Farmers are urged to ensure they abide by Farming Rules for Water when it comes to slurry storage this winter. It follows a clampdown by Environment Agency on inadequate slurry and manure storage, including convictions and fines relating to water pollution and the illegal disposal of organic waste. Silage,... Read more

New guidance on permitted methods of pig euthanasia is being added to Red Tractor farm assurance standards. Due to take effect on 1 February 2026, the new standards are being introduced to remove ambiguity by helping to clarify permitted methods of euthanasia. They were updated in close consultation with... Read more

The government must do more to prepare for a severe animal disease outbreak, MPs have warned. In a report on resilience to animal diseases such as bird flu, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) said that government would find responding to such outbreaks would be extremely stretching. Defra had worked... Read more

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