This month I want to highlight a useful prediction tool that has been made available on the SCOPS website: the blowfly forecast, writes Nerys Wright. After discussing the Nematodirus forecast last month, it feels timely to turn our attention to flystrike, particularly as parasites continue to change in response... Read more

A fresh study has highlighted the widespread orf problem on UK sheep farms, with new research highlighting gaps in disease control, treatment and veterinary input. Almost 89% of farmers surveyed by the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) identified orf lesions in their flocks. The findings suggest significant scope to improve... Read more

A bumper line-up of speakers has been confirmed for this month’s Pig and Poultry Fair, which takes place on 13-14 May at the NEC, Birmingham. Key issues addressed by speakers from across the supply chain will help to give producers the confidence to invest their businesses  – with a... Read more

Livestock throughput across England and Wales edged up in 2025, with total numbers increasing to 10.76 million total livestock head sold. Notably, total market turnover rose significantly to just over £3bn, up £554m year-on-year, and this has never previously exceeded £2.5bn, according to the latest figures from the Livestock... Read more

A new specialist machinery event focused on manure handling and nutrient management reflects a wider shift in UK farming towards tighter regulation and more efficient input use. Muck Management UK 2026 will bring together manufacturers, contractors and farmers at a time of increased scrutiny on slurry storage and application.... Read more

Variable weather patterns and waning maternal immunity could leave lambs exposed to clostridial diseases this spring. Experts are urging farmers to review vaccination protocols to protect youngstock – especially as immunity passed on through antibodies in their mother’s colostrum starts to fade after just a few weeks. “Once this... Read more

Ventilation and monitoring systems to combat heat stress in livestock are eligible for grants from the Farm Equipment and Technology Fund. High performing dairy cows in the UK can begin to experience heat stress at just 18°C, particularly in humid conditions, says animal welfare expert Chloe Rodriguez, from housing... Read more

After writing last month about what felt like endless rain, I’d hoped it might mark the start of some drier weather, writes Nerys Wright. We’ve still had plenty of wet days, but we have at least been treated to the odd spring like day. These increasingly erratic winters aren’t... Read more

A two-stage approach to weed control is essential to maximising maize yields, says a specialist crop adviser. ProCam agronomist Justin Smith says a pre-emergence application of pendimethalin followed by a two or three-way combination of post-emergence active ingredients can encourage exemplary crop performance. “As recently as less than a... Read more

A wet winter means management decisions on forage and herd health will be key to get more from grass this spring begins. Mild soil temperatures have kept grass growing but persistent rainfall continues to limit field access. It means many farms now carry heavy swards. But much grass lacks... Read more