up a mixed reaction from industry, but behind this is a technology poised to accelerate genetic gain in existing breeding programmes according

When it comes to fertility within a herd, the main focus tends to be on the fertility and health status of the cow, but it is important not to ignore the bull.

As winter draws to an end Tom and Jimmy Stobart hope their efforts to restore health and resilience to the soil mean their land will support a relatively early turnout. Ann Hardy reports.

An Abattoir Sector Group (ASG) has been set up to help develop a thriving network of local abattoirs across the UK.

The NFU has hit out at a new Defra consultation on badger culling in England, branding it political and contradictory.

Farmers from all parts of the UK are reporting a positive impact on many areas of cattle health since embarking on BVD eradication programmes. And with the extension of funding for BVD Stamp it Out in England until June 2021, accompanied by a target of an additional 2,500 herds signing up, hopefully more farmers will see the benefits soon.