Articles

As a placement student from Harper Adams, I am fortunate to go out on farm with specialists and disappear into the background despite my size!

Not long ago, dairy herd management relied mostly on stockmanship, a good eye, strong memory, and years of experience. That still counts, but technology is quietly transforming how decisions are made on farm.

Keeping laying hens healthy and productive is crucial for ensuring good egg quality and maintaining profitable flocks. Among the most effective natural options for supporting bird health are prebiotics and probiotics. These feed additives play a key role in promoting gut health, boosting nutrient uptake, and improving overall performance, all without the need for antibiotics.

With longer dry spells becoming a regular feature of the UK climate, (watch it rain now and not stop) we are having to rethink how to grow, manage and conserve forage.

With Kexxtone™ boluses no longer available, transition cow management is facing renewed scrutiny. For many, particularly those managing high-risk or high-yielding herds, the question is: how do we continue to support energy balance and rumen function in the final weeks before calving without relying on monensin?

When the temperature climbs, it’s not just us feeling the heat laying hens can really struggle too. Hot weather knocks their feed intake, stresses them out, and often hits egg production. With summers getting hotter and heatwaves now a regular feature, it’s worth getting ahead of the game. Here are six straightforward ways to help your birds stay healthy and productive through the warmer spells.

Applied nitrogen from fertiliser, slurry, FYM, biological fixation and purchased feed often exceeds what is actually utilised by crops. That gap, known as nitrogen use efficiency (NUE), is the key to understanding both lost value and environmental impact.

With recent discussions around dry cow management gaining momentum, it’s important to address the ongoing unavailability of Kexxtone and how this impacts transition cow strategies on farm.

April can be a testing time for free-range flocks. As temperatures start to rise and ventilation increases, many producers find themselves juggling air quality, dust levels, and immune challenges—all while trying to maintain strong egg output and shell quality. For systems where birds have outdoor access and a longer lay cycle, managing respiratory health at this stage of the year is critical.

Of all the trace minerals likely to spark interest at a dairy nutrition meeting, chromium probably wasn’t top of the list—until now.