Beef news and advice from the LLM Farm Vets team in Shropshire, Cheshire, Lancashire and Derbyshire.
In January my husband and I began farming in our own right, taking on my parent’s multi-coloured suckler herd of British Blue cross and Limousin cross cows. As ‘New Entrant’ farmers with a modest piggy bank, and being tight Yorkshire folk, every penny invested had to be carefully planned.
We’ve […]
Summer mastitis usually occurs between July and September, affecting dry cows and maiden heifers. Trueperella pyogenes is the primary causative agent, but infections are often mixed. It is transmitted by biting flies so conditions that promote their existence are risk factors for disease – humid and damp weather, just what […]
When selecting a sire for your cows there are many factors that can influence the appearance and performance of a bull so selecting “by eye” can be misleading. The only accurate way of assessing the genetic potential of an animal and what it can pass on to its youngstock is […]
Whilst grazing may not be applicable in all systems it is likely that most types of enterprise will graze some class of stock at some point in the season. For many sheep and beef farms, making the most of grazed grass is a key element to their success and it […]
As part of the Sustainable Farming Initiative set out by Defra, you will soon be able to register online for an Animal Health and Welfare Review. This review isn’t to replace health planning but can instead be used to focus on a specific area on farm that will boost livestock […]
Scours is the leading cause of losses of suckler calves less than three weeks of age. However, the cost of this condition extends beyond mortality. Affected calves have reduced growth rates which can lead to lower weaning weights, delayed weaning and increased feed costs. The cost of treatment can also […]
RUMA (responsible use of medicines in agriculture alliance) has just released a new report on antibiotic use in cattle, specifically looking at dairy trends and use by beef farm type in the UK. It gave some good insights so we thought it would be interesting to cover it.
The key […]
The TB advisory service (TBAS) has successfully received new funding to expand their service with vet-led on-farm biosecurity advice to help protect herds. From autumn, TBAS will be available to any farm in England which keeps livestock susceptible to TB, not just those in high risk and edge areas.
The […]
We have been shining the spotlight on lameness over the past few months, with our fab foot trimmer Chris and the creation of our LLM Feet First Service making a splash on farms and in previous newsletters (articles can be found on the LLM Website too!). However, these have strongly […]
You’ve probably heard vets or fellow farmers discussing trace elements before, but do you know what they actually are and more importantly do you know the status of your herd (or flock). Trace elements are minerals that are essential for normal health and function of animals in small quantities. The […]
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