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March 5, 2024
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UK - Increased incidence of lungworm in cattle
Dairy farmers are being encouraged to vaccinate youngstock and naïve cattle against lungworm ahead of the 2024 grazing season after a significant rise in cases in recent years.
"Cases of lungworm are on the increase and the disease is also becoming more common in adult cattle," said Dr Kat Baxter-Smith, Veterinary Adviser with MSD Animal Health. "Recent conditions have been ideal for lungworm larvae to survive in pasture for longer and to contaminate new areas - and this is likely to continue as we move deeper into 2024."
She adds that changing weather conditions also create protection challenges for producers that rely on preventative wormers. "Farmers across GB are now able to turn cattle out for longer - up to two months longer in some cases. Consequently, vets in practice are seeing a lot of cases towards the end of the latter part of the extended grazing season when protection from preventative wormers has worn off, leaving livestock vulnerable.
"What's more, the use of long acting anthelmintics also limits the ability of cattle to build up immunity against lungworm as they will be exposed to fewer larvae. When cattle are then exposed to contaminated pastures, a significant lungworm outbreak is possible," says Dr Baxter-Smith.
Lungworm infestation occurs when cattle eat grass contaminated with larvae from the worm Dictyocaulus viviparus, which migrates to the animal's lungs. Once there, they develop into adults and produce eggs that are then coughed up and swallowed. Eggs that hatch in the digestive system are then passed out of the animal through faeces as larvae to contaminate pasture - ultimately starting the lifecycle over again once consumed by grazing livestock.
ScottishFarmer
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UK - Early spring season start for ticks
APHA are warning vets and farmers that the current warm weather may contribute to an increase in early spring tick activity. Consider the possibility of tick-borne diseases when examining sick livestock.
Tick bites can cause significant health problems for cattle and sheep. Infections (protozoan and bacterial) transmitted via tick bites can lead to severe, and sometimes fatal, diseases. They can also result in hypersensitivity due to irritation and inflammation at bite sites. Tick activity has two seasonal peaks: one in spring and the other in late summer/autumn.
Clinical signs of common tick-borne diseases:
- Louping ill: High temperature; lack of appetite; muscular trembling; unsteadiness, seizure; frequently fatal in sheep
- Tick-borne fever: Abortion in naïve pregnant cattle and sheep; high temperature; anorexia; immune suppression leading to secondary infections
- Redwater fever (bovine babesiosis): Increased temperature; diarrhoea then constipation; red urine; abortion in pregnant cattle
- Tick pyaemia (affects lambs up to 12 weeks of age): Weakness; abscesses in tendons, joints, muscles and brain; lameness; paralysis
Speak to your vet for advice on tick control options as part of your herd/flock health planning.
For further information on ticks, visit the Sustainable Control of Parasites (SCOPS) and Control of Worms Sustainably (COWS) websites.
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UK - Welsh farmers threaten action
From country to country across Europe the reasons for farmers' unhappiness varies - but rising costs, tighter regulations and policy changes are common complaints. Now farmers in Wales are also threatening action, claiming that the Welsh government has turned its back on the countryside.
Ministers completely reject that, arguing their commitment to farming "at this challenging time is very clear". So what are the issues that are causing this resentment here, asks BBC? Sustainable Farming Scheme: The spark that ignited the flames here, the publication of the latest consultation on the Sustainable Farming Scheme.
This is the Welsh government's big plan for funding the industry after Brexit - which puts a lot more emphasis on the environment. In order to gain access to the scheme, farmers will have to commit to having trees on 10% of their land, and earmark another 10% as wildlife habitat.
Arguing that this isn't practical while keeping a farm business going, many are concerned that the other requirements of the scheme will overwhelm them with paperwork. On the other hand, the government is also under pressure from environmentalists to ensure that the plan is ambitious.
As 80% of Wales' landscape is under the care of farmers, the argument is that they have a key role to play in helping the effort to tackle climate change and the losses in nature.
Farmers in Wales: Why are they ready to protest? - BBC News
BBC
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UK - Best practice with boluses achieves 'gold standard' supplementation
Cornish beef and sheep farmer James Warwick offers some practical pointers on bolusing livestock: Farming in an area known to be deficient in both copper and iodine, beef and sheep farmer James Warwick is meticulous about ensuring correct micronutrient supplementation of his ewes and suckler cows.
He opts for bolusing so that he knows every animal receives an adequate amount of the required nutrients, all year round. His routine is to administer Nettex's EnduraBol High Iodine boluses six to eight weeks pre-calving and around four weeks before the bull goes in, and he does similarly with his ewes in advance of lambing and tupping, using EnduraBol Sheep with added copper.
"We soil sample every year so have a good handle on what supplementary minerals and trace elements are needed," he says. "Maintaining the right levels of the important nutrients is helping to improve fertility and to eliminate issues such as swayback in the lambs."
James is aware of reluctance on the part of some farmers to use boluses, due to uncertainty around administration, but believes that with good preparation, suitable facilities, and by using the right technique, bolusing should be a straightforward operation. "Ensuring you have the right number of the correct boluses and checking your bolusing gun is a good starting point," he says. "The Endurabol guns are made of metal, and very robust, but being sure it's working and in good condition beforehand is always sensible.
"I am usually working on my own, so I set up my equipment on a tray beside the race or the cattle crush, so everything I need is in easy reach."
Allowing adequate time is important, as the job does not want to be done under pressure. In James' case, he typically combines bolusing with another job, like a vaccination or drenching, so factoring in any other work - and being prepared for that too - is important. In terms of handling facilities, James uses a simple race for the sheep and a standard cattle crush for the cows. "Having good facilities is important for your own safety, but is also essential in order to minimise the stress on the animals," he adds. "Ideally you want to be moving the stock around calmly and quietly, and that's always easier if you are set up right.
"I like to have the sheep as tight as possible in the race, and then bolus them in batches. With the cattle, we don't have a head scoop on the race, but for me that's not a hinderance to bolusing."
Before restraining the animal, load the bolus gun. EnduraBol boluses are given in pairs, and guns are designed to carry two boluses to allow both to be given at once. It's important to hold the animal's head straight out, and not too high, inserting the gun through the side of the mouth, so that the end reaches the back of the tongue. "There should be no need to force the gun," adds James. "Once you have it in the right position, pull the release trigger and this pushes the boluses out. You will usually see the animal swallow, so you know it's gone down.
"Then continue to restrain the animal's head as you withdraw the gun. With cattle, I usually wait for 20-30 seconds to check the bolus has definitely gone down before releasing."
In James' case, his 20 pedigree South Devons can easily be bolused in a morning, bearing in mind he's usually carrying out other actions in conjunction with bolusing. His 300 breeding ewes are split equally into January and March lambing groups, and 150 ewes is, again, well achievable in a morning, alongside other tasks. According to Nettex's Emily Hall, bolusing is the gold standard in micronutrient supplementation, offering an unrivalled level of assurance around trace element and vitamin delivery.
"Whilst only small amounts are required for adequate supplementation, the important micronutrients pack a powerful punch in many areas of performance for cattle and sheep," she says. This includes fertility, daily liveweight gain and nervous system function, and factors including more frequent extreme weather events and intensifying grazing practices only serve to increase the risk of mineral related disorders and diseases."
Hall lists selenium, cobalt, zinc, manganese, iodine and copper as the most commonly deficient or sub-optimal in ruminant diets, with all being available through Nettex's extensive range of EnduraBol boluses. "Vitamins are as important as trace elements," she adds, "and their availability is also affected by more common environmental conditions such as drought. EnduraBol boluses include optimal amounts of vitamins A, D3 and E, which work together to support the immune system, muscle development, nutrient absorption and aid in other areas."
Effective delivery of these trace elements and vitamins is achieved with EnduraBol boluses through a technology called 'single point erosion'. This ensures consistent and reliable delivery of the micronutrients for extended periods. "Slow and steady release allows the animal to optimise absorption while ensuring consistent trace element delivery for up to 240 days depending on the product used," concludes Hall. "Whilst bolusing does require handling of livestock, this should not be a barrier to the practice. It is the best way to ensure every single animal receives the right amount of the right kind of nutrients."
Nettex
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UK - Cirencester dairy farmer chosen to help M&S reach net-zero target
A dairy farmer from the Cirencester area has been chosen to take part in M&S's newest green initiative. Austin Russell runs Church Farm in Barnsley alongside his wife, Eloise, and mother, Lesley, and supplies the supermarket with milk through Muller. The farm covers 860-acres of the Cotswolds AONB, and is home to a herd of 240 pedigree Holstein Friesians.
Church Farm is one of seven farming enterprises taking part in the supermarket's new Farm of the Future Programme which seeks ways to rapidly decarbonise and maximise wildlife and habitat creation. Russell hopes that by participating in the programme the farm's biodiversity and sustainability credentials can continue to improve, while helping the industry arrive at solutions to other current issues such as carbon, soils, and community engagement.
The dairy farmer said: "Our goal is to set up an accompanying micro-AD plant, which we can power with slurry to generate all the electricity the unit needs. We are also choosing to bed our cows on sand to improve welfare, but we want to be able to reuse the sand and are keen to establish what this process would look like. We hope that both features will 'close the loop' somewhat to make it a truly sustainable unit. Additionally, we have implemented a no-till system which has increased the resilience of soils and increased the presence of beneficial fungi and bacteria within them. This has led to significant increases in yields in recent years."
Steve McLean, Head of Agriculture and Fisheries at M&S Food, said: "As part of our sustainability action plan, we have committed to reducing our carbon footprint to net zero by 2040. Over 70% of the emissions of our food business come from primary agriculture, particularly the livestock and ruminant sectors, so it is clear this needs real focus. We recognise the challenges this brings on farm, and the need to continue to produce affordable, high-quality food from sustainable supply chain relationships.
Wiltsglosstandard.co.uk
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UK - People are the key to farm success
An open mind and passion for little improvements are some of the keys to successful dairy businesses - and those traits extend to staff management too.
Although individual farmers may have excellent cow management, if they don't look after and train their staff then the business will never be as successful as it could be, according to Paul Harris, CEO at staff specialist REAL Success. "Reading the Andersons Centre's report on top performing dairy farms, there were some clear trends which the industry really needs to address," he says.
Many of these have been discussed in previous reports on farm labour, including Mr Harris's own White Paper published in 2022. "It's great to see more profile given to the importance of a vibrant and diverse farm labour force, but these are not new issues, and we need to see greater change on the ground if farmers are serious about improving long-term productivity and resilience."
The report found that the best performing farms were open minded about transferable skills and recruiting entry-level staff based on potential rather than previous skills. "This opens the door to recruiting from outside the small pool of existing farming talent, something which is vital if we are to address the serious labour shortage facing the sector," says Harris.
"It can cost a business between £15,000 and £30,000 to replace an employee, so it's important to get it right. When someone leaves, it's tempting to recruit quickly, but the wrong person in the role can easily upset the dynamics of the team. Taking people on - based on personality profiling - with less experience, and training them, often produces the best results."
Offering good working conditions, including fair rotas, adequate time off, a variety of tasks, and time for training and development will help farmers to both recruit and retain the best staff, said the Andersons report. In addition, having clear protocols in place for all to follow will ensure consistency of cow and calf management, while taking health and safety seriously will benefit all in the workplace.
"Good communication is absolutely key - there's a common myth that you don't need regular meetings or reviews, but open, two-way dialogue will make the team feel valued and ensure you're all working to achieve the same things," says Mr Harris. "Farmers rarely sit down with their staff for a more formal review, and feedback may be avoided or poorly delivered. Having a positive, structured review can unveil deeper issues that need to be addressed, while providing the opportunity to deliver positive feedback and constructive criticism."
Dealing early with succession planning is another clear trend among the most successful farmers, according to the Andersons report. "People are the absolute backbone of this industry, but outdated attitudes and perceptions are holding it back," he adds. "Farmers themselves are the key to changing these perceptions and reversing the labour shortage they're facing. Just a few simple mindset changes can help to turn a poorly performing farm into a top-tier one."
www.real-success.co.uk.
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UK - AHDB wins Marketing Campaign of the Year for Eat Like a Lioness
AHDB's Eat Like a Lioness campaign won the Marketing Campaign of the YearAaward at the Trade Association Forum (TAF) awards last week. The campaign featured former England footballer Anita Asante and aimed to inspire young female athletes to reach their potential by including meat and dairy in their diet. Asante was transformed into a lioness by a specialist body artist for the striking images that accompanied the campaign, which highlighted the nutritional benefits of dairy and red meat including iron and vitamin B12.
Former England team nutritionist James Morehen also contributed his expertise, promoting the science of good nutrition to try and combat the incorrect and mixed messaging teenage girls often receive when it comes to food. Emily Wallace, Chief Executive of the Trade Association Forum and one of the head judges on the panel, said: "This campaign was a standout winner. The judges were impressed by both the creativity of the campaign and its impact - 52 pieces of media coverage reaching over 45 million people across all channels."
Domestic and International Marketing Director at AHDB Liam Byrne said: "We are thrilled to receive this award. I'd like to thank Anita and James, and the AHDB marketing team, for their hard work on getting this important message out. "The aim of the campaign was to educate teenage girls, coaches and parents about the role meat and dairy can play in a healthy, balanced diet. The campaign's success has been fantastic, and it's wonderful to get this recognition from the Trade Association Forum.'' The Eat like a Lioness campaign featured on BBC, TalkSport and Sky Sports News, and it generated 3.5 million impressions on social media.
Find out more about the Eat like a Lioness campaign
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Far East - Japan gives Staffordshire Cheese protected status
Staffordshire Cheese has been designated with protected status in Japan, along with a range of other British food and drink products.
Other products to be protected include Cornish Pasties and Anglesey Sea Salt, which will now be safeguarded against imitation in the East Asian country.
The government said businesses in the UK had welcomed the announcement. It is understood a second group of protections will be announced once further work has concluded.
A government spokesperson said: "Japan's population of 125 million has a strong appetite for international food and drink." They added: "Securing geographical indications for iconic British products such as Melton Mowbray Pork Pies, Welsh Beef and Staffordshire Cheese prevents counterfeit products being placed on the Japanese market, ensuring UK businesses can export with confidence and consumers receive authentic, high-quality products.
Food and farming minister Mark Spencer said the protection offered a "guarantee of quality" and an "assurance" to Japanese consumers over the goods they were buying. Alongside the new protections in Japan, the UK will also be protecting the geographical indications of several Japanese food and drink products, including Hokkaido wine and Hiba beef.
BBC
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Farmer takes on ironman triathlon in support of rural mental health
A young farmer is undertaking a challenging feat of endurance later this year to highlight mental health issues in agriculture - and to remind the farming community of a simple but powerful message: "You can push through".
On 30th June Tom York, a volunteer with The Farming Community Network (FCN) and a student at Harper Adams University, will compete in a gruelling 'Ultimate Triathlon.' The challenge, comprises a 2.4-mile open water swim, a 122-mile bike ride, and a 26.2-mile run, and takes place in Ellesmere, Shropshire - with athletes expected to take 10-18 hours to reach the finish line. As a volunteer with FCN, he sees first-hand the pressures farmers are facing, and in his role with the charity he can reach out to help them. Visit Facebook Instagram or Just Giving, where you can make a donation
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New smart fence protects livestock
Rutland Electric Fencing has launched the UK's first mobile app operated electric fence energiser. The ESD 12000 Smart Energiser can be operated from anywhere in the world, enabling users to monitor their fences in real time and be informed of any breaks in the line. "Notifications from the Smart Energiser to a user's mobile device can identify drops in power, battery problems and device errors. This enables users to act immediately to protect their livestock," says Rutland Product Specialist Hugh Burnham. Smart Energiser is the only device operated by a mobile app and has a direct link to the cloud so can be connected using any mobile device. "Crucially, it does not require a full mobile signal because it can operate using an LTE or NB-IoT connection," explains Burnham. Email: leah.farmer@kerbl.co.uk
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Farm Carbon Toolkit and The Royal Countryside Fund joining forces on new soils programme
Join The Royal Countryside Fund and Farm Carbon Toolkit on Tuesday 12th March at 7pm, for an evening webinar discussing the importance of testing soil and how an understanding of what is beneath our feet can help with farm resilience and productivity. Knowing how you can measure and monitor the health of your soils is a vital step in underpinning the future of your farming enterprise. Put your questions to Emma Adams from Farm Carbon Toolkit about how to make the most of your soil and save money in the process.
This webinar is part of The Royal Countryside Fund's new Savings in Soil programme. Sign up for the webinar at www.royalcountrysidefund.org.uk/events - if you would like the recording of the session, please register even if you can't attend and we will send it to you after the event.
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