Livestock

With major changes ahead in the red meat industry in Scotland, Ewan Pate spoke to Sarah Millar as she begins her new role as chief executive at Quality Meat Scotland

A former Northern Ireland Government vet who resigned from her job after raising concerns about animal welfare has received an unreserved apology and a major payout.

This month, Roger Evans delves into the world of politics, talking specifically about trade deals with countries around the world and the impact these could have on our industry. He also discusses the changes in farmers’ work clothing preferences.

Higher milk yields have led to a gradual increase in twin pregnancies among UK dairy herds. Andy Hayton, of Sandstone Vets Group, explains the associated risks and how twin pregnancies can be managed for better results post-calving. Katie Fallon reports.

For mixed farmer Tom James, sustainability falls between social, economic and environmental pillars with the environmental aspect, he says, gaining the most momentum in the industry since the late 1990s because of its emotive credentials.

A Somerset milk producer believed his closed herd was protected from BVD, until an abortion storm prompted him to call in his vet to investigate. Wendy Short reports.

Recent investment in a new housing facility and milking regime is helping to drive herd performance and efficiency for the Laird family at Blythbridge Holsteins

VIRTUALLY the entire milking portion together with heifer calves from the Stardale herd of pedigree Holsteins went under the hammer on-farm at Barton, Preston, on behalf of J. Burrow and Son.

Claire Eastham farms with her husband Martyn in Dorset, where they milk 120-spring calving cows. After gaining knowledge and experience working for other businesses, the couple started their own dairy farming journey in 2015 by taking on a share farming agreement before progressing to their current county council farm.

Having taken over the farm tenancy taken on by his father in 1966, Bruce Mackie farms some 30 miles north of Aberdeen, where he milks 250 cows through four Lely robots on an organic system and produces yoghurt on the farm under the Rora Dairy brand.