A rise in swine dysentery cases has triggered calls for better biosecurity on UK pig farms. Confirmed cases of swine dysentery have increased from just eight in 2021 to 54 in 2024 – with numbers rising year-on-year, according to the GB Pig Surveillance Dashboard, run by the Animal and... Read more

Mixed forage quality and variable ewe condition scores this year are putting extra pressure on sheep flocks ahead of lambing. Grass growth nationally was 20% lower than average from March to August. But significant regional variation depending on rainfall and soil type means forage quality has also varied greatly.... Read more

Beef and sheep farmers are being reminded to test for liver fluke throughout the season – rather than guessing whether to treat livestock. Treating too early fails to protect animals – especially following a later than usual start to the liver fluke season, say experts. This underlines the importance... Read more

As I write this, I’m about to swap my woolly jumper and autumn layers to attend – and present at – the International Sheep Veterinary Congress in Australia, writes Nerys Wright. It’s a real honour to be part of such a global gathering of sheep minds, and I’m hugely... Read more

Poultry producers could soon benefit from tracking wild birds when assessing the risk of avian influenza to their flocks. Livetec Systems is working to integrate data on wild bird movements into its Livestock Protect platform. It says this will help producers understand where cases of bird flu in wild... Read more

Winter silage shortages continue to be cause for concern, with beef and dairy farmers are being encouraged to prioritise forage budgets. Producers facing challenges with fodder quality are encouraged to feed their best quality forage to the animals who need it most in the months ahead following the dry... Read more

Alarming amounts of meat and dairy products illegally imported to Great Britain could cause a major disease outbreak, say MPs. The warning comes in a report by the cross-party Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee. Illegal meat imports carry a high risk of animal diseases that threaten food security,... Read more

Twelve new varieties have been added to the British Society of Plant Breeder’s 2026 Forage Maize Descriptive Lists. New entrants on the Favourable First Choice List for 2026 include KWS Zimo, KWS Reo, Amarola, Agrolino and KWS Portabello from KWS; SU Addition from Bayer and LG31206, Harmony and LG31152,... Read more

The impact of this year’s unusually dry weather is increasingly clear – particularly for producers trying to get ewes into optimal body condition for tupping, says Nerys Wright. While rainfall has been highly variable across the UK, some areas have been hit harder than others, with many parts of... Read more