While in attendance at the Sommet de l’Élevage agricultural show which took place in France earlier this month, Agriland met a French-based machinery importer who is sourcing slurry systems built in Co. Armagh.

Luc Jeannerot is the boss of the French machinery importer Agro Jeannerot which is based near Switzerland in a region known as Franche-Comté.

He explained he first saw the slurry-systems which are built in Co. Armagh at the National Ploughing Championships and saw an opportunity for the machinery in the French market.

Speaking to Agriland, Luc said: “I buy SlurryKat equipment and sell it to French dealers. We then go out to the farm to set up the machines along with the farmer.”

He explained that the umbilical slurry-spreading system in France was “not that popular” but noted that biogas companies in France have growing volumes of slurry to spread and said “the umbilical system is the best way to increase output”.

“I first discovered SlurryKat at the National Ploughing Championships in Ireland. I said ‘this is something we need to introduce in France’.”

He said that most slurry is spread by tankers in France due to fields being “dispersed” but believes that with growing farm sizes and expanding biogas companies, the umbilical systems will be more common in the future.

Also at the stand was the SlurryKat European sales manager, Niall O’Neill who said the product is gaining traction in the French market now because of “forward vision”.

He explained that from 2025 onwards, the spreading of slurry with splash-plates will be phased out in France and the future of the slurry-system market in France will be for low emission slurry spreading (LESS).

Luc said the umbilical LESS systems can handle “big volumes of slurry” with trucks bringing slurry to the field and an umbilical system spreading in the field.

Niall said that machinery cooperatives known as CUMAs have a strong influence and that the company has been working to raise awareness of its range in these cooperatives.

SlurryKat is based outside Portadown in Co. Armagh and Luc said that machinery produced on the island of Ireland is associated with being “heavy duty” in the French market due to the tough conditions in Ireland.

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The consultation was on Northern Ireland’s 2030 and 2040 emissions reduction targets and the first three carbon budgets.

The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) is seeking views on the advice of the CCC – which includes reducing dairy cattle numbers by 22%, beef cattle numbers by 17% and sheep, pigs and poultry numbers by 18%.

UFU president David Brown said that, while the union recognises that action is needed, that it “cannot support” any proposals to achieve net zero that will impact Northern Ireland’s food security and suppress the livestock industry.

“Cutting livestock numbers is not going to change consumer demand for dairy and meat. It will result in products produced to lower standards being imported to replace what we can no longer produce,” he said.

“If this happens, we wouldn’t be playing our part in tackling climate change, we would be passing the buck.

“We would be putting countries that have higher emissions from food production and are working to feed a growing global population, under pressure to produce more food.”

Sustainable food production

Brown said it is vital that a balance is found between sustainable food production in Northern Ireland and climate action.

“It’s critical that a balance is found between sustainable food production in NI which is the backbone of rural communities, and climate action to prevent carbon leakage,” he said.

“Especially when NI dairy farming has reduced its carbon intensity by 34% since 1990 and greenhouse gases from UK beef are about half the global average.

“Government needs to step outside their bubble and wake up to the social and economic impact their net zero targets in NI will create at home and abroad.”

Brown said the union is largely in support of DAERA’s alternative suggestion for reducing emissions from agriculture based on the policies and proposals within the Future Agricultural Policy Programme.

“This remains a very tough challenge for the industry, but we will continue to combat climate change,” he said.

“Agriculture is one of few sectors in NI that has policy ready, and a budget allocated to continue delivering climate action in line with the first carbon budget.

“It’s vital that policy supports us to do the same without supressing local farming.”

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BVA president Anna Judson spoke at the BVA’s 2023 annual Northern Ireland dinner in Stormont yesterday (Wednesday, October 18) and warned attendees that Northern Ireland could lose access to 51% of vet medicines due to the Northern Ireland Protocol.

Judson raised concerns about the serious risk posed to public health and animal welfare if a permanent and sustainable solution is not found to ensure continued access to veterinary medicines in Northern Ireland beyond 2025.

“It is absolutely vital that high standards of animal welfare and public health is protected,” she said.

“Finding a permanent solution must be a top priority ahead of the grace period expiration in 2025 to protect animal welfare and protect public health.”

Judson praised BVANI’s work in securing the three-year grace period for veterinary medicine access, meaning that they continued as normal under existing regulations until 2025.

Animal health and veterinary education

Judson also stressed the importance of sufficient funding into animal health and biosecurity.

“Investment in animal health and biosecurity is also an investment in human and environmental health, and it contributes to the efficiency and sustainability of our food production systems and agricultural sector as a whole. It is vital that sufficient funding is allocated,” she said.

Judson said there is a great need for more accessible veterinary education in Northern Ireland, being the only part of the UK without a dedicated vet school.

She said this means that potential Northern Ireland students move away to study and that many do not return after qualifying.

“Tackling issues like this is very close to my heart: One way to do this is through the provision of inclusive veterinary education which helps to break down the economic, social and geographic barriers which may prevent students from entering the profession” she said.

“There is also the need to address the ongoing workforce shortage and the provision of local veterinary education could play a key role in this.”

Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966

Judson also spoke about the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966, stating that it is no longer fit for purpose and fails to recognise roles such as veterinary nurses and vet techs.

She called for support as BVA continues to lobby the UK government for legislative reform of the Veterinary Surgeons Act to bring about “much needed” UK-wide change.

“Veterinary nurses in my practice were highly qualified, experienced and important members of my team, and I find it incredible that this title isn’t protected, and anyone can call themselves a vet nurse. This must be rectified,” Judson said.

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Members of the Northern Ireland Public Service Alliance (NIPSA) are set to strike for five days, from October 30 until November 3, disrupting Northern Ireland’s ports and abattoirs.

DAERA warned that if the strike action proceeds as has been indicated, that there may be disruption to the flow of goods through the department’s sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) inspection facilities at Belfast Harbour, Larne Port, Warrenpoint and potentially the airports.

A spokesperson for DAERA said that, while the department has not been formally notified of strike action, that it expects to receive formal notification on the strike this week from NIPSA.

“If strike action proceeds as has been indicated, there will be significant disruption for meat processing establishments, which may present issues in relation to animal health and welfare, public health and continuity of the food supply chain,” the spokesperson said.

“DAERA is taking all steps open to it to mitigate these issues and maintain its essential statutory obligations and is working with its stakeholders, industry, and other partners to explore how the impacts might be alleviated.

“It will also continue to ensure all avenues are explored with trade union colleagues regarding any mitigations that can be put in place to alleviate disruption as far as possible.”

‘Meaningful pay’

NIPSA members working across the veterinary service in DAERA said they will protest the decision to impose a derisory pay award of £552 to all civil servants in Northern Ireland for 2022/2023.

The DAERA spokesperson said: “The department fully respects the rights of colleagues to take industrial action and regrets sincerely that the budget situation that civil servants are trying their best to manage, has meant that it has not been possible to provide a meaningful pay award for NI civil service staff.

“The department very much hopes that a resolution to the current position on NI civil service pay can be found as soon as possible.”

NIPSA members working in ports are set to walk out at midnight on Monday, October 30, and will then be joined by hundreds of members across the Veterinary Service Animal Health Group (VSAHG).

NIPSA’s general secretary, Carmel Gates, said: “Our members are fed up with derisory pay awards.

“They see their counterparts elsewhere on these islands receive significantly better pay and are no longer prepared to suffer in silence.

“They have been subjected to a sanctions budget which is intended to punish politicians.  Unfortunately, it is workers and public services that are being harmed.”

The post NIPSA strike could disrupt flow of goods into NI – DAERA appeared first on Agriland.co.uk.

UFU president David Brown said Red Tractor’s greener farms commitment (GFC) should not have been developed and given the green light with the union’s scrutiny.

Brown said the measures of GFC, to be available to the supply chain from April 1, 2024, are already covered within Northern Ireland, or will be under new government policies.

“The UFU has long supported the Red Tractor Assurance Scheme as it is vital to allow our members to compete in the marketplaces in which they operate,” Brown said.

“Nonetheless, for the past 18 months, we have been robustly challenging the governance behind the development of this environment module.

“The UFU has not been involved with the development of this bolt-on module despite UFU representatives sitting on the advisory and sector boards.”

‘Unnecessary duplication’

Brown said, because most of the measures of the environment module are already covered in Northern Ireland, that introducing it to the Red Tractor Scheme will “create unnecessary duplication” which, he said, is unacceptable.

“From a farmer’s viewpoint, we are keen to move towards a more sustainable approach,” he said.

“The environment module is being publicised as a voluntary measure, but usually these ‘voluntary measures’ inevitably become an industry standard.

“It is only a matter of time until everyone will be required to adhere to it which would not be good for our members.”

Red Tractor

Red Tractor is a food and farm assurance scheme aimed at developing standards based on science and legislation that cover animal welfare, food safety and environmental protection.

Around 50,000 UK farmers are accredited to Red Tractor standards – which form the basis of buying and sourcing food for supermarkets and brands.

Red Tractor said the GFC module has been in the works since 2020.

“Red Tractor’s greener farms commitment is designed as a voluntary addition which will operate very differently from its typical core standards,” it said.

“It enables farmers to make commitments and track their own progress across five key areas for environmentally focused farming: carbon foot printing; soil management; nutrient management; waste management; and biodiversity.

“It will recognise other schemes or programmes such as the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) and other devolved government schemes, reducing the cost and complexity, and making it as easy as possible for farmers to complete.”

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The independent charity made a submission to a consultation from the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) on Northern Ireland’s emissions reduction targets.

A 48% emissions reduction by 2030 and a 77% reduction by 2040 are considered by DAERA as required under the act, based on advice by the Climate Change Committee.

Agriculture is “uniquely placed” to capture the major greenhouse gas (GHG) carbon dioxide (CO2) from the air and turn it into a wide range of food, fibres and fuels, Prof. Boyle said and added:

“Local farmers can and must be part of the climate change solution and with the right policy framework and support farmers can rise to the climate and food production challenges.”

In its submission AgriSearch highlighted the need for a balanced and scientific approach, and that DAERA needs to consider the consequences of its intended policy actions.

This includes ensuring the economic and social sustainability of farm businesses, the wider agri-food sector, and the rural economy in addition to the consideration of environmental issues.

Emissions reduction targets

AgriSearch said it is “exceptionally difficult” to assess the realism of the proposed reduction targets without an analysis of the technical measures to achieve these targets, which is yet to be published.

The government is obliged to treat sectors such as agriculture, land use, land-use change and forestry (LULUCF), energy, transport, and waste separately for purposes of the GHG inventory, he said.

However, farmers as land users operate across three sectors – agriculture, LULUCF and energy – and it makes “no sense” to segment their activities as it is required, according to the chair.

He said it is important that credits for above and below-ground carbon sequestration can be applied to agricultural emissions which, as a biological system, “can never reach net zero”.

In its submission AgriSearch also highlighted the need for further investment in science, including social science, as farmers will be asked to make “significant changes” to their businesses.

Calculation

Prof. Boyle said that one of the main metrics used in the national GHG inventory, GWP100 is “flawed” as it does not fully consider the shorter-term impacts of methane in the atmosphere.

This, he said, leads to an “overestimation” of methane’s contribution to global warming patterns, and thus DAERA should apply GWP* which considers the shorter lifespan of methane.

“Alternatively, DAERA should consider the adoption of a twin-gas approach and establish a lower target for methane relative to other GHGs,” according to AgriSearch.

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Stewart McGladdery with an address at Grovehill Road, Ballinaskeagh, Banbridge, Co. Down was convicted of two charges of moving the animals at a sitting of Newry Court yesterday (Monday, October 16).

The 33-year-old pleaded guilty and was fined £500, plus a £15 offender levy.

The case arose following the discovery by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) that McGladdery had moved 42 cattle into his herd in breach of TB restrictions which prohibited the purchase of animals into his herd due to a severe TB breakdown.

Under Article 6 (2) of the Tuberculosis Control Order 1999 a veterinary inspector has the power to serve a notice on the keeper of an affected animal or herd prohibiting the movement of animals into the herd or onto the holding.

McGladdery breached the conditions of this notice by moving animals into his herd whilst under restriction.

“Whilst the majority of herd keepers fully comply with the requirements of the bovine TB eradication scheme, it is vital all infected animals are identified, isolated and removed at the earliest opportunity to minimise risk to other stock in the infected herd and in neighbouring herds.

“Current disease levels continue to remain high, at a considerable cost to the public purse and to individual herd keepers, so it is vital that all stakeholders work together to reduce the disease prevalence,” a DAERA spokesperson said.

TB

Elsewhere, a farmer from Dungannon, Co. Tyrone was recently convicted for failing to present all animals for tuberculosis (TB) testing.

Ian Stanley Boyd (56) of Pomeroy Road, Dungannon, pleaded guilty to the charges brought against him at Dungannon Court yesterday (Monday, October 9).

He was fined £1,500 plus a £15 offender levy.

The case arose following Boyd’s refusal to present his animals for TB testing when requested.

This is in contravention of Article 3(2)(b) of the Tuberculosis (Examination and Testing) Scheme Order (Northern Ireland) 1999, contrary to Article 52(1) of the Diseases of Animals (Northern Ireland) Order 1981.

Animal testing of all herds in Northern Ireland for TB is mandatory.

The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) has said that the control of bovine TB is dependent on identifying reactor animals at these tests.

Failure to present animals for tests, it said, undermines efforts by both farmers and the department to reduce the incidence of the disease.

The post Farmer convicted of moving cattle into TB restricted herd appeared first on Agriland.co.uk.

Located within the site of the existing business, the new plant will provide 60% of the company’s annual electricity requirements.

Wilson’s Country managing director, Lewis Cunningham, commented: “The potato waste from the business will be used as the main feedstock for the AD operation.

“It has taken two years to get the project through near to completion. The last piece in the jigsaw puzzle was the establishment of an interconnector between the AD plant and the national grid.

“The new system is being gradually brought on-line over the next number of weeks. It will reach full operational capacity by the end of November,” he added.

Anaerobic digestion

The management team at Wilson’s Country has confirmed the key role of the new AD operation in helping to bring down the carbon footprint of the overall business.

Company CEO, Angus Wilson said: “We have been using certified ‘green electricity’ only within our entire operation for the past couple of years.

“This step, alone, has allowed us to reduce the carbon intensity of the company by 75%.

“Being able to generate a significant proportion of our green electricity on-site allows us to reduce our overall energy bill while, also making more efficient use of the waste streams produced within the business.

“It all adds to the sustainability of Wilson’s Country into the future,” he added.

AD is the conversion of organic feedstock by microorganisms in the absence of oxygen into biogas and digestate.

The biogas which is produced can be used to generate electricity and heat.

“We have a large electricity requirement on site. This is needed to power our controlled temperature potato stores, processing and potato packing operations,” Wilson continued.

“Given the nature of our business, the actual amounts of electricity that we need can vary a lot throughout the year.

“However, there will also be occasions when there will be surplus electricity generated on site, which can be exported to the grid.”

A proportion of the waste heat produced will be used to maintain the operational temperature of the AD operation itself.

“We are also looking at options which will allow us make best use of the residual heat from the AD process that will be available to us,” Wilson said.

“We are committed to securing a carbon ‘net zero’ position for the business over the coming years. The investment in the new AD plant is a critically important step in this process.”

The post Potato processer commits £2m towards anaerobic digestion plant appeared first on Agriland.co.uk.

The union’s advice follows calls for farmers to be vigilant for signs of bluetongue virus (BTV-3) as reports of a new strain in the Netherlands emerged.

The World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) confirmed the presence of BT-3 at four sheep farms in the Netherlands last month – the country’s first outbreak since 2009. The route of BTV-3 incursion into the Netherlands is currently unknown.

The UK’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has since confirmed that as of September 29, 416 outbreaks of BTV-3 have been reported by the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality.

Bluetongue has also been confirmed in neighbouring Belgium this month, however the strain has yet to be named. BTV-8 has also been confirmed in France.

The UFU said farmers must be aware of current risks to help safeguard Northern Ireland’s livestock industry.

UFU deputy president John McLenaghan said: “In recent weeks a number of diseases are said to be circulating across Europe.

“A new strain of bluetongue was initially detected in Holland but has now spread into Belgium, and epizootic haemorrhagic disease has been detected in Southern France, having spread from Spain and Portugal.

“Whilst imports from Holland and Belgium are no longer possible as export conditions cannot be met due to the diseases circulating, local farmers need to be aware that animals originating from neighbouring jurisdictions could carry a significant risk.”

Should farmers buy livestock in Europe, McLenaghan said they need to be “extremely cautious” and report any possible signs of disease immediately.

“Farmers must also bear in mind that should their imported animals be infected by bluetongue or epizootic haemorrhagic disease, there is no compensation for animals that must be removed from the farm,” he said.

“This stresses the importance of protecting the herd and the farm business.”

BTV-3 symptoms

Symptoms of BTV-3 can vary across ruminants, with sheep generally exhibiting more overt symptoms than cattle, but both can showcase clinical signs.

Symptoms in sheep include:

• Drooling;
• Mouth lesions;
• High fever;
• Lameness;
• Oedema (swollen heads);
• Sudden death.

Cattle are not usually as severely affected but may show similar clinical signs as well as teat, eye, coronary band and nose lesions.

The post UFU urges bluetongue vigilance as cases rise in Europe appeared first on Agriland.co.uk.

Sugden cited recent statistics from the Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) which revealed that, in 2022, farmers made 7p for every two litres of milk they produced, whereas this year it is costing them 13p to produce the same amount.

“These figures simply do not add up and mean that many farmers are not even making enough to cover production costs, let alone make any profit,” Sugden said.

“No business can survive those kind of economics.

“With retail prices continuing to increase and production costs decreasing since 2022 you would expect farmers to be making more, not less.”

Sugden added that “something in the milk supply chain has gone very wrong” and needs to be remedied as soon as possible.

“Dairy farmers need to make profit, like any business,” she said.

“Given the majority of farms in Northern Ireland are smaller family-run farms, this means paying bills and the everyday costs of living.

“They are already being hit hard by high interest rates. If these financial pressures aren’t resolved soon then it simply won’t pay to be in dairy farming – one of Northern Ireland’s biggest industries.”

UFU

The UFU has said returns for dairy farmers for milk in Northern Ireland are inadequate and that they are “getting shafted” on prices.

According to the union, returns for milk are down 40% compared to this time last year and the majority of dairy farmers are not earning enough to cover production costs.

As well as this, UFU dairy chair Kenny Hawkes said he believes profits are being made further up the supply chain.

“Our food producers are getting shafted while others in the dairy chain are clearly making money,” he said.

“For more than six months now, nearly 20p/L has been taken from milk prices in Northern Ireland and things are not getting any better.”

Hawkes said the largest proportion of Northern Ireland’s dairy farmers are not receiving enough to cover the cost of production “let alone have any profit left over to support a home and family.”

He said it is not sustainable for farmers, especially when input prices remain higher than average.

“It’s utterly disheartening to once again, have to call out the failing dynamics within our food supply system.

“If this continues, dairy farmers will be put out of business which will have serious implications for the agri-food industry and our consumers.”

The post No dairy business can ‘survive’ current milk prices – Sugden appeared first on Agriland.co.uk.

The calves were reported stolen on September 30, from a field in the Cregg Road area of Claudy, Co. Derry.

The PSNI said the calves are believed to have been taken sometime between Sunday, September 24, and the time of the report, which was around 2:45p.m on Saturday, September 30.

The force said enquiries into the theft are ongoing and urged anyone with information, including dashcam or other footage, to contact it on 101 quoting reference 1014 30/9/23.

Livestock theft

In August, a rural crime report from the insurance branch of the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) revealed that livestock theft had risen by 8.7% across the UK in 2022.

The NFU report revealed that the overall cost of rural crime in Northern Ireland had increased by 51% on the year before, rising to £2.5 million.

Following the release of NFU Mutual’s rural crime report, the Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) president William Irvine said the results were disappointing, but not surprising.

“While it does not come as a surprise, it is very disappointing to learn that the cost of rural crime has increased in Northern Ireland,” he said.

“What is particularly concerning is the stark increase of 51% in the cost of crime in Northern Ireland compared to the rest of the UK which has seen a 22% increase,” Irvine said.

“At the root of the crimes that did occur are farming families who have suffered financially and emotionally because of a criminal intrusion on their farm.”

Irvine said the cost-of-living crisis and delay in replacing equipment is “making it even harder for farm families to recover” from theft incidents.

“Criminals are active in our community and we as farmers need to be vigilant and take the security of our businesses and homes seriously to deter criminals,” he said.

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Canavan spoke at the recent Irish Rural Link (IRL) conference, which looked at the challenges facing rural communities, in terms of energy, food and transport costs, along with what supports are needed.

“In terms of the cost of living crisis, it’s the same in the north and south, but in Northern Ireland we have no government at the minute, so that’s creating a whole different challenge in terms of accessing grants and supports,” Canavan said.

“There’s nobody there to take some initiative that would support communities right now,” she added.

Hannah Boylan from the Vincentian Minimum Essentials Budget for Ireland (MESL) Research Centre highlighted findings of the centre’s recent study at the conference, which showed a “stark deepening of income inadequacy” for rural Ireland.

The MESL research, which is published annually, breaks down expenditure areas based on a list of what researchers consider “needs”, covering everything from socks to Wi-Fi.

The study showed that food prices increased by 20.8% in the year to March 2023. Boylan stated that staples such as milk, bread and butter in particular showed a “significant increase”.

Canavan said that an “all-island approach” is needed to help Northern Ireland with increased cost of living.

She said she wants to see “better cooperation” between the north and south of Ireland to deal with the “inadequacy” described in the report.

“We can learn from each other, there’s definitely things that we can take away and implement in our own communities,” Canavan said.

“We don’t want to reinvent the wheel, but see if the existing wheel can be improved. It could be the first building block for what will become a strong foundation,” Canavan added.

She said that Rural Action is making sure that local communities are heard and that local voices are involved in decision making.

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The resilience project also aims to raise awareness among farmers of not only climate risks, but also business opportunities for farmers in Northern Ireland.

Adaption techniques include avoiding over tillage of seedbeds to protect topsoil and assessment of soil PH.

For adaption in hot weather conditions, it is recommended to provide enough ventilation in livestock housing,

Adapting management practices is also important to benefit from long growing seasons and warming temperatures, different sowing/harvesting dates, crop diversification and rotation are also recommended for adaption in farms.

As there is often a loss of biodiversity, it is recommended to introduce new species better suited to future climate conditions and which is more resilient to pests and diseases.

Agriculture in NI

One of Northern Ireland’s most important industries is agriculture. Over 26,000 active businesses, such as small farms, use 75% of the land in Northern Ireland.

According to NIEL, climate change is already being seen and experienced first hand amongst the agriculture sector.

The group has said that there are a number of key threats from climate change on the industry, emphasising that it is important for farm businesses to be able to adapt to the consequences of climate change.

These include droughts and incidences of new pests and diseases, increased flooding, loss of biodiversity which leads to poor animal health and affects crop health; this can lead to financial loss from poor food production.

Northern Ireland is expected to have “increased intensity in extreme weather events, wetter winters and hotter drier summers”.

The Rural Resilience Project puts a lot of focus on reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions i.e., climate mitigation, but the project also acknowledges that climate adaption is just as important so that farm businesses can “actively prepare”.

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DWI is responsible for regulating drinking water quality, and today (Tuesday, October 3) published its Annual Report for 2022.

Welcoming publication of the report, chief executive of the Northern Ireland Environment Agency, Paul Donnelly said: “The report demonstrates that the quality of our drinking water remains high which is vital for the protection of public health.

“It is also important for the hospitality sector, farming and the economy.”

Drinking water quality

Northern Ireland Water Ltd. (NI Water) is required to undertake a stringent monitoring programme to verify that the tap water it supplies to consumers meets all the quality standards set by the drinking water regulations.

During 2022, almost 100,000 tests were completed. As outlined in the DWI report, the overall compliance for the mains water supply in 2022 was 99.91%.

The results are based on samples taken from water treatment works, service reservoirs and consumers’ taps.

The Omicron variant of Covid-19 had a small impact on the monitoring of the quality of supplies across Northern Ireland in the first three months of 2022.

However, the full regulatory monitoring programme of public water supplies returned in March 2022. Private water supplies monitoring was completed for 99.77% of scheduled parameters in 2022.

“The Drinking Water Inspectorate has an important role to play in providing the Northern Ireland public with an independent assurance that their water supply is safe and clean,” Donnelly continued.

“When required, DWI has carried out enforcement to ensure safe, clean drinking water is sustained.”

Investment

The Northern Ireland Environment Agency has said that it is important that NI Water manages risks within the water supply system and that this should be supported by an appropriately funded investment programme.

In the current financial climate, the agency said that it is important that NI Water receive appropriate funding to ensure drinking water quality is maintained in the future.

A small percentage of water is also supplied from private water supplies in Northern Ireland.

A number of these supplies serve public buildings, such as hospitals and health care premises, universities, and businesses such as food manufacturers, hotels and restaurants.

Extensive monitoring is undertaken of registered private water supplies by the DWI (in conjunction with local councils), with almost 12,000 tests conducted in 2022.

The report published today indicates that the overall compliance figure of 99.02% at private water supplies is slightly lower than that reported for the public water supply.

Donnelly added: “Moving forward, continued improvement in drinking water quality in Northern Ireland remains a priority for the department.

“DWI continues to use its influence with NI Water and the owners and users of private water supplies to improve drinking water quality regardless of where it comes from.

“The need to secure the provision of a resilient public water supply into the future as well as the need to achieve net zero is driving the need for more innovative, lower carbon treatment solutions to be identified by NI Water,” he concluded.

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Killyfaddy Farms Ltd., was convicted and fined £300 plus £15 offender levy for one charge of transporting an animal which was not fit for the journey.

This is contrary to Regulation 5(1)(a) of the Welfare of Animals (Transport) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006 and Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2005.

Court case

The case arose when a Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) official veterinarian at an abattoir examined an animal presented for slaughter.

The cow had a large swollen left fetlock joint with swelling extending down the hoof. The cow was hesitant to move and when she did was unsteady on her feet.

The vet stated that, in her opinion, the animal was suffering from a longstanding condition which, given the inability to balance properly or place her foot directly on the ground, meant that this animal was caused unnecessary suffering by transporting her.

DAERA said it gives high priority to the welfare of animals and operates a vigorous enforcement policy to ensure full compliance of regulatory requirements.

Any breaches are investigated thoroughly and offenders prosecuted as necessary, it said.

Northern Ireland animal welfare legislation also requires that animals must be fit to travel and must be cared for if they fall ill or are injured during transport.

The animals must be accompanied by competent persons and must be transported to their destinations without undue delay.

All those who have animals in their care either on farm, in transit or at slaughter have a duty of care to look after the animals’ welfare.

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The scheme is part of the Windsor Framework which was agreed in February this year between the UK and the EU to restore the smooth flow of trade within the UK internal market.

“Not for EU” product labels are now required on all prepacked meat products and some dairy products, including pasteurised milk, entering Northern Ireland from Great Britain.

Moving through the “green lane” into Northern Ireland, new labelling requirements ensure that goods are not moved onwards into the Republic of Ireland and therefore enter the EU.

Under the scheme, which came into effect on October 1, businesses will no longer need to complete multiple export health certificates or put an EU address on individual products.

‘Not for EU’ labels

These new labelling requirements under the Northern Ireland Retail Movement Scheme will be brought in through three phases from October 2023 to July 2025.

However, food products that were moved into Northern Ireland before October 1, 2023, will not need to be individually labelled until October 31, 2023, the UK government said.

Under the scheme there will be a significant reduction in the level of visual identifications checks, starting at 10% in October 2023, reduced to 8% in October 2024, and 5% in July 2025.

There will also not be any set physical check levels on goods moved under the scheme. Any physical checks will be based solely on risk assessments conducted by UK authorities.

Movements which do not qualify under the scheme will move through the “red lane” and are subject to full checks and controls and full customs procedures for movement into the EU.

From October 1, 2024, all milk and dairy products, and from July 1, 2025, composite products, fruit, vegetables and fish moving to Northern Ireland will need to be individually labelled.

Qualifying traders and businesses can now register for the Northern Ireland Retail Movement Scheme, or conclude pre-registered applications on the UK government website.

The new scheme, according to the UK government, will ensure that consumers and businesses in Northern Ireland will have access to the same goods as the rest of the UK.

The post ‘Not for EU’ labels for meat and dairy now in place for NI appeared first on Agriland.co.uk.

The new entrant into milk imported 80 ProCROSS in-calf heifers from Denmark in three batches. 

The first animals were milked by a Lely A5 robot at the beginning of 2023. There are 67 calved heifers in the milking group at the present time.

A number of the heifers brought in from Denmark will be calving down for the second time over the coming weeks.

ProCROSS breeding

The ProCROSS has its origins in the US 25 years ago. The cow type represents the result of a protracted breeding programme undertaken in that country under the aegis of Viking Genetics.

It brings together three breeds: Holstein, Montbéliarde and Viking Red.

This specific breed mix delivers for milk producers from a number of perspectives: Sustainable milk yields, milk quality, longevity and fertility.

But by far the most significant benefit of ProCROSS cows is that of enhanced feed efficiency across a wide number of dietary options.

Viking Genetics’ Sven Johnsson spoke at the event and confirmed that ProCROSS cows can deliver up to a 33% improvement in lifetime profitability, relative to all other cow types.

“These results were confirmed courtesy of a 3,500-cow trial, carried out in Minnesota 10 years ago,” he said.

“Dairy farmers want to make money from their cows. Maximising feed efficiency is the way to achieve this. The US trial work has confirmed that ProCROSS stock can achieve this objective across a wide range of diets.

“ProCROSS cow numbers have increased significantly in a number of countries across Europe over the past number of years.”

Significantly, Johnsson indicated that the cows are able to make maximum use of forages.

“This makes them very suited to the grazed grass and grass silage – based systems that predominate in Ireland,” he said.

The Kelly farm

Des Kelly explained that two fundamentally important decisions were made when the initial decision to get into milk production was made.

The first was to commit to an established cross-breeding programme, where the cows are concerned: the other was to invest in a robotic milking system.

“I am happy to confirm that both decisions were the correct ones to take,” he said.

At the heart of the ProCROSS breeding programme is the sequential use of Holstein, Montbéliarde and Danish Red genetics.

“All the animals were imported from Denmark as in-calf heifers in three batches,” Kelly said.

“The breeding history of each animal was confirmed, going back over a number of generations.

“As a result, the position of each in the ProCROSS breeding cycle can be clearly identified.

“This allows me to select the specific breed of sire to be used on each animal in order to maintain the full impact of ProCROSS programme across the next and future generations of cows on the farm.”

The animals currently on the robot are averaging 32.3L/day at 4.27% butterfat and 3.35% protein.

The open day was jointly hosted by Ai Services (Northern Ireland) Ltd.

“There is a growing demand for medium-sized cross bred cows that will deliver significant volumes of high quality milk over a long number of lactations,” company breeding manager, Ivan Minford, said.

“The ProCROSS option meets this requirement in a more than meaningful way.”

Lely’s Tommy Johnston, who was also present at the event, highlighted the exceptional milk speed being recorded by ProCROSS animals within the herd, recording an average milking speed of 3kg/min.

“The average figure for Northern Ireland is 2.5kg. This faster milking speed is the reason why a single robot can cope with 65 plus cows within the same group,” Johnston said.

The post Tyrone dairy farmer displays ProCROSS breeding results appeared first on Agriland.co.uk.

Glastry Farm is a specialised dairy farm which extends to 247ac owned, as well as a further 190ac leased at Kircubbin, on the Ards Peninsula of Co. Down.   

The farming enterprise is run by Gareth and Liz Taylor, the sixth generation of Taylors on this farm, dates back to 1856 and was originally 58ac.

The seventh generation, Amy, Isla and Tom take an interest in the farming activities but are at this point, of school age.

Will Taylor is the fifth generation. He takes care of the Glastry Farm ice cream side of the business, having diversified in 2004. He says things are going well, but that a lot of effort goes into that.

“We have a rainfall of 28-30in (850mm) year-on-year with all grass/clover leys, 45ac of forage maize and 15-20ac of winter wheat,” he said.

“This is the base ration for our pedigree dairy herd and ensures that there is a reseeding policy built into the system.

“The 300-cow pedigree dairy herd is the engine that drives the farm, it has been self-contained for a generation.

“The only outside purchase is an Aberdeen Angus bull every third/fourth year as a heifer ‘sweeper bull’ with an exemplary health background,” he added.

“This is mostly because the region has 18% of herds under TB restrictions with all the associated cashflow implications plus the possible loss of a lifetime of breeding endeavour.”

Genetics and yield at Glastry Farm

The current herd genetic gain in the black and white breed is rapid over the past decade and more so at Glastry, where the milk recording, according to the National Milk Records (NMR) report for August 12, 2023, showed the rolling average milk yield was 10,632kg.

Perhaps more significantly, the rolling average for fat is quite spectacular in that it is 4.72% fat and 3.41% protein.

“That would be very much ahead of the pack in terms of the Northern Ireland or Irish average in terms of both volume and in terms of components,” he added.

So, how does that come about?

“We have almost 80% of the herd in excellent (EX) or very good (VG) status and genomic data on the females, as well as sires that are being used, to improve rapidly our genetic gain and herd performance,” Will continued.

“There is a very clear relationship between the genetic potential of the herd and the efficient use of inputs, particularly, feed.

“We need to bring super management allied with superb nutrition to these high-performance animals to benefit from their genetic potential 365 days a year. Would the Red Bull team fill an F1 racing car with paraffin to cheapen the running costs in a Grand Prix race?

“Yet, we continually do that in times of drought, poor grass availability, wet or monsoon periods and adverse conditions, yet we don’t react quickly and lose productivity as a result.”

The Taylors feel they have addressed the ‘ethical timebomb’ of dairy farming in Ireland by using sexed semen on the quartile of the herd with most genetic potential, so only pure black and white heifer calves are born on farm.

The rest of the herd are inseminated with Aberdeen Angus semen. The resulting calves are moved directly at six weeks to the ABP Angus rearing scheme on an approved farm.

Environment

Will Taylor said that the environment is also an important concern in how they farm.

“We take our environmental obligations seriously, as dairy farming is in the spotlight in terms of pollution of our lakes and waterways, with increasing legislation heading our way and derogations of what we do and how we conform becoming more stringent,” he said.

“We are part of the first tranche of farms that have been part of the Soil Nutrient Management Scheme in Co. Down.

“All our fields have been sampled and readings for lime requirements, phosphorous, potassium and sulphur for the expected crops for the next three years tabulated.”

“This exercise has saved us several thousand euro already in year one, and in a period of high fertiliser prices, science has overcome the blanket excess of nutrients being applied,” he added.

Will explained that they have completed a carbon audit of the farm.

“Our bottom line result for 2023 is 1.23kg/L of milk produced, which is a barometer of input efficiency on this dairy farm,” he said.

Brexit

Will said there has not been much impact on their farm from Brexit.

“In terms of the farm, the impact has been minimal. Inputs have obviously increased dramatically in particular because of the Ukraine war; the price of fertiliser and feed have risen dramatically,” he said.

“Brexit, farm-wise, has had a minimal effect but I think the farming community as a group who voted very resoundingly, as I understand it, to come out of the European Union, I think they are now finding that they have been very much misled.

“The great yonder of much less bureaucracy and being in charge of their own well-being really hasn’t happened and in actual fact, farms, including our own here at Glastry, have a much heavier burden or bureaucracy and statutory farm visits than they have had previously.”

Will says the key to their success lies in running the farm and the ice cream/sorbet businesses alongside each other.

“That is the secret of what is a very integrated business to keep both sides of it continuing being profitable which is obviously the ultimate sustainability benchmark and without that input from my son and daughter-in-law, this business would not continue in the way it is at the moment,” he said.

“We believe that our 150 years of farming this land is a testament to our sustainability in all its forms and we will continue to use science to underpin all that we do in the future,” he added.

The post Dairy Focus: Economic and environmental sustainability at Glastry Farm appeared first on Agriland.co.uk.

Applications for the three-day study tour researching innovations in hatching and commercial egg production will be accepted from tomorrow until the deadline of Monday, October 9, 2023.

DAERA is offering broiler breeder and commercial egg farmers the opportunity to travel to the Netherlands to learn about and study new technologies for their sectors.

This study tour is part of the Farm Innovation Visits Scheme which is being delivered by the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE).

The group chosen for the trip will leave on the morning of Wednesday, November 22, 2023, and return on the evening of Friday, November 24, 2023. The tour will be led by CAFRE’s poultry advisers.

Study tour

The study tour programme will include a tour of Vencomatic Group’s campus with technical talks; a visit to a broiler breeder farm to view an automated egg handling system; a visit to a laying facility to view a new multi-tier system, with heat exchanger ventilation and intelligent lighting; and a visit to Rondeel, a Dutch Better Life system.

While the tour will include visits to farms there will be no access to birds to mitigate avian influenza (bird flu), DAERA said.

The areas of innovation studied on the tour will include:

• Air-to-air heat exchangers – operation and benefits, including ammonia reduction;
• Automated hatching egg handling technology;
• High welfare commercial egg production system;
• In-ovo sexing and on farm hatching of commercial layers;

Applications

DAERA is inviting applications from one member or employee from each poultry business with at least 5,000 commercial laying hens or broiler breeders.

Applicants must be over 18 years old on the application closing date and not in full-time education.

To increase the benefits arising from the study tour, all applicants must identify a group of farmers to share their findings with upon their return.

Up to twenty places are available (aiming to have 10 commercial egg farmers and 10 broiler breeder farmers).

In the situation of over subscription, preference will be given to those with larger poultry enterprises based on potential impact, the department said.

Broiler breeder and commercial egg producers who are interested in participating in this study tour can find out more details and complete an online application on CAFRE’s website.

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According to the union, returns for milk are down 40% compared to this time last year and the majority of dairy farmers are not earning enough to cover production costs.

As well as this, UFU dairy chair Kenny Hawkes believes profits are being made further up the supply chain.

“Our food producers are getting shafted while others in the dairy chain are clearly making money,” he said.

“For more than six months now, nearly 20p/L has been taken from milk prices in Northern Ireland and things are not getting any better.

“This decline is only an issue in Northern Ireland as other regions have started to show recovery.

“Meanwhile, the largest proportion of our dairy farmers are not receiving enough to cover the cost of production let alone have any profit left over to support a home and family.”

Hawkes said it is not sustainable for farmers, especially when input prices remain higher than average.

“It’s utterly disheartening to once again, have to call out the failing dynamics within our food supply system.

“If this continues, dairy farmers will be put out of business which will have serious implications for the agri-food industry and our consumers.”

NI farmgate price

In August 2023, the milk base price average was 28.47p/L. To breakeven, farmers needed to be receiving at least 35p/L – 36p/L, the UFU said.

“Comparing local prices to what’s been happening in Europe, the Northern Ireland farmgate milk price is the third lowest with only Latvia and Lithuania paying a lower price,” Hawkes said.

“On average, the EU farmgate price was 7.62p/L higher. Meanwhile, there is a difference of 4p/L between Northern Ireland and Britain’s farmgate milk prices.”

Hawkes said he has met with the dairy policy officer and and Northern Ireland’s dairy stakeholders in major banks to discuss this situation.

“A major concern right now is rising interest rates and the impact it is having on farm overdrafts,” he said.

“Managing cashflow is key for any farm business and as we sit on the mouth of winter coupled with longer term pressures, fears are excelling.

“To keep their head above water, some local dairy farmers are cutting back from milking three times a day, to twice a day to try to reduce costs, but this is only a short-term solution.”

The post NI food producers getting ‘shafted’ on milk price – UFU appeared first on Agriland.co.uk.

This follows the departure of the organisation’s former CEO, Ian Stevenson, to take up his new role with the Northern Ireland Dairy Council.

Smith, LMC’s industry development manager and former staff member with the Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU), takes up his new position with immediate effect.

Announcing his appointment, LMC board member, Joe Stewart said: “For over a decade Colin has worked at the heart of the commission’s business activities.

“His experience is important to LMC and our stakeholders during this period of transition.”

Since joining LMC, Smith has played a key role in helping to develop a number of key policy areas.

These include the evolution of Northern Ireland’s Farm Quality Assurance Scheme (FQAS) for beef and lamb plus Northern Ireland’s response to the challenge of reducing antibiotic usage within the livestock sectors.

“It is anticipated the new LMC Board will be appointed shortly,” Stewart added.

“One of their first items of business will be the recruitment of a permanent CEO for LMC and it is foreseen an appointment to the substantive post will happen as soon as possible.”

LMC

Looking ahead, it is envisaged that LMC will be centrally involved in the strategy that is followed to reduce the carbon footprint of local agriculture.

The commission has previously confirmed that FQAS will be used as a carbon survey platform in Northern Ireland.

This will allow a complete carbon footprint determination of 11,600 farms.

In essence, the work being undertaken will represent the collective outworking of a whole industry agreed approach for all the sectors: Beef, lamb, dairy, pigs, poultry and crops.

Smith has also been involved in the work to secure Northern Ireland’s inclusion within an EU Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) for grass-fed Irish beef.

The European Commission had previously agreed the principles associated with the PGI for the Republic of Ireland.

Work at a technical level has been taking place over recent months to also confirm Northern Ireland’s compatibility with the terms of the scheme.   

A final decision from Brussels on this matter is expected in the very near future.

Currently, Joe Stewart is the only LMC board member in situ. Bringing the membership of the board back up to its full complement will require political intervention.

This would require the input of a Stormont Executive minister or, failing this, a decision by a member of the current Northern Ireland Office ministerial team.

The post Colin Smith appointed LMC NI interim CEO appeared first on Agriland.co.uk.

The incidence of BVD at animal level in the past year has been particularly high in Armagh – twice Northern Ireland’s average – according to Animal Health and Welfare Northern Ireland (AHWNI).

In the last six months, the Armagh Divisional Veterinary Officer (DVO) area has had the greatest number of outbreaks in dairy herds, while the Enniskillen DVO area has seen the highest number of beef herds affected.

Across all herd types, Armagh and Newry DVOs combined have had approximately one third of the total outbreaks in Northern Ireland in this period, AHWNI added.

More recently, several herds within close proximity have been affected in the BT60 postcode area in the Armagh, Hamiltonsbawn, Markethill and Lisnadill areas.

AHWNI is issuing BVD Alert text messaged to farmers in the significantly affected postcodes.

It is also encouraging farmers to take action by preventing livestock contact at boundaries with neighboring cattle. This can be do via grazing management or with the help of fencing.

BVD incidinces can at times also be linked to new stock, so AHWNI is encouraging farmers to ask sellers about herds’ BVD history – including when BVD positive cattle were removed.

Owners of cattle that do not have a BVD status are also being encouraged to test these cattle as soon as possible, to establish whether they are infected with the virus.

BVD positive cattle shed enormous amounts of virus and present a significant risk to other cattle on their holding as well as to cattle on neighbouring premises, so their prompt identification and removal is key to control.

A thorough cleaning and disinfection of areas that could be contaminated with the virus is another key measure that will help to achieve the goal of eradication of BVD.

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The participating farms, which included CAFRE’s own dairy unit at Greenmount College, account for 15,800 milking animals.

The work has confirmed that the decision to cull a cow is driven by a number of factors.

The main results of the survey were discussed by CAFRE’s Dr. David Mackey at the recent ProCROSS open day. The event was hosted by Co. Tyrone dairy farmer, Des Kelly.

CAFRE dairy survey

The results of the survey confirm that the average age of cows was 6.1 years and the average calving age was 27.7 months. They had a productive lifespan of 3.8 years, after producing some 30,200L of milk.

The CAFRE work also confirmed that infertility is still the main reason for culling, followed by mastitis and lameness.

Across all the herds surveyed, 12% of cows are culled in their first lactation.

Mackey highlighted the concept of determining dairy cow efficiency in terms of her estimated lifetime yield of butterfat and protein per day of life.

For the current Greenmount herd, this figure comes in at 1.14kg. The average figure across the survey as a whole was 1.04kg.

As cows get older, a proportionately higher number of cows are culled for mastitis and lameness-related issues.

Mackey commented: “Achieving a good lifetime yield is about: Securing good yields per lactation; calving heifers earlier; effectively managing infertility in young cows; managing mastitis and lameness-related issues.

“Securing a reduced culling rate is also important.

“Herds with the highest lifetime yields culled fewer younger cows, especially in their first and second lactations," he added.

“In contrast, herds with the lowest lifetime yield culled as many cows in their first lactation as the top 25% of herds achieved up to the end of cows’ third lactation.”

Future sustainability

According to CAFRE, lifetime yield is key to the future sustainability of dairying. Around 27% of cows are either culled or die in Northern Ireland, achieving lifetime yields of 30,200L.

“Lifetime yield is not about keeping more older cows, it’s about having fewer losses of younger cows," Mackey continued.

According to Mackey, crossbreeding can be expected to increase the productive life by between 0.5 and 1.0 lactations.

This is a direct result of lower culling rates for infertility, mastitis and lameness.

David Mackey pointed out that dairy farmers in Northern Ireland should aim for a minimum lifetime yield from their cows of 40,000L.

This works out at 1kg of milk solids per kg of cow bodyweight per year. This assumes an average liveweight figure for mature cows of 700kg.

The post CAFRE dairy survey highlights the main reasons for culling cows appeared first on Agriland.co.uk.

The PSNI has confirmed that a green John Deere tractor and Red Rock 3500 gallon slurry tanker were stolen from a yard at an address in the Carra Road area.

Police have appealed to anyone who was in the area at the time or saw any suspicious activity to contact them.

Agricultural crimes

A recent survey has highlighted that rural crime cost Northern Ireland £2.5 million in 2002 – which was a year on year increase of 51%.

According to NFU Mutual criminals are targeting agricultural vehicles and machinery in Northern Ireland.

Martin Malone, NFU Mutual manager for Northern Ireland, has warned that highly-organised gangs “are causing disruption to farming and widespread concern to people who live and work in the countryside”.

PSNI

In general the PSNI have said that there has been “an overall downwards trend” in agricultural crime since 2010 and 2011.

However in the 12 month period from July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023 there was a total of 237 agricultural crimes recorded in Northern Ireland – up by 48 on the previous 12 months.

According to the PSNI “97% of agricultural crime was identified as occurring in rural settlement areas”.

Over the 12 months to June 30, 2023 burglary and robbery represented 26% of agricultural crime, while theft represented 74% the PSNI stated.

The highest level of agriculture crime was “seen” around Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon followed by Newry, Mourne and Down and then Fermanagh and Omagh.

Meanwhile the PSNI has said that anyone who has information about the recent theft of the tractor and slurry tanker in Newtownbutler – estimated to have occurred between 8 p.m. on Sunday 17 September, and Monday morning, September 18 – can contact them either online or by calling 101 quoting reference number 396 18/09/23.

The post PSNI appeal for information about farm theft in Fermanagh appeared first on Agriland.co.uk.

Farmers in Zone 1 of the scheme, which encompasses counties Down and Armagh, have received their soil analysis results and the CAFRE events aim to help them interpret these results.

The last of these events will be held on the farm of beef and sheep farmer John Milligan in Castlewellan on Tuesday, September 26, starting at 7:00p.m.

Milligan runs suckler beef, sheep and calf-to-beef enterprises with a strong focus on production from grassland and forage.

He has used soil analysis and nutrient management planning to improve the output from his farm, the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) said.

The event will focus on using the results of the SNHS soil analysis to assess soil fertility, make best use of organic manures and plan chemical fertiliser applications to maximise grass production, comply with regulations and protect the environment.

The event will also demonstrate how farmers can access their results on the SNHS map viewer and explain how completing the SNHS training available from CAFRE will help farmers make best use of the information provided by the scheme.

The events will feature various speakers including:

• Milligan, the host farmer, will give an overview of his grassland management and explain how he have benefited from participating in the scheme and completing the SNHS training;
• Alex Higgins from Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI) will give an update on the SNHS soil analysis results and trends within Zone 1;
• CAFRE technologists will discuss the benefits of nutrient management planning and provide instructions on how to join the SNHS training.

There is no booking required for the event. Those interested can seek more information via the CAFRE website.

The post Final Soil Nutrient Health Scheme analysis event to take place next week appeared first on Agriland.co.uk.

The union said today (Monday, September 18) that the five webinars are specifically focused on applying research to “common farming situations” and will provide solutions that increase the sustainability of agriculture in Northern Ireland.

The series of webinars will be held online via Zoom, with the first taking place on September 26, 2023 at 8:00p.m.

The themes the webinars are set to address include:

• Increasing production efficiency;
• Resilient grassland management;
• Dairy nutrition;
• Nutrient management in grassland;
• Farm case studies of carbon benchmarking.

UFU president David Brown said “There are a number of challenges facing the agricultural industry.

“Research and science will help us to address these challenges whilst improving efficiencies and reducing costs on farms.

“These webinars, which will also serve as our contribution to Countryside COP3, will show how farmers can make simple changes supported by scientific evidence, to improve the sustainability of their business.”

The webinars are free to attend but registration is necessary. Those interested in registering should visit the UFU’s website.

Webinars

General manager of AgriSearch, Jason Rankin, said the webinars will showcase AgriSearch’s work with farms in Northern Ireland on farming solutions.

“AgriSearch have been working with farmers from across Northern Ireland to explore science based, innovative practices which deliver both farm profitability and for the environment,” he said.

“The webinars will showcase a selection of these with a series of videos showing the practices in action.”

AFBI director of sustainable agri-food sciences, Dr. Elizabeth Magowan, said: “AFBI are delighted to partner with the UFU and AgriSearch to bring forward this series of five webinars.

“The webinars are designed to provide farmers with solutions that are underpinned by scientific evidence and demonstrate how these solutions are being employed on farms in Northern Ireland.

“The rapid adoption of evidence based solutions to improve the environmental impact and support farm profitability is essential to enable the Northern Ireland farming industry to be world leading into the future.”

The post UFU partners with AFBI and AgriSearch for NI farming webinars appeared first on Agriland.co.uk.

The event took place at Gill Hall Estate in Co. Down over four days last week.

Organised by the International Sheep Dog Society, Petter went head-to-head with 16 of the world’s best sheepdogs and handlers over the first three days of qualifiers and emerged victorious, with an impressive score.

Meanwhile 17-year-old Tyler McKinlay, from Lanark, Scotland and her dog, Heatherstane Squiggle, were named Young Handler World Champions at the event.

This is the first year that the trials have had an all-female final in the junior competition.

The team event first prize went to the Irish grouping of: Martin O’Malley; Eamonn Connell; Allistair Lyttle; James McCloskey; and Paddy Fanning.

John McCullough, chairman of the World Trial Committee congratulated Petter and Tyler on their respective achievements.

“The standards shown at the trials this week have been exceptional so to walk away with world titles is certainly no mean feat. It was an absolute joy to watch Petter and Tyler in action in the competition field over the past few days,” he said.

“Hosting the World Sheepdog Trials at Gill Hall Estate in Dromore has been a privilege. We have welcomed approximately 30,000 spectators alongside 240 handlers from over 30 different countries over the past four days which has hugely boosted many local businesses and the wider economy.

“Northern Ireland has a rich farming history and we’re so proud to have contributed to this by bringing a once-in-a-lifetime event to our shores.

“We hope that everyone who attended throughout the week enjoyed witnessing the incredible partnership between sheepdogs and their handlers,” McCullough added.

Isabel Branch, CEO of the International Sheep Dog Society added: 

“The 2023 World Sheepdog Trials have been a huge success and on behalf of the committee, we are delighted.

“We have seen lots of tough competition and it’s a testament to farmers around the world who remain committed to preserving more traditional methods of farming and to promoting the very best in terms of breeding.

“Congratulations to Petter and Tyler on your world titles. Being crowned the best in the world at what’s known as the ‘Olympics’ of the sheepdog community, is a remarkable achievement.”

Allistair Lyttle from Kesh in Co. Fermanagh was a member of the successful Irish team. He is also a member of the committee that organised the entire Gill Hall event.

“It was a tremendous honour for Northern Ireland to host the 2023 World Championships. And Gill Hall was the perfect venue,” Lyttle said.

According to Lyttle, it took a tremendous, cooperative effort to get the entire competition over the line.

A case in point was the sourcing of 800 ewes from sheep producers across Northern Ireland.

Lyttle also confirmed that sheep dog trialling is extremely popular across the island of Ireland.

“Events are taking place around the country every week of the year,” he said.

“Up to 70 dogs could be taking part in each of these competitions, all of which will attract large crowds of spectators.”

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Robert Patterson said successful autumn grazing management will increase the number of days at grass and ensure there is grass available for grazing the following spring.

The recent settled weather conditions have been a welcome change in the latter half of a very unsettled and variable grazing season, he said.

Grass growth on farms in Northern Ireland throughout August was higher than the long-term average and this should have made it possible on many farms to increase the grazing rotation length and average farm cover approaching September.

“A surplus of grass will have been built up in August on some farms and hopefully these will have been removed in late August,” Patterson said.

“Taking out surplus grass after the first week of September should be avoided if possible, as grass growth rates can fall quickly and paddocks removed will not have enough time to regrow and provide grass for the final grazing rotation.”

Autumn grazing

Patterson said creating an autumn rotation plan is a valuable tool to manage autumn grazing and ensure there will be grass available for grazing in the following spring.

The rotation plan will determine the area to be grazed each day, based on the initial average farm cover, the desired housing date and the target closing farm cover.

It is important, he said, to continue to measure and budget grass weekly, to allow progress to be tracked and manage supplementation if required.

“Successfully managing autumn grazing will increase the number of days at grass, reduce the cost of feeding the animals, conserve valuable winter forage supplies, and prepare the grazing platform for turnout in the following spring,” Patterson said.

“Careful management will be required to minimise sward damage and achieve good levels of grass utilisation.

“The full range of grazing tools and techniques should be used where applicable, including the use of multiple entry and exit points, using spur roads to access the back of paddocks, using 24- and 12-hour allocations, back fencing animals from grazed areas and on-off grazing if required.”

While weather and ground conditions are favourable, farmers should aim to graze paddocks with heavier soils and heavier grass covers to reduce sward damage and increase the utilisation of these swards.

“Aim to increase the grazing rotation length from 30 days at the start of September to 35 days by mid-September and 40 days by the start of October,” Patterson said.

“The average farm cover should reach its peak in mid-late September (2,600–2,750kg DM/ha), before reducing to a target closing farm cover of 2,050–2,100kg DM/ha.

“Prioritise fresh calved cows for housing first, with late lactation and lower yielding cows being the last to be housed. Grass will currently provide energy for maintenance plus 11L.”

As grass supply reduces and supplementation is required, Patterson has advised to introduce silage gradually with on-off grazing and transition the diet slowly.

He advised that paddocks most suitable for spring turnout be identified now and these should be grazed in the middle of the final grazing rotation.

“This should mean that these paddocks will have grass covers suitable for turnout (2,400–2,600kg DM/ha) and make good levels of grass utilisation more achievable,” he said.

The post CAFRE: Now is time to prioritise autumn grazing management appeared first on Agriland.co.uk.

And the continuing decline in farmgate prices is an important factor in this regard, Omagh-based Seamus McCaffrey said.

“But there are many other issues adding to the complexity of the financial challenges confronting agriculture as a whole," he said.

McCaffrey cited the growing threat of bovine tuberculosis (bTB) as a case in point.

“Many of our clients have their herds restricted at the present time because of the disease,” he said.

“As a consequence, they are having to manage greater numbers of stock than would normally be the case. This is adding significantly to the costs incurred by these businesses.

“Many farmers are also concerned that they won’t have enough silage saved to see them through the coming winter. The issue of silage quality is a related matter.”

Farm incomes and tax

The accountant said that the possibility of concentrate feed costs rising over the coming months has also been factored-in by many farmers.

It all adds up to a scenario that will have significant cashflow and tax implications for farm businesses over the coming months.

According to McCaffrey, effective tax planning at a time of reduced prices is critically important for all farm businesses.

Centre stage within all of this is January 31, 2024, the next date when all sole traders and those involved within business partnership must pay tax.

There will be two components to the liability to be paid – the balance of the tax owing up to April 5, 2023 and a payment on account for the current year.

“The balance piece is based on the actual tax return and accounts filed for the year ending April 5, 2023,” McCaffrey said.

“The payment on account for the current year is normally 50% of the previous year’s liability. However, it is possible to pay a lesser payment on account.

“The way to do this is prepare profit and loss figures for the current year to-date, which will enable an informed guestimate to be made of the tax liability for the current year.

“If this projected liability for the current year is less than the final liability for the year ending April 5, 2023, then a lower amount of tax can be paid as a payment on account in January 24.”

McCaffrey went on to point out that before the tax return for the year ending April 5, 2023 is filed, it is important to review carefully that the return is accurate and that all income and expenditure are included.

“The following question should be addressed – have all items of allowable expenditure been included?” he said.

“This list can include the following: The cost of trips to agricultural shows; the cost of buying the farming press; the cost of wages to family members aged 13 and above.”

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Plants and seeds had not been moving between Great Britain and Northern Ireland as a result of Brexit. However, they are now resuming, as set out in the post-Brexit trade agreements for the UK – the Windsor Framework.

“Under the Windsor Framework, plants and seeds can once again move easily within the UK, ending restrictions that hampered consumer choice and damaged business,” a spokesperson for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) confirmed.

“This includes removing the prohibition on the movement of seed potatoes on October 1, and we will work with industry to ensure plant and seed movement schemes are as beneficial as possible.”

The Windsor Framework also establishes temporary arrangements for the “flow” of agrifood to Northern Ireland. The movement of the agrifood will be on a sustainable basis. The retail movement scheme will replaced in October which will be available to more traders.

Although this is in place, seeds and plants can only be sold to consumers by professional operators in Northern Ireland under the Windsor Framework.

There is already a Plant Passport for movement within Great Britain. This scheme will be adapted to make clear that plants are for the UK only and confirm eligibility for movements in the UK including Northern Ireland.

This will allow plants to move without certification, with goods able to move with an industry-issued plant label in line with other intra-UK movements.

This new internal market scheme “will expand the range of business able to benefit from the new arrangements provided to protect internal UK movements”. This will involve the removal of EU tariffs.

This new “green lane arrangements” reinforcement is part of the new retail movement scheme for agrifood retail products whilst protecting UK movement from the inside.

The movement of all goods from Great Britain to Ireland will begin in September 2024 and the movement of medicine to Northern Ireland will commence in September 2025.

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The HSENI’s agriculture and food team (AFT) will carry out inspections as part of the workplace regulator’s industry-wide ‘Drive Danger Out’ campaign.

The campaign began this month and inspections being undertaken as part of it are set to continue until March 2024.

HSENI principal inspector of the AFT, Camilla Mackey, said: “Workplace transport management is absolutely critical in all industries, that applies equally in the food processing sector.

“Some of the more common causes of injury in the food sector include injuries sustained from using knives to slips, trips and falls, however, most of the injuries sustained in these incidents are less serious compared to those involving workplace transport, for example, which usually result in very serious injury or death.

“Our inspectors frequently find that most food processors do have some form of traffic management plans in place, unfortunately these are not always adequate.”

Mackey said common failings include:

• Lack of control of contractors’ safety;
• Issues with parking of staff and visitors directly on the site;
• Not having “very simple” control measures in place, like good signage and appropriate lighting.

‘Drive Danger Out’

“Part of our ‘Drive Danger Out’ campaign will help inform the food industry of the necessary workplace transport management plans they need to have in place to help prevent future incidents,” Mackey said.

Typically, an inspection will first consider whether a site is safe. The AFT will ask the following of the site:

• Is there a traffic management plan and associated risk assessments in place for the site?
• Are pedestrians and vehicles adequately segregated?
• Has the traffic management plan and associated risk assessments been shared and agreed with all contractors?
• How is parking managed at the site?

The next thing considered is the safety of vehicles on the site. HSENI inspectors will check that all vehicles are adequately maintained by competent people.

As well as this, they will ensure all relevant vehicles have been thoroughly examined, that daily checks are undertaken and recorded and that any defects are dealt with promptly.

Inspections will then turn to the drivers of these vehicles and it will be checked that all drivers hold adequate licenses/training certificates for the vehicles they are authorised to drive.

Inspectors will check if there are refresher programmes in place and if new employees hold adequate training certification for the vehicles that are on site and if they had their competency assessed prior to operating them.

The HSENI said the local food industry employs over 25,000 people across a variety of sub-sectors including meat, poultry, fish, dairy, fruit and vegetables, drinks, and bakeries.

“The sector is already highly regulated with very stringent requirements under food safety, hygiene, environmental and health and safety legislation,” it said.

“Companies have a statutory requirement to regularly review their risk assessments to ensure that their control measures are sufficient to keep everyone on their site safe at work.

“Where HSENI inspectors identify breaches of health and safety legislation enforcement action may be taken.”

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The event will continue through until Saturday afternoon (September 16) when the World Singles Champion dog and handler will be crowned. Up for grabs is a first prize of £3,000.

This week’s activities at Gill Hall constitute the Olympic Games of the trialling world. The event is held every three years. However, the Covid-19 pandemic forced a major realignment of the championship’s schedule.

Sheepdog handlers from around the world last came together, in a competitive sense, back in 2017. The year in question saw the Netherlands hosting the World Championships.

Thereafter Covid-19 kicked in 2020 and again the following year, when the event should have been held in England.

Brian Kelly, secretary of the committee organising the Gill Hall event said: “We were asked to come on board and host the 2023 World Championships 16 months ago.

“The approach was made on the back of Gill Hall Estate hosting an International Sheepdog Trial back in 2018.

“There has been a 25-strong committee of people working on the event since the request came through from the International Sheepdog Society. We were delighted to get on board from the outset.”

A total of 240 dogs and their handlers, representing 30 different countries, will be taking part in the competitions planned for Gill Hall Estate this week.

“Day One sees 120 dogs competing, spread across three fields. The same format is followed on Day Two when the remaining 120 dogs compete,” Kelly continued.

“The top seven dogs from each field over the two days, go forward to the semi-finals on the Friday. That makes a total of 42 animals.

“A total of 16 dogs take part in the final class, scheduled for Saturday.”

According to Kelly, the standard of challenge confronting the dogs increases significantly as they move through the competition.

Sheepdog trials

Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales are each represented by 21 handlers and their dogs. Each competitor is allowed to compete with two dogs.

National competition trials competitions are held to allow for the selection of the handlers that take part in the world event. 

“One Irish handler has won the World Championship crown up to this point – James McGee, from Ballybofey in Co. Donegal, back in 2011,” Kelly explained.

Co. Offaly hosted the World Sheepdog Trials back in 2005. The organisers are anticipating crowds of up to 15,000 at Gill Hall over the coming days.

Gill Hall Estate – the perfect location

Allistair Lyttle, from Kesh in Co. Fermanagh is a member of the committee organising the events planned for Gill Hall Estate this week. He is also taking part in the competition in his own right.

“It’s a tremendous honour for Northern Ireland to be hosting the 2023 World Championships. And Gill Hall is the perfect venue,” Lyttle explained.

“The estate has tremendous facilities. What’s more, all the trials locations are in tip-top condition.”

According to Lyttle, it has taken a tremendous, cooperative effort to get this week’s event over the line.

A case in point has been the sourcing of 800 ewes from sheep producers across Northern Ireland.

“We have been able to source the sheep form a number of flock owners. These include, O’Kane Brothers, from Ballymena; Robin McNinch, from Larne and Frankie McCullough, from Dromara in Co. Down,” Lyttle said.

“Ewes are chosen for the championships because there is more of them to select from at this time of the year.”

Lyttle is quick to confirm that sheepdog trialling is an extremely popular sport in Ireland.

“Events are taking place around the country every week of the year,” he said.

“Up to 70 dogs could be taking part in each of these competitions, all of which wil attract large crowds of spectators.”

Lyttle went on to point out that trialling competitions are open to border collies only.

“A good dog could sell for up to £25,000,” he continued.

Young handlers

15-year-old Peter Óg Morgan, from Castlewellan in Co. Down will be pitting his wits against 14 other competitors from around the world in the Under-18 International Young Handlers Championship at Gill Hall on Friday.

He has been working with dogs at home for as far back as he can remember. Previously his father – also Peter – had won the Irish National Championships back in 2021. He went on to take the reserve at the International Sheepdog Trials, held in Wales later that same year.

Peter Óg will be competing with the eight-year-old collie, Tip.

The Morgans run 550 Lanark Blackface sheep on their home farm.

Peter Óg believes that a champion dog brings a combination of ‘brains’ and breeding to the table.

“A young dog will quickly confirm whether it has the interest and the ability to work with sheep,” Peter Óg explained.

“By the time it is 18-months-old, it will be well settled. A dog will really come into its own at around four-years-of-age.

“Border collies are very intelligent dogs and are continuously learning.”

The training process starts by putting a young dog into a circular pen with a group of sheep. By using this type of enclosure, the sheep cannot bunch into a corner; they will always be facing the dog.

Young dogs are first taught to ‘stop’ on command.

Some dogs will lie down on hearing this command; others will remain standing. After that, a range of verbal commands are given to the dogs. These include ‘come-bye (move off to the left) and ‘away’ (move off to the right).

Peter Óg continued: “Handlers will use a combination of whistles and verbal commands to dogs. Whistles are used when dogs are at a distance from their handlers.”

Sheepdog handling in Poland

Toamasz Nowakowski is the sole representative from Poland taking part in the competition classes at Gill Hall this week.

He lives close to the city of Warsaw.

“Initially, I got involved in dog obedience classes and graduated from there to sheepdog handling,” he explained to Agriland.

“There are approximately 30 handlers who take part in open handling classes that are held at locations across Poland.

“Rather than hold one-day events, as would be commonplace in Ireland, sheepdog handling competitions held in Poland take place over an entire weekend.”

Most of Poland’s native sheep breeds were killed out during World War II. Those left were cross bred with sheep from other parts of Europe in the years that followed.

The Wrzosowkas is the oldest native, ovine breed in Poland. According to Toamasz, they are a very “primitive” type of sheep.

He arrived in Ireland with his four-year-old dog last Thursday, Pete. Bred in Wales, the collie was brought to Poland as a pup.

The last few days have given the handler and his dog an opportunity to get acclimatised to Irish sheep trialling conditions.

“When we left Poland the weather was very warm relative to the conditions here in Ireland. This should not present a problem to the dogs. Had they been travelling from a cool climate to hot conditions, the change in weather would impact on their performance.

“Sheep in Poland tend to be heavier than the sheep here in Ireland. Irish sheep also tend to be more responsive to the dog.

“So, we will just have to wait and see how we get on over the coming days,” Toamasz concluded.

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Among these will be representatives from the agriculture and agri-business sectors.

These include: Alexander Kinnear, parliamentary officer at Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU); Andrew Opie, director of food and sustainability, British Retail Consortium (BRC); and Peter Hardwick, trade policy advisor, British Meat Processors Association (BMPA).

Ahead of the meeting this afternoon Agriland spoke to Alexander Kinnear, who said he will be tabling the issue of livestock movements and veterinary medicines – two issues the UFU has been highlighting since the Windsor Framework was announced.

“We’ve been rounding the corner with veterinary medicines many times, the problem is well rehearsed,” Kinnear said.

“You know, over 50% of product will be discontinued at the end of the current period if there’s not a permanent solution found, and we want to bring that to the attention of the House and Lords.”

Livestock movements

Kinnear will also be addressing the issue of livestock movements to the Lords.

“The Windsor Framework does not enter even to speak about livestock movement,” he told Agriland.

In particular he wants to highlight movement from Northern Ireland to Great Britain and back again. “This is really a concern” he said, “we want to see it resolved”.

“Because of Brexit and because Great Britain is now a third country in terms of Europe, we can’t bring our animals over there decide not to sell them and bring them back without a six-month delay,” he said.

“Speaking with marts in Scotland in particular, the requirements are so onerous and over the top that the trade originally that happened before Brexit hasn’t gone back to levels; that trade is completely collapsed and that will be to the detriment of farms in Northern Ireland,” he contended.

Peter Hardwick from BMPA will also be presenting a full argument to the Lords this afternoon, highlighting what the BMPA describes as the “odd” situation whereby it will be more complicated for British companies sending goods to Northern Ireland than it is for companies in some third countries to export goods to the UK.

“This has come about because the new Windsor Framework will launch on October 1, and require British companies to use special ‘Not for EU’ labelling along with a more cumbersome system for certification and checking goods,” the BMPA said.

“Given that these kinds of checks will continue to be completely waived for goods coming from the EU into the UK, it will soon be harder to move products around within the United Kingdom that it will be to bring goods over from Europe.”

Windsor Framework

The Windsor Framework has replaced the Northern Ireland Protocol as the EU and UK’s post-Brexit agreement on the issue of trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Changes are looming for agri-businesses at present; one of these is that from October 1, repacked meat and fresh milk will be individually labelled as ‘not for EU’ when moving from Great Britain to Northern Ireland.

Also addressing the House of Lords today on how preparations for the Windsor Framework are going is: Stuart Anderson, head of public affairs at Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Mark Tait, director at Target Transport; and Michelle Riddalls, chief executive, PAGB, the consumer healthcare association.

The Lords will also be seeking evidence to assess government guidance on adhering to the framework.

The first meeting will kick off at 3:15p.m and will be available to watch live or on demand on UK Parliament TV.

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48-year-old Thomas Joseph Curran, 42-year-old Gerald Curran and 37-year-old Barry Curran of Blackwatertown Road, Armagh, had previously entered guilty pleas to waste offences.

They each received a 25-month custodial sentences suspended for two years at Armagh Crown Court sitting in Newry.

The investigation, carried out by the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA), uncovered “significant fraudulent offending” regarding the operation of an unlicensed waste business by the defendants.

The case relates to the unauthorised deposit, keeping, treating and disposal of 6836.395t of controlled waste at a site located at Blackwatertown Road, Armagh, the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) said.

During an inspection of the site in October 2017, NIEA officers discovered a large amount of mixed waste in the yard adjacent to the dwelling house and stacked into the large sheds located on the site.

In addition, baled waste was observed in a shed next to the office, and numerous pieces of waste processing equipment including material handlers, balers, shredders, skips, ejector trailers and a trommel waste sorting machine were located on the site.

Checks revealed that the site had been operating without a waste licence since 2014.

A Proceeds of Crime investigation is ongoing, DAERA said.

The various parties were sentenced under Article 4(1)(b) of the Waste and Contaminated Land (Northern Ireland) Order 1997.

Barry Curran also pleaded guilty to a fraud offence for which he received a concurrent custodial sentence of 25 months suspended for 2 years.

Three further charges against the defendants were left on the books, meaning they can be reactivated at a later state subject to permission from the Crown Court of the Court of Appeal.

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Nigel Trimble said the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) is aware that some users, especially farmers and veterinary practitioners, are not set up correctly for accessing NIFAIS through government gateway authentication.

NIFAIS went live on Monday (September 4) after months of delays and replaced the old Animal and Public Health System (APHIS).

Trimble said replacing APHIS is “a complex task” as NIFAIS is one of the largest and most complex systems ever delivered by DAERA.

“As with any complex IT system roll-out, there have been some teething issues, including system performance, which we are working to address as quickly as possible and our thanks to all the users including farmers, private veterinary practices and the livestock marts and meat plants for their continued patience as  the system becomes fully embedded,” he said.

“We are aware that some users, especially farmers and veterinary practitioners, are not set up correctly for accessing NIFAIS through government gateway authentication and we continue to work  with these users to address this.

“Some online users will also not have access to all the herds they previously could view on APHIS due to revised DAERA policy implemented on NIFAIS which restricts access to herds online to the herd keeper or an agent appointed by them.

“Anyone needing a NIFAIS agent approved for online access should contact their DAERA direct office. Other issues noted this week were an inability to confirm some moves online.”

Trimble stressed that users can confirm moves using MC2 documentation or via DAERA telephony system to avoid imposition of late movement notification statuses if they are unable to do so online.

NIFAIS

DAERA said tens of thousands of animal movements, thousands of animal births and thousands of animals being moved to meat plants have all been registered in the first four days of the bovine functionality going live on NIFAIS.

This latest deployment is a major step towards fully replacing APHIS by 2025, it said.

In the four days since the new system went live there have been:

• 2,123 farmer or agent accounts accessing NIFAIS online;
• 4,232 birth registrations;
• 22,194 animal movements recorded;
• 132 PVP users accessing system for TB testing.

Trimble said NIFAIS will address legacy technology and security risks associated with APHIS and improve functionality and services available to the agri-food sector in Northern Ireland.

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The prize package on offer includes a mini herd of five Angus cross calves worth around £3,500, which will be given to the four teams that reach the final stage of the competition.

Entries for the competition will close on September 25, 2023, and a selection of teams will be shortlisted and invited to take part in an exhibition event at the Eikon Centre on October 27.

The competition is delivered in partnership with Certified Irish Angus Producer Group and teams that reach the final stage are assigned a mentor from the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) to support their work on year-long research assignments whilst rearing their calves.

They are also given professional training in communication, presentation, and interview skills to help prepare them for the world of work and will participate in a complimentary international study tour.

Competition

Teams select a topical area of the agri-food industry they are passionate about and then record a short application video to enter.

In the video, the group must explain why they would like to win the calves and what changes they would make to improve farming while using their mini herd of calves to do so.

After teams are shortlisted and invited to take part at the exhibition event on October 27, an independent panel will judge the teams’ performance to determine who goes through to the year-long finalist programme and wins the prizes.

At the end of the final stage, one overall winning team will be presented with a cheque for £1,000 for their club or school.

Managing director of ABP in Northern Ireland, George Mullan, said: “As a leading employer in the sector we are committed to supporting the next generation of our industry.”

“ABP Angus Youth is complimented by our enhanced support of students in third level education which now also includes an international scholarship opportunity with ABP for students of CAFRE Greenmount’s sustainable agriculture degree.”

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The Northern Ireland Food Animal Information System (NIFAIS) will replace APHIS as the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs’ (DAERA‘s) traceability and disease control system in Northern Ireland.

The NIFAIS was originally due to launch on June 12, but it was postponed to facilitate “further testing and integration with industry IT systems”.

Stage one of the new system will go live on Monday, with stage two not expected to go live until 2024.

This first stage will include keeper registration and tag suppliers (already live); bovine disease tracing; import and export; valuations; AFIB milk functionality; IRM; cattle identity inspections; residues; VPHP; and farm quality assurance.

DAERA said a reduced APHIS remains available for other species and will be supported until NIFAIS stage two is successfully delivered. 

Stage two will cover other species and will include IRM; tracing; disease control; VPHP; welfare and enforcement; sample plans; residues; ARIB; and cross compliance.

TB testing

Restrictions on testing for bovine tuberculosis (TB) will remain in place until September 11, 2023, to “reduce the risk of data loss or corruption” during the moving of bovine data from APHIS to NIFAIS, DAERA said.

No testing at all will take place on Monday, and only reactor herd testing will take place from Tuesday (September 5) until Saturday (September 9).

No testing took place at all this week in a bid to facilitate data migration between the systems.

The department said there may be a short delay in the removal of reactors due to a reduction in the processing of valuations on APHIS.

Any disruption, it said, will be kept to a minimum and reactors must remain isolated until removed.

“DAERA will be working with all parties to ensure any delays in paying compensation are minimised,” it said.

Tag suppliers have been warned that they will have restricted access to NIFAIS this weekend (September 2-3).

Postponement

Before the postponement in June, the department had enforced a reduction of on-farm bovine TB testing as a result of the migration of data to NIFAIS.

It “immediately revoked” this after it postponed the launching of NIFAIS.

At the time, the department apologised for the inconvenience caused by the delay of the NIFAIS launch, and said it would communicate a new launch date to all stakeholders when it was agreed.

“This will not be before July 2023, as time is needed to introduce a further TB testing pause around the new date,” DAERA said.

It added that NIFAIS is an important animal disease and traceability system that will underpin the agri-food sector in Northern Ireland.

“It is important that all users are satisfied that they can interact fully with it to deliver for farmers and customers,” the department said.

“This interaction includes development of IT systems that will consume or send data back to NIFAIS.

“A short delay will allow all users to confirm their systems are fully integrated and that they have the assurance necessary around traceability of local products.”

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The decision had a direct bearing on all council employees and sub-contractors engaged by the council.

Now the campaign is on to have the ban made permanent and, in addition, for all central government departments in Northern Ireland to implement similar policies.

Leading the anti-glyphosate campaign is the ‘Hive Cancer Support Group’. Jacquie Loughery, a Derry-based member of the group, is also committed to making the city of Derry a ‘pesticide-free’ area in its totality.

She said: “Chemicals, such as glyphosate, are causing severe damage to the environment and people’s health.”

Derry consultation

Jacquie attended the recent public consultation meeting in Derry, profiling the future carbon budget options  for Northern Ireland.

“The European Commission has already taken the decision to ban glyphosate. So it was important for the council to reflect this reality,” Loughery said.

“But it is important that the ban on glyphosate usage is made permanent and that other public bodies In Northern Ireland commit to a similar policy.”

Glyphosate

Meanwhile, pressure is building across Europe to have the use of glyphosate banned completely.

Those who favour this approach point to the introduction of better crop rotations, the use of intercropping, the application of mulches and a great reliance on mechanical weeding systems in a post-glyphosate world.

Others point to the role model that is organic agriculture. They claim farmers committed to this form of production agriculture have shown that it is possible to produce food in ways that work with nature a very fundamental level.

Glyphosate is currently for use in the EU until December 15, 2023. This means it can be used as an active substance in herbicide products until that date, subject to each product being authorised by national authorities following a safety evaluation. 

In 2022, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) carried out a hazard assessment of glyphosate and concluded that it did not meet the scientific criteria to be classified as a carcinogenic, mutagenic or reprotoxic substance. 

Glyphosate is the most widely used pesticide in the world. However, it has been linked to cancer and can be harmful to wildlife.

It was last approved for use in the EU back in 2017. The five-year licence was extended for another 12 months last December.

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Dr. Jason Foy, head of Area-based Schemes Division with the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA), said: “I am pleased to announce another record payment performance for DAERA, with £291.3 million having issued to 23,420 farmers (98% of eligible applicants) on September 1.

“Payments have commenced six weeks ahead of the traditional October date again this year, to help farm businesses who rely heavily on this vital annual payment.

“Despite challenging budgetary pressures, a linear increase of 2.32% has been applied to the Basic Payment Scheme payments in 2023. This increase in funding will be welcomed by farmers.”

Direct Payments

Payments will continue to be released following successful validation checks for the small number of remaining applications, according to DAERA.

Farm businesses are reminded that, to ensure prompt payment, they should check that their contact details and BACS payment scheme information are up to date.

For 2023, payment letters will be issued via the DAERA Messaging Service. However, if an agent completed the Single Application on behalf of the farm business, the payment letter will be issued by post for the 2023 scheme year.

DAERA said its Messaging Service is a secure way for the department to communicate with customers, who will receive a notification email with a link to the 2023 Single Application Payment Letter in the DAERA Customer Portal.

The DAERA Customer Portal can be accessed by completing a verification process using Government Gateway / NI Direct Account credentials.

Funding

According to DAERA, annual funding for agricultural support in Northern Ireland has been guaranteed by the UK Treasury until the end of the current parliament.

Within the available budget, it was possible to apply an increase of 2.32% to the value of BPS entitlements in 2023, according to the department.

This one-off increase applies to 2023 payments only and equates to an average of approximately £250 extra for each farmer.

Depending on the size of their claim, some farmers will receive more than this amount and some farmers will receive less.

The increase in BPS payments for 2023 is equivalent to the increase made in 2022.

Also today (September 1), payments to applicants under the Protein Crops Scheme issued, totalling £246,560.

The Account NI system, which the department uses to make its payments, will be upgraded during September 2023.

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For Barry Fitzsimon’s Bawnforth Herd, a change to Beef Shorthorn cattle came about as a result of his desire to ease workload and ensure a sustainable business for future generations.

He said: “We were running a herd of Continental-cross sucklers and while they were delivering great carcasses, there were a number of issues which were hindering the business.

“Principle among those was fertility and an ever-increasing calving interval. Added to this, we were struggling to finish bullocks at much under-30-months of age on our largely grass-based system and that meant extra costs on the business with cattle being on-farm longer than we wanted.”

Since introducing Shorthorn genetics, cattle are usually finished by 24 months from the 45-cow suckler herd run by Barry with help of his son, Craig and grandson, Tom.

“As a spring-calving herd that means we don’t have them here for a third summer at grass and that’s a significant improvement, meaning we can shut grass up for silage sooner and make better quality forage,” Barry said.

“It also means we can, potentially, carry a few more cows on the same acreage, making for a more efficient herd.”

Bawnforth Herd key performance indictor (KPI) data:

• Top 25% Northern Ireland calving interval – 372 days, reduced from in excess of 400;
• Top 25% Northern Ireland age at slaughter – most cattle finished at 24-25 months, down from 29-30 months for bullocks;
• All cattle meeting spec for Glenarm Beef Shorthorn scheme – 10% premium on standard DW price;
• 15 cattle slaughtered Feb-May 2023 averaged 332.8kg carcass weight at an average age of 23 months. The youngest was 17 months old and the oldest 26 months old;
• 15 cattle slaughtered Feb-May 2023 averaged £1,664.13/head after deductions;
• Now running three cows for every two carried when herd was Continental breeding.

“With government policy ultimately pushing towards lowering carbon outputs in farming, increasing suckler herd efficiency has to be high up the list,” the farmer added.

“A compact calving period, with a short calving interval is central to this, as is running a herd that thrives in a forage-based system, with minimal bought-in feed.”

Finishing cattle are fed some meal to put the final cover on them, but for Barry’ cattle the amount is much less than would have been the case with the continental-cross cattle.

“They simply don’t need as much meal to finish and that’s both a cost saving and an environmental benefit,” the farmer said.

Benchmarking with the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs of Northern Ireland (DAERA) has proven the benefits with the herd in the top 25% of Northern Irish benchmarked herds for both age at slaughter and calving interval.

“But it’s not just the herd’s performance which has improved, so too has temperament and ease of working. The cows are quiet, calm cows which are a pleasure to work with,” Barry said.

The Northern Ireland Beef Shorthorn Club’s open day will be held at Mr Fitzsimons’ Bawnforth herd, Ballynahinch, Co. Down, on Saturday, September 9, and all are welcome to attend.

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Launched in 2017, the scheme has actively addressed the challenges faced by young farmers in accessing land and resources while facilitating intergenerational transition within the agricultural sector.

The scheme concludes today (August 31) making way for a new pilot scheme.

Land Mobility Scheme

The YFCU Land Mobility Scheme was an initiative aimed at bridging the gap between aspiring young farmers seeking opportunities and retiring landowners in Northern Ireland looking to transition their properties.

Over the course of six years, the scheme effectively facilitated 125 deals covering 19,000ac of land across the whole of Northern Ireland with participants gaining mutually beneficial exchange of land, knowledge, and expertise.

One of the key themes addressed by the programme was that of sustainable farming.

By enabling young farmers to access land and resources, the scheme contributed to the continued vibrancy and growth of the agricultural sector.

New ideas and technologies were infused into established farming operations, leading to enhanced sustainability and productivity.

Land Mobility manager, John McCallister, commented: “While the chapter of the Land Mobility Scheme may be closing after six remarkable years, its legacy will forever remain a testament to the power of collaboration and progress in our farming communities.

“The bonds forged, the skills exchanged, and the innovations witnessed during this journey will continue to shape the future of our agricultural landscape.”

As the YFCU Land Mobility Scheme concludes, the organisation has expressed its gratitude to all the participants, partners, and supporters who contributed to its success.

The YFCU has said that it remains committed to its mission of empowering young farmers and promoting the vitality of the agricultural sector.

Although the Land Mobility Scheme is ending, the YFCU intends to continue to explore innovative ways to create opportunities, provide resources, and foster the growth of the next generation of agricultural leaders.

The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) plans to launch a pilot scheme called Farming for the Generations over the coming months.  

This programme will deliver a wide range of support for farming families, where the transfer of their farm business from one generation to another is concerned.

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The incident happened in the Creeveroe Road area of the county.

Police received a report of the incident on August 19, and the Dog Warden received a report on August 22.

The type of dog involved in the attack is unknown; there have been no reports of strays in the area and there are no witnesses.

In Northern Ireland, it is a criminal offence to allow a dog on any land containing livestock unless the dog is under control – which is defined as “restrained by a chain or other sufficient leash held by a person exercising proper control over the dog”.

The Dog (Northern Ireland) Order 1993 also stated that if a dog worries sheep (attacks or kills sheep or chases them in a way that may cause injury, suffering or financial loss to their owner) the person in charge of that dog is guilty of an offence. The penalty for this offence is a fine of up to £1,000.

NFU Mutual estimates that farm animals worth £165,000 were severely injured or killed by dogs in Northern Ireland last year.

Across the UK as a whole, it estimates £1.8 million worth of farm animals were killed or injured by dogs in 2022.

Earlier today, Agriland UK reported on a livestock worrying incident in Wales, whereby four pregnant cows died following a suspected dog chase.

As a result of being chased, the cows fell down a steep embankment and sustained “catastrophic injuries”, Welsh police said.

“This incident will result in a significant financial loss to the farmer as well as the emotional impact of finding his stock in such terrible circumstances,” police added.

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The first of these will be held in Derry tomorrow Thursday, August 31.

It will be followed by an event in Belfast on Tuesday September 5. The final consultation will be hosted online on Thursday, September 7.

All the events will be hosted by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA).

A spokesperson for Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) said that it is in farmers’ interests to both attend and express their views on the issue of future carbon budgets at these events.

The union is also expecting to attend a specific briefing with DAERA, where carbon budgets are concerned, over the coming weeks.

“There will be one joint sector meeting for agriculture plus Land Use, Land-Use Change and Forestry [LULUCF] stakeholders,” a spokesperson for the UFU said.

“The union will be invited to this meeting.”

William Taylor of Farmers for Action (FFA) confirmed that his organisation will be actively participating in the public consultation.

“Agriculture is more than capable of meeting its climate change commitments. But farmers must get paid adequately for the food they produce,” he said.

Taylor highlighted the role for FFA’s proposed Farm Welfare Bill in this context.

If legislated for, the measure envisages farmers being paid a price that takes full account of all input costs plus an agreed margin to deliver ongoing sustainability at farm level.

All the main food commodities produced in Northern Ireland would be covered in the scope of the legislation that is finally enacted.

FFA envisages the cost of these measures being met by food retailers – not a government body.

“The legislation would also serve to keep out imports of beef from countries such as Australia and Brazil,” Taylor commented.

“From a climate change perspective alone, it makes no sense to import food that is already in abundance locally from half way around the world.

“At the end of the day accelerated climate change comes back to the issue of burning fossil fuels. The continuing wildfires in countries around the world represent a wake-up call for society as a whole, where this critically important issue is concerned.

“A 75% reduction in the usage of fossil fuels would get us to where we need to be in terms of greenhouse gas emission targets,” he concluded.

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These sessions will be held in person and online, beginning tomorrow (Thursday, August 31) and will provide an opportunity for people to have their say on how climate change should be tackled.

The findings will then set an agreed carbon budget and targets and will help inform Northern Ireland's first Climate Action Plan.

The Climate Action Plan specifies a requirement for a 16-week consultation on the first carbon budget which runs until October 11.

DAERA will carry out significant stakeholder engagement during the 16 weeks of this consultation to meet with, receive feedback and hear the opinions of a wide range of stakeholders.

NI emissions targets

In June, DAERA launched Northern Ireland’s first ever consultation on carbon budgets for 2023-2027, 2028-2032 and 2033-2037, as well as the interim targets that should be set for 2030 and 2040 for reductions in greenhouse gases (GHGs) and emissions in Northern Ireland.

A carbon budget is the maximum total amount of emissions permitted for a budgetary period, measured in tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e), with the first period being 2023-2027 and every five years thereafter.

DAERA is also seeking views through the consultation on the UK Climate Change Committee (CCC) recommended 'Path to Net Zero' for Northern Ireland and is keen to hear from individuals, businesses, communities, and other organisations from across Northern Ireland.

The purpose of the CCC is to advise the UK and devolved governments on emissions targets and to report to parliament on progress made in reducing GHG emissions and responding to the impacts of climate change.

DAERA

DAERA, through these consultations, seeks to discover new policies, programmes, and approaches to decision-making on investment that are needed to secure the necessary progress towards net zero.

The CCC has a recommended agriculture sector pathway that DAERA is considering within the context of the policies and proposals contained within the ministerial decisions on future agricultural policy announced in March 2022.

These proposals "assume" that there will be a "significant reduction in livestock numbers" in Northern Ireland, based on "the assumption that the consumption of livestock products in the UK will fall and that this will lead to an equal reduction in Northern Ireland livestock numbers".

Feedback is being sought on these considerations from the public regarding many different agricultural topics, along with issues in other sectors, including transport, buildings, energy, business and industrial, waste, and fisheries.

The first of the public consultation events will be held in Co. Derry tomorrow from 2:00p.m-4:30p.m at Foyle Valley Railway Museum and North West Learning Disability Centre.

On Tuesday, September 5, a further in-person event will take place at Belfast City Hall from 2:00p.m- 4:30p.m, while those unable to attend the event in person can join a public consultation online on Thursday, September 7, between 7:00p.m and 8:30p.m.

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The recent farm walk hosted by Fivemiltown-based, pedigree Angus breeder – Ian Browne – provided a perfect platform for an in depth discussion on this subject.

Ian farms with his son Harry on a productive grassland farm, located right on the border between counties Tyrone and Fermanagh.

Their pedigree Angus herd comprises 100 cows and followers. It is one of the most significant breeding operations of its kind in Northern Ireland. Ian and Harry also keep a small number of pedigree Hereford cattle.

Their Angus herd contains 20 red-coloured breeding females.

“The vast bulk of our customers are dairy farmers looking to buy black Aberdeen Angus bulls,” Ian explained.

“They are looking for an animal that will produce a high quality calf that is eligible for all of the current Aberdeen Angus beef quality schemes.

“However, there is a growing demand for red Angus bulls within the suckler sector. When crossed, with a Charolais cow, for example, the resulting calf has that deep cream colour that is widely sought by beef finishers.”

Black or red Aberdeen Angus

According to Ian Browne, there is no difference in the overall performance levels that can be achieved by red and black coloured Angus cattle.

“The difference in coat colour is the only factor coming into play,” he explained.

Crossing a red Aberdeen Angus bull with a black cow will always produce a black calf and vice versa. The production of a red calf will only be guaranteed when a red bull is crossed with a red cow.

“However, the red trait can come through in the second generation,” Ian added.

“We have 20 red cows in the herd at the present time. The plan is to keep numbers at this level.”

It turns out that Europe is out of step with the rest of the world, where red Aberdeen Angus cattle predominate.

They are the predominant Angus option in the United States, Canada, across South America and Australia.

Red is a naturally occurring colour trait within the Aberdeen Angus breed; it is not a mutation.

It has been the case that black cattle have been chosen as the bloodlines of choice in the UK and Ireland for many generations.

Genetic assessment has confirmed that, coat colour apart, red Angus animals are identical to the Scottish population of Aberdeen Angus cattle.

Today, red Angus stock are registered separately from black Angus cattle in Australia, Canada, and the United States.  

Red Angus cattle are naturally polled. Mature bulls have an average live weight of 935kg; the equivalent figure for cows is 635kg.

The Scottish Angus is usually black, but red individuals occur. This may be the consequence of cross-breeding in the 18th century of the small Scottish cattle with larger English Longhorn stock, aimed at increasing their draught power.  

Management

Making best use of grazed grass is an absolute priority for Ian Browne. He puts the bulls out with the cows and heifers at the beginning of July.

This means that the first calves of the year are not born until April.

“The vast majority of our mature cows will calve outdoors without assistance,” Ian commented.

“Obviously, we keep a closer eye on first-calving heifers. We do not feed creep to calves at all. The only animals on the farm receiving meal are young breeding bulls in preparation for sale.

“Our breeding bulls are sold at around 18 months of age. They are brought together in groups of 10 with potential buyers given full access to all the animals for sale at a particular time.”

The myriad quality beef schemes continue to encourage demand for Aberdeen Angus cattle across the island of Ireland. As part of this, all pedigree Angus cattle are fully genotyped at birth.

The beef industry across the UK and Ireland is changing with dairy calf-to-beef systems rising in prominence.

Farmers adopting these systems are more than happy to work with Aberdeen Angus cross calves, provided they are of a suitable quality.

College of Agriculture Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) beef and sheep advisor, Gareth Beacom, was the guest speaker at the farm walk hosted by Ian Browne.

Courtesy of his presentation, he highlighted the central role that grazed grass can play within all livestock production systems.

“Grazed grass remains the cheapest feed that farmers can offer their stock. It costs 6p to produce one kg of grass dry matter; the equivalent figures for silage and concentrates are 12p and 27p respectively,” Beacom explained.

“GrassCheck figures confirm that grass crude protein figures will remain at around 20% throughout the grazing season.

“This fact alone makes grass a very valuable feed input, when one compares the cost of procuring meals with a similar protein value.

“However, the energy contained within grass swards will vary throughout the year, decreasing as the autumn period approaches,” he added.

Beacom explained that it is possible to finish cattle on grazed grass alone during the early summer period adding that offering meals at this stage is simply adding costs for no reason.

“The cattle will take the meals offered to them. But they will only be substituting the concentrate for the grass that is already available to them,” Gareth added.

“Maximising the energy intake of cattle during the finishing period is crucially important. This ensures that the animals have the correct level of fat cover.

“Animals can be finished at grass during the autumn period. But meal supplementation will be necessary in order to ensure that energy intakes are at the correct levels.”#

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Marren also co-founded Astatine, a company based on renewable energy, with plans for advancements in the dairy sector.

He claims that heat pumps in the dairy industry can reduce the gas consumption on milk drying factories by 50% and the cheese factories by 100%.

He added that heat pumps can typically provide four times as much efficiency gains compared to a traditional heating system.

Despite the efficiency Marren claims these pumps will bring to the industry, he said he admits that the government’s plans of expansion in the area is “not feasible whatsoever”.

In 2021, according to Eurostat, only 6.8% of Ireland’s heat was generated by renewable energy.

As part of the Climate Action Plan 2021, the Irish government made plans to replace oil and solid fuel boilers with heat pumps which will be operated by renewable electricity sources such as solar PV panels.

Industrial heat

The government’s plan is to install 400,000 heat pumps and carry out 500,000 home energy upgrades by 2030.

Marren said that at the moment, Astatine installs about 60,000 heat pumps/year. To reach the government’s goal, then the company would have to install about 8,000/month.

“The supply chain isn’t there and there’s a lot of decisions you would have to get from people to allow that to happen,” Marren said.

The company has reached out to the government for “short- and medium-term support” to help reach climate targets.

“If we can go industry by industry, it will be easier to achieve goals,” Marren said.

Astatine is currently engaging in business with major milk processors in both the north and south of Ireland.

Marren said in its third year of business, Astatine typically sees a “two to three-year pay back on the installation”, therefore government support would only be temporary.

An installation grant is available to buyers from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) for up to 30% investment in renewable heating systems using: Air source, ground source, and water source heat pumps.

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According to the organisation, this has been triggered by a damaging mix of rising input costs and falling returns, with no signs of any early improvement.

UFU president David Brown commented: “This is as serious a financial situation as many farmers can remember.

“The industry has always had a good and a positive relationship with the banks and farmers have been valued and profitable customers for generations.

“That is why the banks need to do more to respond to this crisis, particularly as the nights drawing in confirms more costly times are on the way for farm businesses.”

Banks should support farmers

The UFU said farmers facing financial difficulties often feel alone, but that this is certainly not the case now.  

According to David Brown, this is why farming families need the reassurance that banks will work with them to get through this crisis.  

“We are receiving an increasing number of calls from members, and it is depressingly clear there are problems across the industry on farms of all sizes and enterprises,” Brown continued.

“The current market prices are unsustainable and once again, the primary producer is taking the brunt of the price squeeze.

Global dairy markets remain difficult, due to ample global supplies of dairy products and weaker demand, particularly from China. Market assessments for a better final quarter to 2023 now look wide of the mark by a long way.”

The UFU president explained that beef and sheep prices have been, and remain, poor, and input costs are rising relentlessly.

The union has said that against that background, all banks need to do more now to engage with their farming customers in a discussion around what products are available to help ease cash flow problems.

“The UFU will be engaging with banks and other credit providers to ensure farmers are properly supported over the coming months. This is an approach that will head off potentially even more difficult months ahead for farmers and the banks – a clear case of it making sense to talk,” Brown said.

Ulster Bank

Ulster Bank’s head of agriculture, Cormac McKervey, has confirmed that dairy margins in Northern Ireland are coming under pressure.

“The dairy sector is coming under significant economic pressure at the present time. But the industry has been here before,” he said.

“The structure of Northern Ireland’s milk sector is inherently stable. And Ulster Bank will aim to support customers over the coming months.” 

Farming in Northern Ireland came into 2023 with total borrowings in the form of loans and overdrafts sitting at around £1.1 billon.

Monies on account have risen steadily in recent years with that figure currently sitting at around £500 million.

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Blue-green algae has been detected in multiple locations across Northern Ireland, including Lough Neagh and Lough Erne, and can potentially produce toxins that may be fatal to livestock and pets.

“The key reason is that excess nutrients are entering our water bodies, primarily from agricultural land use activities and from waste water pressures,” it said in a statement to Agriland.

“Algal blooms occur naturally due to the combination of factors such as water temperature, water clarity, sunlight and nutrient availability.

“However, excess nutrients can compound blooms and lead to the growth of blue-green algae, exacerbated by invasive Zebra mussels leading to clearer water conditions.”

DAERA, as well as the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA), has been the subject of criticism on social media in recent weeks due to the water pollution incidences.

Lead singer of punk band The Undertones, Feargal Sharkey, has been active on Twitter regarding incidences of water pollution in Northern Ireland and Great Britain.

In one post, Sharkey agreed with a Twitter user that the department was “complicit in creating this ecological disaster”.

DAERA has said it is fully committed to protecting the environment and working with partners to ensure Northern Ireland’s waterways are healthy.

It said the pollution incidences in the lakes may see algae wash up on any part of the shoreline.

“Farmers and pet owners should ensure that animals do not have access to water that appears to be subject to a bloom, as the algae can potentially produce toxins that may be fatal to livestock / pets,” it said.

The department said it recognises that work must be done to improve water quality and reduce pollution in Northern Ireland, but said responsibility for this does not just fall on itself and the NIEA.

“Whilst it is recognised that significant pieces of work are progressing, improvements in water quality will take a considerable period of sustained effort over many years, and DAERA and NIEA cannot deliver this on their own.

“Every person in Northern Ireland needs to consider how their behaviour impacts on the water environment. We all have a part to play in this long-term effort to positively contribute to a sustained improvement in the status of our water bodies.”

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He made the call against the backdrop of further pressure coming on international milk markets.

“There is little prospect of dairy markets improving before the end of this year,” Elliott said.

“Given this challenging scenario, it is important for milk processors and meal companies to be mindful of the pressures that are already coming on dairy farmer margins.

“Obviously, milk producers will have no option to tighten their belts. But, in truth, it really is a case of everyone involved within the dairy sector cooperating in the most effective way possible.

“Dairy markets will strengthen again; the problem is that no one is in a position to predict when this will happen,” he added.

Farmers in Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland is home to 300,000 cows. It is estimated that 50% of these animals will calve during the autumn and early winter period. It is a form of milk production that requires a high level of concentrate feeding.

“Single farm payments will be arriving in producer bank accounts during the first week of September,” Elliott continued.

“This will provide a welcome boost for farmers across all the sectors. I would urge farmers that they make best use of the single payments monies as they plan for the winter ahead.”

Elliott is to meet Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) permanent secretary, Katrina Godfrey, later this week.

“We will be discussing a number of issues relating to the upcoming budget and the continuing campaign to the reduce the levels of ammonia, produced by farm businesses in Northern Ireland,” he said.

Milk apart, Tom Elliott is of the view that agriculture in Northern Ireland enters the autumn/winner period pretty much on an even keel.

“The poultry and pig sectors had been under considerable economic pressure earlier in the year,” he said.

“But the good news is that market prices have turned in a more positive direction, where both industries are concerned.”

The post Farmers urged to work with milk processors and feed companies appeared first on Agriland.co.uk.

The company has grown to become one of the largest private sector employers in the south west Fermanagh area.

Established by Victor Wilson and David McMullen in 1973, Teemore has been to the fore in the design, supply and manufacture of livestock housing and handling equipment.

Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) president David Brown spoke at the 50^th anniversary event.

He highlighted the remarkable role played by Teemore Engineering in creating so much high-value employment opportunities in Fermanagh.

“Teemore has always been at the fore in bringing new thinking and innovation to bear in terms of the products and services it provides.

“In turn, this has been of huge benefit to farmers throughout the island of Ireland and the UK.”

Victor Wilson added: “The vision for the business has always been to develop new engineering concepts that will deliver greater levels of efficiency within agriculture.

“Looking back over five decades, I take great satisfaction from the fact that Teemore Engineering has such a strong reputation in this regard.

“I would like to particularly thank all our customers for their support, so many of whom come back to us time after time.”

Support for Teemore Engineering

Victor Wilson thanked Fermanagh Council and numerous government support agencies for the support received over many years.

Colin Wilson, the current managing director of Teemore, commented: “I believe we can look forward to an extremely bright future.

“We have recently committed to a £1 million investment programme at the company, one which will allow us to significantly expand the scope of the business. This project will get underway in early 2024.”

Teemore currently employs 55 people, generating an annual turnover of approximately £16 million.

The company supplies a selection of housing, flooring, fencing, feeding and bespoke animal management solutions for farmers in the dairy, beef, sheep and equine sectors.

“Farm businesses face pressure to become more sustainable. Lowering emissions and increasing productivity through better animal husbandry and welfare are seen as key strategic goals for the future,” Colin Wilson said.

“Advancements in housing technologies and correct equipment will reduce ammonia emissions, improve animal health and comfort, and reduce the need for medical intervention.

“These will essentially lead to more sustainable farming businesses achieving higher levels of productivity.”

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The agricultural research charity said summer 2023 has been “particularly challenging” for Northern Ireland’s dairy, beef and sheep farmers.

In partnership with the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) and the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI), AgriSearch will hold its first webinar – ‘Autumn Options for Beef‘ – on Wednesday, August 30 at 8:00p.m.

The second webinar – ‘Autumn Options for Dairy‘ – will take place on Thursday, August 31 at 8:00p.m.

AgriSearch said topics to be addressed at the webinars include: forage planning and budgeting; options for dealing with poorer quality silage; proactive steps that can be taken to safeguard animal health; and what can be done to help farming businesses get through this “challenging period”.

“After a dry May and June, there has been almost incessant rain which has affected grass quality and hampered silage making,” it said.

“Ground conditions in many areas have been challenging with stock having to be housed at times.”

AgriSearch said these conditions have “not been conducive” to livestock health and performance, and said that it is likely that many of the silages being fed to livestock this winter will be “sub-optimal”.

“At the same time farmers are facing a cost/price squeeze with the cost of purchased feed remaining near historical highs and prices for milk, beef and lamb all under pressure.”

Those interested in attending the webinars can register via the AgriSearch website.

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“With the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, it would not surprise anybody to know that rural communities reliant on heating oil are being disproportionately hit," he said.

“Around 82% of the population who reside in rural areas are heavily reliant on heating oil, which trades in an unregulated market.

“This is further exasperated due to the size and age of some rural buildings which are less fuel efficient, therefore this leads to more costs for the rural community.”

Elliott claims that this will negatively affect the local economy of rural areas, as less spending power by the consumer leads to less money being put back into the local economy.

Rural fuel poverty

Elliott continued: “It is important that government should review regulation of the fuel services provision to ensure that severe spikes in fuel costs can be avoided.”

The rate of fuel poverty in Northern Ireland currently stands at 22%. There are three factors coming into play – income, the cost of energys and the domestic energy efficiency of houses.

There are two schemes currently operating, both managed by the north’s Department of the Communities, which specifically addresses the challenge of fuel poverty.

The Boiler Replacement Scheme is for owner-occupiers whose total gross income is less than £40,000 and is to help with the cost of replacing boilers which are 15 years old or older with new boilers.

The Affordable Warmth Scheme is the Department for Communities’ scheme for addressing fuel poverty in the private sector.

It is delivered across Northern Ireland on behalf of the department by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive and 11 local councils. Households that have a total gross annual income of less than £20,000 can apply.

Measures are also in place to temporarily increase the Winter Fuel Payment lump sum available in Northern Ireland by £300 for winter 2023/2024.

Normally, people aged 66-79 receive lump sums up to £200 as a winter fuel payment, and people aged 80 or over receive up to £300, depending on their circumstances.

However, last November saw the UK’s Chancellor of the Exchequer announce further support to help with the cost-of-living crisis. This includes an increase of £300 to winter fuel payments for the winter of 2023/2024.

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This is the computer-based facility that delivers full traceability for Northern Ireland’s cattle and sheep sectors.

The service went down on Sunday evening (August 20) as part of a greater IT ‘crash’ across many of Northern Ireland’s civil service departments.

Large queues of farmers with cattle due for slaughter had built up at a number of meat plants yesterday morning (Monday, August 21).

The incident left many farmers wanting to know why adequate back-up facilities have not been put in place by DAERA when IT problems of this nature arise.

Upgrade of APHIS

Meanwhile, plans remain in place to upgrade APHIS to the Northern Ireland Food Animal Information System (NIFAIS) on Monday, September 4.

This is a project that has been beset with delays. A number of previous attempts have been made to complete this transition, all ending in delay.

DAERA has already spent millions of pounds putting the replacement for APHIS in place.

The project is years behind schedule and has already been the focus of a report from the office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG) for Northern Ireland.

The C&AG referenced a litany of mistakes and shortcomings that relate to the introduction of NIFAIS. Many of these were apparent from the very outset of the project.

The end result has been years of delay in getting a feasible alternative to APHIS off the ground plus the escalating costs associated with all of this.

The effective introduction of NIFAIS is a priority for Northern Ireland’s beef, dairy and sheep sectors.

For the last decade or more, APHIS was lauded as the system that gives Northern Ireland’s food sectors that all-important advantage on export markets, where guarantees of full traceability from farm to fork are concerned.

The post DAERA confirms APHIS is up and running again appeared first on Agriland.co.uk.

ABP received its award nomination in the ‘Impact in your Community’ category in the annual awards, organised by Business in the Community.

The awards aim to recognise, reward and celebrate impactful businesses that are taking practical action in their communities.

ABP’s community investment has a particular focus on rural areas and the agricultural sector.

The company has sites in Newry, Lurgan, Dungannon and Lisnaskea, and the investment in these areas extends from supporting the education and skills of young people, to its involvement in the Balmoral Show for the past 25 years.

ABP in the community

ABP’s support for secondary- and third-level education includes the ABP Angus Youth Challenge which opens for entries for 14-15-year-old children again this September.

ABP is also actively planning to enhance its long-standing bursary support of students at the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) Greenmount and Loughry Campus by offering a scholarship specifically for students of the Sustainable Agriculture Degree.

In addition, ABP provides funding to Reach Mentoring in support of teenagers at risk of dropping out of school.

In May, at the Balmoral Show, ABP replaced its traditional marquee stand with an agricultural building which it donated to the charity, Rural Support, as a raffle prize.

This resulted in £64,000 being raised in six weeks for Rural Support’s bereaved farming family support programme, Life Beyond.

ABP is also a brand sponsor of the HEMS Northern Ireland Air Ambulance, an emergency service which provides a vital lifeline in isolated and rural areas.

2022 award winners

Last year, ABP won the Education Partnership Award at the Responsible Business Awards for the ABP Angus Youth Challenge.

The ABP Angus Youth Challenge is an immersive ‘farm-to-fork’ learning experience in food production for teenagers in years 11-12.

Students competed via video submissions and exhibitions for a place on a finalist programme, where finalists won a mini-herd of calves to rear through to beef.

Their project promoted the importance of farming and food production in the UK and examined the beneficial role that agriculture plays in the community.

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The sale is proceeding despite Northern Ireland’s livestock traceability system, or Animal and Public Health Information System (APHIS), having ‘crashed’ since yesterday (Sunday, August 20)

Auctioneer, Hampton Hewitt, told Agriland: “Assuming that APHIS is still not operating, mart staff will process all the relevant permits manually.

“But this will take time. We would specifically ask all vendors to reference their farm quality assured status on incoming permits.

“We will issue an outgoing permit to all buyers. All relevant data will be uploaded onto APHIS, once the system comes back online.”

APHIS off-line

APHIS went down on Sunday as part of a wider IT malfunction that impacted most of Northern Ireland’s civil service departments.

Queues of farmers with cattle to be slaughtered had been forming at some meat plants since earlier this morning (Monday, August 21).

A representative from the north’s meat industry confirmed to Agriland that cattle held in lairages overnight had been slaughtered first thing this morning on welfare grounds.

Vets will check through the paperwork on these animals as soon as APHIS comes back online.

The plants have been in touch with farmers scheduled to deliver cattle today, advising them not to take cattle in for slaughter.

Upgrade of the system

Meanwhile, the upgrade of APHIS to the Northern Ireland Food Animal Information System (NIFAIS) remains set to take place on Monday, September 4.

Because the transfer of all bovine data to NIFAIS from APHIS is a complex process and to reduce the risk of data loss or corruption, there will be restrictions on bovine tuberculosis (bTB) testing throughout a three-week period, from August 21 to September 11, 2023.

Reactor testing will take place during weeks one and three of the schedule.

There may be a short delay in the removal of reactors due to a reduction in the processing of valuations on APHIS and the generation of movement licences. 

Any disruption is expected to be kept to a minimum and reactors must remain isolated until removed.

The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) said it will be working with all parties to ensure any delays in paying compensation are minimised.

Tag suppliers will have restricted access to NIFAIS during the weekend of September 2 and 3, 2023, so people are being advised to place orders for tags in advance of these dates.

The post Markethill cattle sale to go ahead despite APHIS malfunction appeared first on Agriland.co.uk.

The list comprises Zone 2 of the Soil Nutrient Health Scheme (SNHS), the Forestry Expansion Scheme (FES) and the Small Woodland Grant Scheme.

Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) agriculture spokesperson, Tom Elliott, is encouraging all farmers in the Fermanagh, west Tyrone and west Armagh catchment area to sign-up for Zone 2 of the SNHS.

“This is a very beneficial measure. It will provide detailed soil-related information on every field within a farming business,” the MLA explained.

“So it makes total sense for all farmers to sign up for the new measure; the application deadline is Thursday, August 31.

“I have filled in a number of Zone 2 applications on behalf of constituents. These are quite straightforward forms to complete.”

Elliott said he is also mindful of the fact that failure on the part of farmers to sign-up for the SNHS rules them ineligible for future farm support measures.

“Obviously, this is another key reason for all farmers to sign-up for the new soil scheme,” he said.

Other farming schemes in Northern Ireland

Meanwhile Premier Woodlands managing director, John Hetherington, has confirmed that 2023 is the first year in which FES will be fully supported by UK national funding.

“Up to this point, an element of European Union (EU) support had been available for the scheme,” he said.

“Looking ahead, it seems likely that FES, or a scheme similar to it, will be continued into the future, possibly with ongoing revisions or updates.

“The bottom line is that forestry and woodland development remain long-term investment opportunities for farmers and landowners. And they need certainty, where future planning of this kind is required.”      

Forest Service has confirmed that 50,000ha of new woodland creation will need to be planted out in trees by 2050 as part of a cohesive response to the climate change regulations that are now legally binding in Northern Ireland.

And this new planting target could be increased further by an additional 20,000ha to compensate for forest to bog restoration peatland previously planted out in trees mainly within the Forest Service Estate.

These figures were unveiled at a recent stakeholder meeting, hosted by Forest Service.

Hetherington, who was in attendance commented: “The overarching target is to have 12% of Northern Ireland’s total land area planted in trees by 2050.

“The scale of the actual planting areas is a direct consequence of the binding target that is now legislated for within the Northern Ireland Climate Change Act.

“It’s my understanding that Forest Service will be publishing an action plan, one that clarifies how this future tree-planting strategy will be implemented.”

According to the Premier Woodlands representative, annual tree planting rates of up to 2,500ha will have to be achieved between now and 2050, if the climate change targets are to be met.

“This is almost 10 times the current planting figure,” he added. 

The post August 31 deadline for several farming schemes in NI appeared first on Agriland.co.uk.

The end result is that Northern Ireland’s movement permit system is not currently operating.

Queues of farmers with cattle to be slaughtered had been forming at some meat plants since earlier this morning (Monday, August 21).

A representative from the north’s meat industry confirmed to Agriland that cattle held in lairages overnight had been slaughtered first thing this morning on welfare grounds.

Vets will check through the paperwork on these animals as soon as APHIS comes back online.

The plants have been in touch with farmers scheduled to deliver cattle today, advising them not to take cattle in for slaughter.

However, some farmers had not been contacted in time. Those who managed to get their cattle through the gates of the plants have been allowed to offload their animals; they will be placed in lairage and slaughtered as a matter of priority.

Those who were left queuing outside the gates of premises were advised of developments and asked to take their cattle back home.

The Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) has confirmed that the APHIS crash is part of a larger IT malfunction within Northern Ireland’s entire public service.

It is not known when APHIS will come back online. The union said it is enquiring into this issue as a matter of priority.  

APHIS

Using APHIS online, farmers can:

• Register cattle births, deaths and stillborns;
• Produce movement notification of cattle moving off the herd to market, abattoir or farm;
• Confirm cattle movements into a herd;
• Use APHIS as the herd book
• View and download a herd list including information about animals DAERA statuses, TB and Br test results and export eligibility;
• View movement and progeny history of every animal in a herd;
• View post- and ante-mortem details of slaughtered animals;
• Produce a report to count and classify animals in accordance with the Nitrate Action Programme.

The post Queues at meat plants as APHIS computer system crashes appeared first on Agriland.co.uk.

The organisation was formed in 1997 to help dairy, beef and sheep farmers become directly involved with production-oriented research.

AgriSearch is an independent charity, incorporated as a company limited by guarantee.

The person appointed to the new post will work alongside AgriSearch general manager, Jason Rankin.

AgriSearch chairman, Prof. Gerry Boyle commented: “The new person will take on a lot of the day-to-day administration activities. The reality is that Jason cannot be expected to do all of the work involved with AgriSearch by himself. He needs help.

“The appointment of the new operations manager will allow Jason to take on a more strategic role within the organisation.”

AgriSearch support

Boyle said he is very conscious that a myriad new farm support and climate change-related measures will be introduced.

He has made it clear that AgriSearch will not seek to play any role as a delivery agent in this context. Rather the organisation will seek to ensure that all new schemes will be implemented in the most efficient way possible.

“And we can do this by nudging organisations, including Queen’s University Belfast and the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute, in the right direction in terms of the research work they carry out,” he added.

“AgriSearch is unique on the island of Ireland in securing its funding exclusively by way of levies collected from dairy, beef and sheep farmers.”

Meanwhile, an opportunity has arisen for an independent farmer trustee to join the board of AgriSearch.

The successful applicant will be actively involved in livestock farming and may have experience of working with the voluntary sector.

The appointed person will be able to demonstrate a strong interest in Northern Ireland’s agri-food sector; the challenges it faces and the role that science can play in addressing these.

Gerry Boyle explained: “Trustees have considerable influence over the strategy of the organisation and play an important role in its effectiveness.

“The Trustees are responsible for ensuring that the organisation operates according to its constitution and that the financial management of the organisation is sound.”

Boyle explained that in recent years, AgriSearch’s role has grown from mainly being a co-funder of research to taking a much more active role in leading projects and acting as a liaison between researchers, advisors and the industry.

“It also has a key role in articulating the research and innovation needs of beef, sheep and dairy farmers,” Boyle said.

“AgriSerach now has a pivotal role within the research and knowledge exchange functions for Northern Ireland’s ruminant livestock sector.”

The post AgriSearch to appoint new operations manager appeared first on Agriland.co.uk.

This was the key take-home message delivered by Signet Breeding geneticist, Sam Boon, during his presentation to the recent EasyCare sheep open evening, hosted by Co. Antrim flock owner Campbell Tweed,

According to Boon, 2023 marks 50 years of the Agricultural and Horticultural Development Board (AHDB) Signet programme in the UK, a period of time that has seen a revolution in the science associated with the performance recording of sheep.

“The good news is that the rate of genetic gain within the sheep sector is now increasing at an exponential rate. And this is tremendous news for commercial flock owners,” he explained.

“It is now possible to breed for so many traits that are performance recorded.

“These include ewe longevity and the ability of a ewe to rear her lambs. Lamb growth rates remain a critically important trait to assess within all sheep enterprises.”

Sheep recording

Boon went on to point out that the numbers of sheep being recorded does matter. The larger the population of sheep under assessment, the faster rate of genetic gain that can be achieved.

“Where sheep are concerned, the generational interval is quite small. Hence the potential to drive genetic progress that much faster,” he commented.

In the case of Campbell Tweed’s Ballycoose flock, 4,000 lambs are recorded courtesy of the Signet programme on an annual basis.

Campbell also utilises the recording facilities available through Sheep Ireland.

Parasite resistance

Specifically, where parasite resistance to wormers within sheep flocks is concerned, Boon stressed the important role that genetic evaluations can play into the future.

But is the challenge one that centres solely on genetic resistance or should flock owners be breeding for flock resilience, where these matters are concerned?

Research has identified genetic differences between sheep in the strength of their acquired resistance to internal worm parasites.

If these differences can be identified by measurements in sheep, this trait can be incorporated into genetic evaluations and improved through selective breeding.

But selection for resistance alone comes at a cost, which can result in a reduction in overall performance.

In the opinion of Sam Boon, flock owners should select for resistance in conjunction with other performance traits, such as growth rate, carcase quality and maternal ability.

Carbon footprint

According to the Signet breeding specialist, ongoing genetic assessment will also allow farmers to identify sheep with a low carbon footprint.

July of this year saw the sheep sector in England awarded £2.9 million by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (Defra) in order to specifically identify animals with a low carbon footprint.

This work will constitute a three-year initiative. The project has been titled ‘Breed for CH4nge’.

It will measure methane emissions from a total of 13,500 sheep in 45 flocks, collect the necessary data and build and develop the tools required to genetically reduce methane emissions and improve the efficiency of the national flock.

The initiative will eventually demonstrate the impact of low-carbon sheep on whole farm carbon footprints.

Signet is one of a number of organisations delivering scientific expertise to the project.

“AHDB is delighted to share news of our involvement in ‘Breed for CH4nge’, an industry collaboration that will help to breed sheep with a naturally low carbon footprint,” Boon continued.

“There are a number of exciting elements to the project that align closely to AHDB’s research interests, and the genetic services delivered by Signet.

“The project will enhance our knowledge of genomics, breeding for parasite resistance and CT scanning, whilst assessing the benefits of using Portable Accumulation Chambers to predict methane emissions in grazing sheep.”

The Ballycoose flock

Ballycoose farm is home to 3,000 EasyCare ewes.

The entire operation is managed by three full-time staff. This, in itself, is a very powerful illustration of what ‘EasyCare’ sheep management is all about.

Campbell took the decision of going down the self-shedding route after the wool price crash of 1999.

His initial investment centred on the acquisition of Wiltshire Horn rams, which he purchased in Northern Ireland. Up to that point, the Ballycoose flock comprised a mix of Newton Stewart Blackface and Colbred ewes.

Within a relatively short period of years, he fully committed to the EasyCare breed, the first of which he imported from Iolo Owen in Wales.

The EasyCare is a composite breed of sheep comprising mostly Welsh Mountain and Wiltshire Horn bloodlines. It was developed almost 60 years ago with breed members specifically selected for their wool-shedding and polled traits.

10 years prior to his switch to self-shedding sheep, Campbell had committed to complete animal recording within the flock.

“There is no splitting of the flock into groups. Each lamb is tagged at birth and, thereafter, electronically recorded on a regular basis throughout the period of its stay on the farm,” he explained.

“From a breeding point of view, we cull on a consistent basis.

“Obviously, we will assist any ewe that has a problem lambing. However, that female and her lambs will not be retained for further breeding purposes. Nor will we sell these animals on to other breeders; they are all sent for slaughter at the appropriate time.

“We take a similar approach, where lameness is concerned. Obviously, any animal can succumb to a problem of this kind. However, if the issue arises again, after the initial treatment, it will not be retained for breeding.”

EasyCare sheep

Campbell believes that EasyCare sheep have a key role to play on sheep farms of all types.

“They are particularly suited to flock owners who work from 9:00a.m to 5:00p.m between Monday and Friday. To a large extent, the sheep can manage themselves,” Tweed said.

Campbell is currently selling both breeding EasyCare ewes and lambs to flock owners throughout Ireland and the UK.

“We are offering fully recorded stock that can add significantly to any sheep enterprise. Demand for EasyCare bloodlines is on the up and this trend shows no sign of diminishing,” he said.

He is quick to confirm that the self-shedding ability of the breed is a big selling point.

“Back when Blackface sheep were our main focus, we would have sold up to 7t of wool on an annual basis,” Campbell further explained.

“Last year that figure dropped to around 600kg.”

On the back of the commitment to comprehensive sheep recording, demand for Ballycoose bloodlines is increasing on an international basis.

In 2020 EasyCare rams were selected by Shrewsbury based Farmgene Ltd. from the Ballycoose flock.

Progeny from this selection were sold very successfully in two sales in New Zealand earlier this year.

The post Genomics will ‘revolutionise’ performance in sheep sector appeared first on Agriland.co.uk.

However, the organisation’s coordinator, William Taylor, said he fully recognises that nothing can happen to facilitate this development while the Stormont Executive remains moth-balled.

The proposed legislation has been a cornerstone of FFA policy for the past number of years.

“FFA was established some 20 years ago to deliver sustainable prices for farmers throughout Northern Ireland,” Taylor told Agriland.

“Our Farm Welfare Bill addresses this issue from two fundamental directions; food security is one, the other relates to a comprehensive response on behalf of the entire farming industry to climate change.”

According to the FFA representative, it should be possible to have the proposed legislation passed into law within 12 months of Stormont being reinstated.

“Until recently, we thought this might happen in the run-up to Christmas. However, it now seems that we are looking at some date beyond the next Westminster election.”

Farm Welfare Bill

The Farm Welfare Bill envisages farmers being paid a price that takes full account of all input costs plus an agreed margin to deliver ongoing sustainability at farm levels.

All the main food commodities produced in Northern Ireland would be covered in the scope of the legislation that is finally enacted.

“The legislation would also serve to keep out imports of beef from countries such as Australia and Brazil,” Taylor commented.

“From a climate change perspective alone, it makes no sense to import food that is already in abundance locally, from half way around the world.”

Once legislated for in Northern Ireland, William Taylor believes that the Farm Welfare Bill will have a positive ripple effect on an all-island basis.

“The same principle holds where the rest of the UK is concerned,” he suggested.

The bill references the appointment of a Fair Farm Gate Pricing Panel, the members of which will oversee the compilation and maintenance of the relevant prices paid back to primary producers.

According to William Taylor the funding for all of this will come courtesy of the supermarkets and the corporates within the farming and food sector redistributing their profits back down the supply chain to farmers.

“Currently, the proposed legislation is resonating with many of our politicians because it highlights the stress that so many local farm families are under,” he said.

“Much of this is being generated on the back of the poor prices that farmers are receiving for their produce at the present time.”

The post Farmers For Action: Need for a Farm Welfare Bill appeared first on Agriland.co.uk.

“Barley yields were disappointing for the most part with crops ranging from 2.5t-3.5t/ac,” he said.

“Brackling was a real issue in winter barley this year with ears dropping to the ground.

“Moisture contents came in at 16% to 25%. In many cases, growers have had to factor-in a fairly hefty drying cost, in order to get grain down to 15% moisture.”

Most barley straw produced in Northern Ireland has been rounded up. But quality is poor.

Some farmers have taken the decision to chop up barley straw and plough it back in. This will be at their own cost, as there is no Straw Incorporation Measure available in Northern Ireland.

“Some growers are also lining the bottom of their silos with chopped straw. This will catch a lot of the effluent coming off the very wet grass going into pits at the present time,” Owens told Agriland.

Arable in Northern Ireland

Turning to wheat, Owens said that crops are yielding well; 3t to 4.5t/ac. But here again moisture levels are very high at 18% to 22%.

“Drying charges are adding significantly to growers’ costs across the board this year,” he commented.

Meanwhile, winter beans are turning out to be one of the success stories in Northern Ireland for 2023.

“Crops are looking well at the present time,” Owens confirmed.

“The Protein Aid Scheme, offering £300/ha for beans, has really encouraged farmers to push on with the crop.

“Beans require no chemical nitrogen while also providing a tremendous entry point for first wheats within an arable rotation.”

According to Owens, the first of this year’s spring barley crops in Northern Ireland will be desiccated within the next 10 days to a fortnight.

“The heavy rains of recent weeks actually brought on a lot of later sown crops, which were looking very poor up to that point,” he said.

“Some crops actually went down some weeks ago. This was a direct result of the heavy rain and strong winds. But it’s not the end of the world, as the crops in question were actively growing at the time.”

Silage

Meanwhile the area of crop silages grown in Northern Ireland continues to expand.

“Winter rye is proving popular with dairy and beef farmers. Crops are extremely high yielding with silages performing well from an animal performance perspective,” Owens said.

“Livestock farmers, for the most part, do not have rain drying facilities available to them. So the prospects of putting in rye during September and harvesting it as a crop silage the following July is attractive.

“Another arable silage alternative that has taken off this year is the combi-crop option of peas, spring barley and spring oats.

“Because of the peas, the crop does not require bagged nitrogen. The peas also represent a very valuable protein source at feed out, particularly for young stock.”

Looking ahead, Richard Owens believes that dedicated arable farmers in Northern Ireland will want to push ahead with a significant acreage of winter crops over the coming weeks.

“But those dairy and beef farmers who grow smaller acreages of cereals have found the harvest of 2023 a difficult one to cope with. And the jury is out on whether they will go again with a cropping option  for 2023/2024.” 

The post Arable update: Barley yields disappointing in Northern Ireland appeared first on Agriland.co.uk.

The Saintfield, Co. Down breeder, Tommy Jackson’s ram lamb, Milltown Golden Balls, sold for £20,000, with the deal arranging for a 50% share for the purchaser.

The 50% share was negotiated by Moira, Co. Down breeder James Johnston for his recently formed Broadwater flock, who first saw the lamb at the Balmoral Show in May.

At the Balmoral Show, Milltown Golden Balls was awarded male champion, finishing first out of 18 categories in the ram lamb class.

Jackson said: “We rarely sell at home when we have an animal entered for a sale.

“However, the opportunity to retain a 50% share was too good to miss, as we believe this is a special lamb that will breed well in both of our flocks.

“We wish the Johnston family all the best with their new stock ram.”

Dutch Spotted sheep

Dutch Spotted sheep hail from the Netherlands, and are a naturally polled (hornless) breed and consistently colour-mark their progeny, even in crossbreeding scenarios.  

They are multi-purpose animals, being of equal value in both hill and lowland situations.

When used with a terminal sire, they produce lambs with an exceptionally high kill-out percentage. The quality of the meat is also excellent.  

Dutch Spotted sheep have been recognised as a breed in their own right for the past 50 years. While most are located in the Netherlands, they can be seen in many flocks across Europe.

The sheep are noted for their ability to thrive on grass and to produce carcasses with exceptional meat yields.

In addition, they are easy lambing with ewes able to produce large volumes of milk. Mature females will weigh up to 95kg with rams getting up to 135kg.

The post Dutch Spotted ram lamb fetches £20,000 for NI breeder appeared first on Agriland.co.uk.

Farmers in Co. Fermanagh, west Co. Armagh and south Co. Tyrone are invited to register for Zone 2 of the scheme before the deadline of August 31, 2023.

So far, over 60% of farmers in the Zone 2 area have not applied yet for the scheme, according to the UFU.

UFU president David Brown said this figure is "extremely worrying" as farmers who fail to apply for the scheme before the deadline could lose future farm payments.

"The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) has made it clear that being part of the scheme will be a requirement for future agriculture support payments and have assured farmers that it will not use information from the scheme for regulation purposes," Brown said.

“Farm payments are critical to sustaining family farms across Northern Ireland and I do not want any of our members to lose this essential support because they missed the deadline for the soil scheme.

"If farmers in Zone 2 do not apply, it will also put them a step behind those who do. This new scheme will have massive benefits for farm businesses as well as delivering for the environment."

Soil Nutrient Health Scheme

The £37 million DAERA-funded scheme is open to all 27,000 farm businesses in Northern Ireland, with a potential for up to 700,000 fields to be sampled by the end of the project in 2026.

DAERA has said that participation in the scheme will be a condition for future Farm Sustainability Payments, which will replace the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS).

Brown said Northern Ireland is the first region to establish an "extensive baseline" of all farms on soil nutrients, below and above ground carbon stocks.

"Farmers do not want to get left behind on this," he said.

"The scheme will be critical as we progress towards climate change targets adopting a science led, evidence-based approach and will also help to improve water quality.

“I urge all farmers to make it a priority to begin their application today for the Soil Nutrient Health Scheme. Especially as some may need to reach out to their local DAERA office about their application which will require extra time.”

Zone 1 of the Soil Nutrient Health Scheme was launched in 2022 and over 90% of farmers in the southeast of Northern Ireland are taking part.

Those in the scheme also have access to online training from the department’s College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE), which helps them to interpret their soil analysis reports and prepare soil nutrient management plans.  

Director of environment and marine sciences at AFBI, Pieter-Jan Schon, said the scheme will provide farmers with “important information on soil nutrient and pH levels for each field on their farm”.

“Participation will also give these farmers access to an online portal where they can view their results and print off their farm maps.

“Farmers will receive maps showing areas at high risk of runoff and nutrient loss to watercourses and a first baseline estimate of the amount of carbon stored in their soils, hedgerows and trees.”

The post UFU worried about farmers meeting soil health scheme deadline appeared first on Agriland.co.uk.

The union said farmers across Northern Ireland are losing confidence in the future of farming as high costs of production continue.

UFU president David Brown said processors are adding to their burden as they continue to drop prices at an already difficult time for farmers.

“My phone has not cooled over the last number of weeks with dairy, beef and sheep farmers across NI in desperation after the latest drop in prices, with no justification nor reasoning,” he said.

“What we have is a case of follow-the-leader. Once one processor drops the price, the others follow suit.”

In terms of dairy, Brown said that although commodity prices have weakened, dairy companies put product into different markets which should mean differing returns.

“However, what we are seeing is a reducing differential between the highest and lowest paying processors,” he said.

“The rapid reduction in milk prices since late 2022 has outpaced any fall in input prices.”

Brown said beef prices have also “fallen significantly” by over £120/head and lamb has dropped by over £30/head.

“This means that the break even in terms of cost of production is widening and everyday our farmers are losing,” he said.

“We can’t have processors undermining farmers’ confidence. How can farmers be expected to produce high quality food to world leading standards and receive less than it costs to produce as a return? It is simply neither viable nor sustainable.”

Weather

“The wettest July on record has been headline news – but what is not being highlighted is that due to the unseasonably wet ground conditions, livestock are having to be housed much earlier than anticipated when they should be outside grazing,” Brown said.

“Livestock are having to be fed bought-in feed or in some cases, opening the first cut of silage adding additional cost and pressure for farmers, whilst feed and fertiliser prices remain at record levels.”

Brown said arable and horticulture growers have also been hit hard by the weather, as they continue to try to harvest their crops.

“These falls in prices could not have come at a worse time,” he said.

“I encourage members to contact their processors and board members and ask why the prices are falling and to pay the best price they can rather than leading any race to the bottom.

“Processors and board members must now listen to the concern of their suppliers.” 

The post ‘Relentless pressure’ from processors is unacceptable – UFU appeared first on Agriland.co.uk.

The events will be held on farms across Northern Ireland featuring speakers and overviews from the sheep farmers involved.

The farmers, locations and dates of the events are:

• Crosby Cleland, 21 Greens Road, Saintfield, Ballynahinch – Tuesday, August 22, 2023;
• David and Alexander Boyd, 15 Slievetrue, Knockagh, Newtownabbey – Thursday, August 24, 2023;
• Steven Thompson, 16 Gortnaglush Road, Dungannon – Tuesday, September 5, 2023;
• Andrew Wilson, 3 Station Road, Ballycanal, Moira – Thursday, September 7, 2023;
• Aubrey Baothwell, Derryvree House, 200 Belfast Road, Maguirebridge – Tuesday, September 12, 2023;
• Stephen Sproule, 30 Edenreagh Road, Killen, Castlederg – Thursday, September 14, 2023.

Senior CAFRE beef and sheep advisor, Stephen Flanagan, said the events will focus on key autumn flock management decisions.

“Many of these are more complicated and challenging this year given the very difficult weather conditions farmers have faced over the past two months,” he said.

Flanagan said lameness is a common and persistent problem in sheep flocks which has a negative impact on lamb growth rates, ewe fertility and longevity. 

“It has been estimated that the cost of lameness can range anywhere between £4/ewe up to £14/ewe depending on the severity of the problem,” he said.

“It is also a serious health and welfare issue causing pain and discomfort.”

Speakers at the events will include:

• Host farmers, who will provide an overview of their flock performance and management, steps taken to control and reduce ewe and lamb lameness and the steps that they are currently taking to maintain stock performance during challenging weather conditions;
• Dr. Jason Barley from the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI), who will cover the diagnosis, treatment and control of lameness in the sheep flock;
• CAFRE beef and sheep advisors, who will cover costs associated with lameness and discuss key flock management decisions that need to be taken during the autumn period.

The post CAFRE to host on-farm events aimed at cutting the cost of lameness appeared first on Agriland.co.uk.

The budget was widened as the department said there was a “phenomenal level of interest”, with 41,000 applications received by the closing date of April 20.

A total of 51 manufacturers over 17 counties in the Republic of Ireland are involved in the scheme. A further 10 are operating in Northern Ireland.

Quarries operating outside the state are not required to be licenced by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), but lime supplied must meet the specifications set down under the Marketing of Non-Eec Fertilisers Regulations law.

Limestone quarries operating outside the state, currently eligible to supply lime under the National Liming Programme 2023 include:

• Acheson & Glover, Co. Fermanagh;
• Armagh Limestone;
• OMYA UK Ltd, Co. Antrim;
• Northstone (Carmean), Co. Derry;
• Kilwaughter Minerals, Larne, Co. Antrim;
• W.G. Mills (Loughgall), Co. Armagh;
• B. McCaffrey (Derrylin), Co. Fermanagh;
• Armagh City Quarries;
• B. McCaffrey (Drumquin), Co. Tyrone;
• R.J. Mitten & Sons, Co. Fermanagh.

The list will be added to as test results are provided by quarries and verified by DAFM to meet the National Liming Programme requirements.

A full list of participants in the Republic of Ireland is available on the DAFM’s website.

Lime prices

Agriland has compiled a selection of prices for lime from operating quarries involved in the National Liming Programme.

It should be noted that these figures are based on the cost of Ex Works ground limestone per tonne, and are simply the figures observed at the time of writing (Tuesday, August 15).

Looking at five different providers in the Northern Ireland, prices varied from the lowest of £17.70/t to the highest at £20/t.

Prices averaged at £18.90/t. As of today (Tuesday, August 15), one pound is worth €1.16.

Variation in prices between the north and south remained low.

Out of five different participants Agriland received figures from in the Republic of Ireland, the lowest price stood at €18/t.

The highest recorded price was €25/t and the average price of all five stood at €21.

Eligibility

All eligible applicants for funding under the Liming Programme will receive a letter of approval from the department shortly, confirming their eligible tonnage of lime.

Invoices can be uploaded for eligible applicants that have already purchased and spread lime. All claims must be lodged online by October 31.

Farmers that availed of a nitrates derogation in 2022 or 2023, and farmers with a grassland stocking rate above 170kg livestock manure nitrogen/ha prior to export in 2022, are ineligible to participate in the programme.

The following land categories are excluded from the programme: Commonage land, Forestry, Lands under Natura 2000, NHA/pNHA designation, as well as Annex 1 grassland, and environmentally sensitive permanent grassland.

Herdowners who are participating or intend to participate in the 2023 Eco-Scheme practice relating to soil sampling and liming are also not eligible to participate in the programme.

Valid soil samples must be available to show the need to correct soil pH. The maximum payment that a farmer is likely to receive is in the region of €640.

The post Spreading lime: Where to buy and average costs appeared first on Agriland.co.uk.

Two breeding pairs of lapwing were discovered this summer at Lecale Fens Special Area of Conservation (SAC), outside Downpatrick.

It follows ongoing efforts by Ulster Wildlife to help restore nature in the area.

The charity has been working closely with local farmer John Crea to improve the condition of this designated site by eliminating invasive species and scrub, such as rhododendron, using amphibious machinery.

Rare bird

Similar to many other ground-nesting birds, the lapwing has suffered major declines over the last 40 years due to the loss of wetland habitat and changes in farming practices.

The bird is now red-listed on the birds of conservation concern in Ireland and is a Northern Ireland priority species because of its decline, rarity and importance.

The lapwing requires “a mosaic of habitats” in order to breed and prefers boggy open areas with bare ground or short vegetation, avoiding areas of dense cover.

“After a chance conversation with the farmer, we visited the fen to witness several newly fledged chicks, alongside their parents,” Simon Gray, peatland conservation officer with Ulster Wildlife, said.

“It was fantastic to see them darting around the muddy pools that have formed since we removed four hectares of dense and encroaching vegetation – creating the ideal open wet habitat these endangered birds need to thrive.

“In the past, this area was managed by grazing or burning to stop scrub taking over and drying out the fen but given climate concerns associated with peat burning and risks to livestock from deep water, we had to come up with new and innovative solutions.

“Five years later and we’re thrilled to see our restoration efforts reap rewards for biodiversity with Lecale Fens moving towards a healthy condition again.

“This will have a knock-on effect on other wetland-loving wildlife too such as dragonflies, snipe and silver hook moth,” he added.

John Crea said he was delighted to see the lapwing back on his farm.

“It’s brilliant to see these birds doing so well and we hope they come back again next year to breed,” he said.

Ulster Wildlife is currently working with landowners across Northern Ireland to restore designated peatland sites along with large-scale peatland areas in need of restoration.

The aim is to help bring back the rich diversity of species these sites once supported, as well as the host of benefits peatlands provide from flood prevention to carbon sequestration.

“With over 75% of land in Northern Ireland farmed, it is vital that farmers and landowners are properly supported to help restore nature on a landscape scale with peatland sites, such as this, playing a vital role in helping to tackle the nature and climate crisis,” Gray said.

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The force said a padlock had been cut off the gate to gain entry to an outhouse during the theft.

The theft occurred on the Drumgooland Road area of Ballyward, near Banbridge, Co. Down, and is believed to have taken place between 10:00a.m on Monday, August 7, and 6:30a.m on Tuesday, August 8.

Police reported that seven Friesian cattle were discovered to be missing. They are red and white and black and white in colour.

The PSNI confirmed to Agriland that enquiries are continuing in relation to the investigation and it is continuing to appeal for information.

The force urged anyone who can assist in the investigation to contact it on 101 or provide information anonymously via Crimestoppers.

Livestock theft

According to a recent rural crime report from NFU Mutual, incidences of livestock theft rose by 8.7% across the UK in 2022 compared to the year before.

The rural insurer said livestock theft remains “one of the costliest crimes to farming”.

NFU Mutual said it regularly received claims involving over 50 sheep taken in a single raid, meaning that livestock theft can also have a “devastating impact on breeding lines”.

As well as this, the company said, the theft of livestock is a huge worry to farmers, who care about the welfare of the “stolen stock”.

The rural crime report was published at the start of the month and revealed that the cost of rural crime in Northern Ireland rose by 50.7% last year to £2.5 million.

At the time, the president of the Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU), William Irvine, said the results of the report were disappointing, but not surprising.

The UK as a whole experienced a rise of 22% in the cost of rural crime, and Irvine said it was “particularly concerning” that Northern Ireland had an increase of 29% more than the rest of the UK.

“At the root of the crimes that did occur are farming families who have suffered financially and emotionally because of a criminal intrusion on their farm,” he said.

The post Padlock ‘cut off the gate’ during cattle theft – PSNI appeared first on Agriland.co.uk.

Farmers in Co. Fermanagh, west Co. Armagh and south Co. Tyrone are invited to register for Zone 2 of the scheme before the deadline of August 31, 2023.

DAERA hailed the scheme as “world-leading” and said farmers will walk away with a new understanding of their soil nutrients, pH levels and the carbon stored in their soils.

“The scheme will help you with nutrient management planning and guidance in preventing run off and nutrient loss to watercourses,” it said.

The Soil Nutrient Health Scheme is managed by the Agri-food Biosciences Institute (AFBI) on behalf of DAERA.

Director of environment and marine sciences at AFBI, Pieter-Jan Schön, said the scheme will provide farmers with “important information on soil nutrient and pH levels for each field on their farm”.

“Participation will also give these farmers access to an online portal where they can view their results and print off their farm maps.

“Farmers will receive maps showing areas at high risk of runoff and nutrient loss to watercourses and a first baseline estimate of the amount of carbon stored in their soils, hedgerows and trees.”

This information, he said, will help farmers match nutrient applications to crop needs more accurately which will help to increase efficiency while also reducing the farm’s environmental footprint.

“To date 2,440 farms have registered in Zone 2 and we do not want any farmers to miss out on this opportunity to get a completely free soil analysis baseline for their farms,” he said.

DAERA’s permanent secretary, Katrina Godfrey, said the scheme has seen good interest so far and urged more farmers to register, as the deadline will not be extended beyond the end of the month.

“I urge all farm businesses within Zone 2 to register at their earliest opportunity and not miss out on participation in this important scheme which aims to improve sustainability and efficiency in the farming sector,” she said.

“It is also important for farmers to note that participation in the Soil Nutrient Health Scheme will be a condition for future Farm Sustainability Payments, which will replace the Basic Payment Scheme.”

Zone 1

Zone 1 of the Soil Nutrient Health Scheme was launched in 2022 and over 90% of farmers in the southeast of Northern Ireland are taking part.

Those in the scheme also have access to online training from the department’s College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE), which helps them to interpret their soil analysis reports and prepare soil nutrient management plans.  

Those who have fields in Zone 2 are asked to register as soon as possible for the scheme, which can be done through a Government Gateway Account via the DAERA website.

This £37 million DAERA-funded scheme is open to all 27,000 farm businesses in Northern Ireland, with a potential for up to 700,000 fields to be sampled by the end of the project in 2026.

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The event is sponsored by Norbrook, and conducted by Carlisle auctioneers Harrison and Hetherington, in conjunction with JA McClelland and Sons.

The sale has attracted an entry of 41 Limousin females from many of the province’s leading herds.

Included in the catalogue is a selection of pedigree Limousin females ranging in age from March 2021-born to December 2022-born.

All entries have been individually selected on-farm by Harrison and Hetherington’s pedigree beef sales manager and auctioneer James Little.

Speaking ahead of the event, Little said: “After last year’s record-breaking 50th anniversary sale, I was delighted to receive instructions to conduct the forthcoming sale, in conjunction with JA McClelland and Sons.

“The 2022 sale saw some real show-stoppers, and this year’s offering is no exception.

“The entire catalogue provides purchasers with the opportunity to acquire some of the very best genetics in the breed,” he added.

“There are some real stars on offer, and the mix of cow makers and show types, ensures breeding females to suit every taste and budget.

“Cattle from Northern Ireland are renowned for their quality and depth of breeding, regularly featuring in the upper echelons of premier sales throughout the UK and Ireland. The Ladies in Red Sale promises to be a fantastic event, and one not to be missed by discerning pedigree cattle enthusiasts,” he said.

All females will be inspected by a vet prior to the auction, and will be sold under the auspices of the National Beef Association and the British Limousin Cattle Society.

Entries will be pre-sale tested and eligible for immediate export to Great Britain following the sale, or to the Republic of Ireland by arrangement with the vendor.

Judging gets underway at 10:00a.m, and will be left in the capable hands of Mary Cormack, owner of the noted Rougemont herd based in Leominster, Hereford.

The sale will commence at 1:00p.m and online bidding will also be available via MartEye.

Prospective buyers are advised to contact the auctioneers for online bidding approval prior to the sale.

The full-colour catalogue, which includes photographs of the heifers on offer, features entries from 17 herds, including:

• Ampertaine (5);
• Backfarm;
• Carrickaldreen (2);
• Charlottes;
• Collegeland (2);
• Craigatoke (3);
• Doogary;
• Glenmarshal (5);
• Huntley;
• Keadyview;
• Keenaught, Lynderg (5);
• Larkhill;
• Moneydarragh;
• Rathkeeland (5);
• Slieve (2);
• Trueman (4).

Many of the breed’s sought-after and proven bloodlines are represented in the catalogue. The heifers selling are daughters of successful stockbulls and highly acclaimed artificial insemination (AI) sires.

“This is a new sale in the club’s annual calendar, and the organising committee is excited to present a high-calibre catalogue, representing the cream of Northern Ireland’s Limousin genetics,” Northern Ireland Limousin Club chair, Brian McAuley said.

“Vendors have been working hard in preparation for August 19, and we are looking forward to welcoming breeders from across the UK and Ireland.

“Thanks also to our principal sponsor Norbrook, for its generous financial support,” he added.

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The project will see researchers use AI to monitor social interactions of cattle that could indicate developing mastitis or lameness and enable the diseases to be caught at an earlier stage.

UoB researchers will receive a share of £9 million in funding from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) as part of a joint-initiative to combat endemic livestock disease.

The UoB project is a collaboration of researchers in veterinary medicine, animal behaviour, computer vision and AI, led by Prof. Andrew Dowsey from Bristol Veterinary School.

While technologies do exist that detect disease in dairy cows, these tend to focus on observable symptoms which are associated with later stages of disease, so Dowsey and his colleagues are seeking to utilise AI to identify diseases at an earlier stage.

“A cow’s response to infection or trauma is to reduce behaviours which are not immediately essential to survival, such as social interactions,” Dowsey said.

“In a recent study we found that social exploration, the grooming of others, and receiving headbutts were all lower in cows with early stage mastitis, so we think social behaviour changes could be early predictors of disease.”

Researchers said they know detecting social behaviour changes is difficult for a busy farmer, but say that it is possible when monitoring them at key points such as queuing for milking or feeding time.

Dowsey and his team have developed an AI that can track the motion of cows, recognising each cow by its distinctive coat pattern.

“From collecting two years of video from 64 cameras covering our main barn at the John Oldacre Centre dairy farm, we will train a model that learns what types of behaviours change over time that are indicative of early-stage mastitis and lameness,” he said.

The system will be then be deployed at a network of recruited farms for testing.

AI developments

Dowsey said he was delighted that the UoB research team’s funding bid has been successful as they seek to further develop the potential uses for AI.

“We are excited to have been given the opportunity to fuse Bristol Veterinary School’s world-class expertise in animal behaviour with our recent developments in artificial intelligence for livestock monitoring,” he said.

“Detecting subtle changes in social behaviour could hold the key to the early diagnosis of disease in dairy cattle.”

The UoB project is part of a wider BBSRC and Defra initiative aiming to lessen the burden of endemic diseases on animal health, welfare, and productivity across the whole UK livestock sector.

The endemic livestock disease initiative focuses on fostering collaborative research between academia, industry and farmers and veterinarians.

The projects chosen for funding cover all areas of the livestock sector – covering pigs, poultry, beef, sheep and dairy.

Interim executive char at BBSRC, Prof. Guy Poppy, said: “Endemic diseases in the UK livestock sector pose significant challenges to animal welfare, productivity and sustainable farming practices.

“By bringing together the collective expertise of academia, industry and end-users, we are confident this initiative will lead to ground-breaking advancements in disease control, fostering a healthier and more productive livestock sector.”

The post Can smart-tech help detect disease in dairy cows earlier? appeared first on Agriland.co.uk.

The project will be led by research and development company Vertical Future and result in the development of a Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) facility – or ‘vertical farm’ – to be used in future space exploration missions.

Vertical Future will work in partnership with both plant biology and space technology companies including Axiom Space, Saber Astronautics, the University of Southern Queensland and its Plants for Space (P4S) research partners from the University of Adelaide and the University of Cambridge.

As a result of its involvement in the UK Space Agency project, Vertical Future will be the first UK-based company working in the agri-space sector.

Chief scientific officer at Vertical Future, Dr. Jennifer Bromley, said the company was excited to have the opportunity to work alongside global experts in both plant biology and space technology to develop “life-changing technology”.

“Several studies have shown that having access to high-quality fresh produce is important not just for one’s nutrition but also their mental well-being,” she said.

“Astronauts typically lack access to a varied diet whilst in space which this project is working to solve, by providing a wide variety of high-quality produce that can be grown on a space vessel.

“While this project may sound like the plotline of The Martian, it is important to develop new and innovative ways for astronauts to survive and thrive in their ventures to not just the Moon but also Mars and beyond.”

Bromley said many other technological advances have come from the space industry and that the findings of the project and its research can be applied on Earth.

Chief executive of the UK Space Agency, Dr. Paul Bate, said: “Projects like this, which will see Vertical Future work with the University of Cambridge and partners in Australia and the US to develop the use of autonomous agriculture technology for space exploration, highlight the many ways in which we can collaborate with the global space community to help humanity push the boundaries of space innovation and unlock commercial opportunities that will benefit our economy now and in the future.”

The project

The first phase of the project will focus on researching the design requirements for a fully autonomous agriculture system that can be monitored and operated remotely or through the use of artificial intelligence (AI).

This will then be used to support space explorations, including future Moon-to-Mars Artemis missions, Vertical Future said.

A workshop will be hosted in NASA’s Kennedy Space Centre where the project team will research and develop the specifications for a CEA facility that can adapt to the conditions of deep space.

The second phase of the project will focus on the implementation of the CEA system on the International Space Station (ISS) – the largest modular space station in low-Earth orbit.

It will also be implemented in the world’s first commercial space station, which is currently in development by project partner Axiom Space.

Back down to Earth

Vertical Future said the research carried out throughout the project will “benefit us here on Earth” and will be used to support the development of more efficient CEA systems/vertical farms.

“By incorporating the project’s research, CEA systems on Earth will be able to continue to evolve and become more efficient and effective,” it said.

“Vertical farming can already produce a wide variety of higher quality fresh produce that will keep prices down for consumers and offer a more reliable source due to the lack of effect caused by extreme weather conditions or disruptions to the supply chain.

“These facilities can produce fresh produce in urban or degraded environments, minimising the need for labour and resource inputs such as water, energy, fertiliser, and pesticides, while maximising yields, reducing reliance on imports, keeping costs down for consumers, and combatting supply chain issues.”

Executive vice-president for in-space solutions at Axiom Space, Christian Maender, said international collaborations, like the Vertical Future project, are an “important component of a future robust space economy” as well as the future of agriculture on Earth.

“This unique collaboration, supported by the UK Space Agency, stands to provide agricultural innovation that will benefit life on Earth and contribute to sustaining a human presence on other planets as part of continued exploration goals,” he said.

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The successful applicant should be actively involved in livestock farming and may have experience of working with the voluntary sector.

AgriSearch wants the farmer will be able to demonstrate a strong interest in the Northern Ireland agri-food sector, the challenges it faces, and the role that science can play in addressing these challenges.

The role is voluntary and will be a three-year term of contract, but travelling expenses will be paid for attendance at meetings throughout the year.

The application can be found on the AgriSearch website. The deadline for receipt of applications is 12:00p.m on Monday, September 4.

Interviews will be held on the week beginning September 25. The successful candidate will be appointed at the annual general meeting (AGM) on November 28.

AgriSearch

AgriSearch (The Northern Ireland agricultural research and development council) is an independent charity.

It was formed in 1997 to help dairy, beef and sheep farmers become directly involved with research around production. 

The funds contributed by farmers to AgriSearch (through a voluntary levy collected by dairy and red meat processors) are used to commission research that will improve and develop beef, sheep and dairy farming in Northern Ireland. 

AgriSearch chair Prof. Gerry Boyle said: “Trustees have considerable influence over the strategy of the organisation and play an important role in its effectiveness.

“The trustees are responsible for ensuring that the organisation operates according to its constitution and that the financial management of the organisation is sound.”

He explained that AgriSearch acts as a “liaison” between researchers, advisors and the industry, and now has a “pivotal role” in Ireland’s ruminant livestock sector.

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The map was produced by the Centre for Veterinary Epidemiology and Risk Analysis (CVERA), University College Dublin (UCD), displaying the distribution of herds with positive test results for BVD.

Animal Health and Welfare Northern Ireland (AHWNI), chief executive Dr. Sam Strain said the map shows “substantial advances” were made in tackling BVD.

He explained that the animal-level incidence of BVD within Northern Ireland has fallen by over 70% since the start of the compulsory programme to 0.264% in 2022, with these being found in 3.76% of herds.

He said there are still areas with high levels of infection, particularly along the Co. Armagh border with Co. Monaghan.

“AHWNI continues to engage with all farmers who are dealing with BVD breakdowns to encourage eradication of the virus at the farm level,” Dr. Strain said.

Animal Health Ireland (AHI) programme manager, Dr. Maria Guelbenzu explained that during 2022, only 0.031% of calves tested in the Republic of Ireland returned a positive result, with these being found in only 308 (0.45%) of all breeding herds.

2022 was the first year in which any county recorded no positive results, with this honour going to Carlow, according to Dr. Guelbenzu.

“This highlights the significant progress made since 2013, when 0.66% of calves from almost 9,000 herds tested positive,” Dr. Guelbenzu said.

“This progress is testament to the ongoing effort and commitment of participating farmers and wider stakeholders,” she said.

BVD progress

The map is based on anonymised data and fixed sized hexagonal units to show the number of herds with positive results for BVD.

Each hexagon represents 10km², with a radius of less than 2km. Work is ongoing to generate updated maps for the first six months of 2023.

The anonymised maps are an outcome of ongoing collaboration between AHI and AHWNI that coordinate the respective programmes.

The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) also help with the programming.

The programmes being monitored are similar in design, based on mandatory testing of tissue samples collected and submitted by herd owners using tissue sample enabled national identity tags.

The programmes became compulsory in the republic in 2013 and in Northern Ireland in 2016, with both being overseen by stakeholder implementation groups.

AHI chief executive, Dr. David Graham said for further progress, “continued implementation” is needed.

He warned that farmers with herds near the border of Northern Ireland should be “especially careful” given their proximity to infected herds in the north.

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This is according to East Derry MLA, Claire Sugden, who said that farm machinery especially must be safeguarded.

Sugden’s advice follows the release of rural crime figures from NFU Mutual, which showed that the cost of rural crime in Northern Ireland rose by 50.7% last year to £2.5 million.

“Following a dip in this kind of crime during the pandemic, a resurgence in criminals targeting expensive farming equipment was seen in 2022 – particularly machinery and, more recently, GPS systems from tractors and other farming vehicles,” Sugden said.

“Farmers and others who live rurally should take every possible precaution – locking valuable equipment away and using sturdy locks, chains and storing them in secure sheds and warehouses.

“Equipment like this can be extremely expensive and so are particularly appealing targets for criminals.”

Sugden said police suspect that criminal gangs are operating many of these kind of operations in Northern Ireland, but that opportunism also plays a part.

“Anyone who sees farming equipment for sale for suspiciously cheap prices or in other circumstances that seem suspicious should contact the police on the non-emergency number 101,” she said.

“These people need to know that they will not be able to get away with this kind of crime – one that targets the very farms and farmers who support Northern Ireland’s biggest industry of agriculture and keep food on our plates.”

Rural crime in NI

Following the release of NFU Mutual’s rural crime report at the start of the month, the Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) president William Irvine said the results were disappointing, but not surprising.

“While it does not come as a surprise, it is very disappointing to learn that the cost of rural crime has increased in Northern Ireland,” he said.

The report, published August 1, revealed that the cost of rural crime across the UK rose by 22% to £49.5 million in 2022.

The cost of rural thefts rose for quads and ATVs (+34%), agricultural vehicles (+29%), GPS systems (+15%) and livestock (+8.7%) across the UK.

“What is particularly concerning is the stark increase of 51% in the cost of crime in Northern Ireland compared to the rest of the UK which has seen a 22% increase,” Irvine said.

“At the root of the crimes that did occur are farming families who have suffered financially and emotionally because of a criminal intrusion on their farm.”

Irvine said the cost-of-living crisis and delay in replacing equipment is “making it even harder for farm families to recover” from theft incidents.

“Criminals are active in our community and we as farmers need to be vigilant and take the security of our businesses and homes seriously to deter criminals,” he said.

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This year's harvest is forecast to be the second largest on record. Analysts and farmers explained that rain during July "shepherded the crop" through its critical development phase, offsetting dry conditions early in the season and hot summer temperatures.

Improved conditions in the field weighed heavily on the market as the drought damage from the early season was not as bad as feared.

Harvest in Brazil is also adding to the supply outweighing demand, as its harvest increased this year, and it is expected to overtake the US as the world's top corn supplier.

Drought-tolerant genes and other improvements in genetically modified corn allowed the crop to weather severe drought across much of the midwest, according to farmers

Genetically modified (GM) corn accounts for more than 90% of the US crop, according to Reuters.

A 4,000ac farmer from western Illinois, Drew DeSutter said: "With the technology that we have in the seed, the corn hung in there a lot better than people expected."

Corn forecast

Analysts said that in a monthly report due on Friday (August 11), they expect the US government to cut its forecast for domestic corn production to 15.135 billion bushels this year, from its July estimate for a record high 15.320 billion.

The new forecast, if achieved, would be the second biggest harvest ever, behind the 2016 harvest of 15.148 billion bushels.

Average yields were seen at 175.5 bushels/ac this year, which would be the fourth biggest ever.

The percentage of corn rated "good-to-excellent" this year by the US agriculture department (USDA) in weekly reports rose by 4% during July.

Good-to-excellent ratings of 55% on July 30, were the lowest for that time of year since the major drought year of 2012.

In the previous 30 years, good-to-excellent ratings for the corn crop had risen in July only six times.

A farmer who grows corn and soyabeans near Casey, Illinois, Eric Honselman said: "It has just been a roller coaster of a growing season.

"I just wish mother nature would make up her mind."

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The compensation payable, for reactors and negative in contacts for which notice of intended slaughter is issued in August 2023, will be either:

1. 75% of the animal’s market value; or
2. 75% of £2,268 (75% of £2,568 in the case of pedigree animals).

The selected measure will come down to whichever figure is the lesser, DAERA said.

The department compensates herdkeepers when animals are compulsorily removed under the Brucellosis Control Order (Northern Ireland) 2004.

This month’s compensation rates are the same as those of May, June and July.

Brucellosis

Brucellosis, a highly contagious disease of cattle caused by a bacterium, can spread as result of animals coming into contact with infected female cattle, aborted foetuses or discharged placental tissues and fluids.

The disease can cause an abortion storm in infected females and, if it becomes established, can lead to decreased milk yields, infertility, weak calves and serious financial loss.

Brucellosis reactors are animals that have failed a serology blood test for brucellosis and are thus subject to slaughter and related compensation.

The herdowner will receive whichever is the lesser payment applicable to them and DAERA said that, in no situation, can compensation therefore exceed 100% of the market value.

The “market value” of an animal is defined in the Brucellosis Control Order as meaning the price which might reasonably have been obtained for it at the time of valuation from a purchaser in the market if it had been free from disease, DAERA said.

In terms of how animals are valued, a DAERA valuation officer will contact affected farmers to make appointments to come to the farm and carry out a valuation.

The officer will first check the identification of the reactor and may mark the animal. They will then assess the current market value of the reactor based on their own knowledge and experience.

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The charity is looking for two non-regulatory agricultural advisors to work with farmers to find opportunities to improve infrastructure, change land management practices and reduce agricultural pollution to surface water.

The Rivers Trust All-Ireland director Mark Horton said: “The island of Ireland is the fastest-growing area of the rivers trust movement.

“As part of what will be a significant team expansion across the island of Ireland in 2023, we are now looking for two enthusiastic, experienced water-friendly farm advisors to work across the catchments of the Dundrum River in Co. Down and the Owenkillew River in Co. Tyrone.

“Our agricultural projects are also expanding, and we are looking for approachable, friendly, dynamic individuals with drive, determination, and experience of working on farms or with landowners.”

The charity director said that it is an opportunity to make a meaningful contribution to increasing biodiversity, strengthening environmental protection, and driving water quality improvement.

Agricultural advisors

According to the charity, becoming one of its agricultural advisors requires a unique blend of skills, knowledge, and dedication.

The role offers the opportunity to contribute meaningfully to sustainable land use, conservation, and the well-being of both agricultural communities and natural ecosystems, The Rivers Trust explained.

It is a career path that requires a “genuine commitment to environmental stewardship and a deep appreciation for the interconnectedness of our land and water resources”.

Experienced agricultural advisors Dominic McCann and Rachael McEldowney from The Rivers Trust outlined how they work closely with Northern Ireland farmers and landowners to empower them to take effective actions to protect local watercourses.

McEldowney said that preparing a free farm plan is the first step in making grant-funded water-friendly improvements through the current Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affair (DAERA)-supported schemes.

“To qualify for funding, you need to have a free and confidential farm plan produced by The Rivers Trust. It’s a straightforward process,” she commented.

“You can set up a farm visit by contacting us, and we will make an appointment to visit your farm and start the process of supporting your water-friendly farming actions.

“These actions are a win/win because they will help your farm business and the environment. It’s advice you cannot afford to miss.”

Meanwhile, Dominic McCann added: “As a farmer myself, I am here to help and support other farmers to make small changes that have a big impact on water quality and protecting biodiversity,” Dominic McCann added.

“At a farmer’s invitation, we will walk the farm with them to help identify opportunities to reduce any impact from their farming operation on nearby water courses.

“We take time to understand how the farm business runs and how we can work together to support that and improve sustainable productivity.

“This is a collaborative process, so we listen to the farmers to hear what they think needs work and how best to solve the existing issues. They are the experts on their farms, and their insights are invaluable,” McCann said.

Every farm presents a distinct set of challenges and opportunities, necessitating a customised approach to sustainable land management, according to the charity.

After surveying the farm’s topography, The Rivers Trust agricultural advisors prepare a detailed plan with suggestions for interventions that will help improve water quality in the local rivers.

The closing date for applications is Saturday August 20, 2023.

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The Queen’s-AFBI Strategic Alliance has said it is celebrating after two of its proposals secured funding from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC).

The successful projects will join 12 other research projects shortlisted from around the UK in phase two of the UK government’s Endemic and Livestock Disease Initiative. The second phase unlocks £9 million of funding.

In Northern Ireland, the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) is involved in co-funding the initiative alongside the UK’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Scottish government with a total of over £1.7 million allocated for the two Queen’s-AFBI projects.

One project will focus on endemic infections in ruminant livestock, while the other will be concerned with commercially farmed chicken health and welfare.

The agri-food and animal-health industries, farmers, vets, diagnostic laboratories and policymakers will also be involved in the research, the university and AFBI said.

Research

Queen’s University and AFBI said that their projects seek to drive a more sustainable agri-food sector by pooling expertise, resources and research capability in Northern Ireland.

The UK government’s campaign is aimed at improving farm productivity as well as health and welfare of UK herds by reducing the burden of endemic disease, while also seeking to minimise the environmental impact of the livestock sector.

One of the alliance’s projects, the Co-Adapt project, will be led by Prof. Eric Morgan and Prof. Ilias Kyriazakis of the Institute for Global Food Security and School of Biological Sciences at Queen’s University.

It seeks to better understand and manage co-infections in livestock, focusing on gastrointestinal disease in sheep and cattle.

Prof. Morgan said the Co-Adapt project will “determine how altered timing of infections as a result of climate warming is giving rise to new parasite and pathogen combinations and develop methods to manage them successfully in an era of increasing drug resistance”.

The second project, Runting Stunting Syndrome in Broilers, will be led by Dr. Victoria Smyth from AFBI to investigate stunting in broiler flocks – a condition with a “significant impact” on the poultry industry, the alliance said.

“I am delighted to lead this important project, which will see AFBI and Queen’s researchers using novel, ground-breaking methods and technologies supported by established scientific expertise to study this condition which is responsible for substantial welfare and economic consequences in broiler flocks in the UK,” Smyth said.

The 14 successful projects come from all over the UK and include research focus on beef and dairy cattle, poultry, sheep and pigs. Investment for the projects is variously distributed by BBSRC, Defra, DAERA and the Scottish government.

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This is according to the senior technologist at the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) in Greenmount, Judith McCord who has given advice on managing swards in unpredictable weather.

Northern Ireland saw more than double its average rainfall last month with 185.4mm, which is 207% of its long-term average, according to figures by the Met Office.

GrassCheck data shows that across Northern Ireland the average grass growth to the end of July 2023 at 7.06t of dry matter (DM)/ha was down by 11.4%, compared to the long-term average of 7.97t DM/ha.

Current metabolisable energy (ME) and crude protein (CP) are similar compared to previous years, however, the DM percentage has consistently been lower than normal throughout most of July, according to the CAFRE.

Grazing during wet weather

The CAFRE senior technologist said that wetter silage and lower grazed grass quality will reduce DM and energy intakes, and therefore diets will have to be adjusted.  

“There is variation in grazing and cutting scenarios across the province with some second cut silages cleared up in the last couple of weeks, and some multi-cut systems having a third cut in. 

Although these have been mostly “snatch and grab”, the desire for high ME silage and efficient grazing may be subject to change for 2023 as farmers can only work with what they have, she said.

McCord advised that, where possible, heavier stock should be kept on drier soil conditions. Moving stock at least once daily will help to minimise poaching damage with the addition of more entrance/exit ways into paddocks, where possible. 

Sward assessment is more crucial than ever with dry matter intake (DMI) reduced in wetter conditions. DMI should be kept consistent with the ability to buffer feed silage at milking times and pre-grazing grass covers kept at no more than 3,000kg DM, she said.

On-off grazing should be considered as animals are capable of eating all their daily requirements for grass in two, three-hour sessions, McCord added.

Silage

Commenting that minimising compaction is a “major challenge”, and that it therefore is important to consider the harvesting process, McCord said:

“Make sure mowers are correctly set for the ground conditions, plan your mowing route to avoid wet patches and leave areas that are too wet to cut – this can potentially be baled later. 

“If conditions remain difficult, consider mowing dry and grouping rather than tedding and raking. At this stage you want to avoid damaging ground and soil contamination. 

“Where ground conditions are heavy, consider leaving and baling later when conditions improve. For the snatch and grab cuts, remember that silage additive may help in the fermentation process and advice should be sought beforehand.”

Where swards have been growing for eight weeks or more but conditions remain difficult to harvest, the advice is to not damage ground by trying to snatch and grab a cut, she said.

“The nutritional quality of these swards has already been substantially compromised and the delay in cutting each week accounts for 10% increase of dry matter yield, digestibility drops by 3.5% and ME reduces by 0.6 megajoule (MJ)/kg DM.

“It has to be reasoned that wet and nutritionally poorer quality silage will not be suitable for milk cows alone and preparing for a drier third cut may help in the winter rationing.

“Where possible split your cuts based on DM for easier accessibility come winter rationing,” she said.

Managing effluent

This year will see a larger volume of effluent due to heavier crops harvested in wetter conditions. Grass harvested at 18% DM will produce approximately 150L/t while, grass harvested at 25% DM will produce around 25L/t, she said.

“Before filling the silo, firstly inspect the walls and floor to ensure they are free from cracks, are impermeable and no effluent can escape and, if needs be, carry out any necessary repairs.

“Consider lining silo walls, particularly at joints to help seal the silo. Check silo channels are clear of debris to prevent overflows and effluent flow is direct to a suitable storage tank – do this on a regular basis once the pit is full. 

“Given the current wet weather, wilting may not always be possible leaving an increased pollution risk from bales produced. Choose a suitable location to store silage bales,” she said.

If silage bales are stored on concrete, there must be run-off collection. If storing in a field, McCord advises to place them close to a track or lane to avoid compaction during winter months.

Repairing damage to swards

Where heavy covers have been tramped and there is extensive damage, there may be a requirement for full sward reseed.

McCord highlighted that farmers should plan to address any compaction issues by sub soiling or ploughing when soils dry out.

“Where larger areas are to be repaired, a similar seed mixture to the original should be stitched in using a suitable machine,” the CAFRE senior technologist said.

For DIY repair, the area should be chain harrowed and a similar seed mixture to the original should be broadcast and then rolled. 

However, advice should be sought beforehand, she said, along with a nutrient management plan on fertiliser and slurry application. 

It is reasonable to expect to have to reseed 10-20% of the farm per year to achieve the farm’s full grass growth potential. However, she said, with a year of potential damage this may prove to be more.

For farmers who have effectively cut silage ground, applying slurry for the successive cut is next. “Typically for every kilogram of nitrogen applied (from bag/slurry) you can see a 25kg DM response.

“Nitrogen in slurry is prone to volatilisation losses, so [it] should ideally be spread on a dull, drizzly day but not when heavy rain is falling or expected,” she added.

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