Blog

It’s been a long, cold winter, and – more than ever – we’re looking forward to getting out and about with our horses this spring and summer. However, after a year like no other in 2020, many horse and rider combinations are facing bigger challenges than normal. Whether your aim is to return to competition, get back to that favourite fun ride, or simply enjoy hacking with friends again, our horses and ponies may find it a bigger step up than usual.

When it comes to managing worms in sheep, it is no longer acceptable to use anthelmintics routinely. While wormers have their place, they need to be preserved for use at the right time to stop the development of anthelmintic resistance.

In our previous blog 'How to Keep Your Birds Healthy through a Bird Flu Outbreak', we listed a number of ways in which you can keep your birds healthy during the Avian Influenza housing order. One area we recommended focusing on was flock enrichment, hens must be kept active in order to help reduce stress levels and avoid destructive and aggressive behaviour. 

Wet and mild conditions over the winter can lead to higher fly populations in the spring, which is why it is important for dairy farmers to act early to control the pest while the majority of the population are yet to hatch.

As we hit the midway point of ‘hen lockdown’ as a result of avian influenza, there are several things to consider and jobs to be done to keep hens happy and content, and ensure they are prepared for when pop holes can reopen.

Fertiliser prices have increased significantly since the beginning of 2021, particularly for Nitrogen and DAP/TSP, and this upward trend appears to be continuing into spring.

Top questions to ask yourself this March to maximise the potential of your maize crop. Have you carried out soil analysis to identify nutrient shortcomings that could hamper the crop’s performance?

With recent media and government focus on global issues such as climate change, deforestation, and sustainability, and in particular how the agricultural sector is contributing to these, we are continually reviewing how we can reduce our environmental impact through more sustainable practices.

As cold temperatures remain low, take a read at how Pneumonia impacts on the respiratory system of the calf and what can be done to prevent it.

Copper and Selenium/Vitamin E are important trace elements for cattle that have a big impact on performance. Deficiencies in these elements are often exaggerated by malnutrition, poor husbandry, and ineffective parasite control.