The main message for livestock farmers in relation to liver fluke this year is to “test, don’t guess’.

Sustainable Control of Parasites in Sheep (SCOPS) and Control of Cattle Parasites Sustainable (COWS) have labelled 2023 as a “very strange year” in terms of weather patterns and parasites.

On behalf of COWS, Prof Diana Williams of the University of Liverpool said:

“2023 has been a funny old year. A very dry cold spring was followed by a hot early summer and then July and August were extremely wet.

“Top that off with the mini heatwave in early September accompanied by heavy rain, and it is fair to say there will be an impact on levels and timing of the risks faced by grazing livestock this season.”

Fluke forecast

The National Animal Disease Information Service’s (NADIS) fluke forecast, which is based on local weather patterns, is generally predicting a low-to-medium risk, with the exception of high-risk hotspots in Scotland.

SCOPS and COWS said this is almost certainly due to how dry it was at the start of the year and, while recent months may have been ideal for the fluke and snail lifecycles, the total window for their development has been relatively short.

“Liver fluke and its intermediate host, the mud snail galba truncatula, require temperatures of more than 10^o to remain active and continue development, so if we have a warm autumn and early winter the risk may still increase later in the year, particularly if the conditions also tempt farmers to keep their livestock out later,” Williams said,

“The serum antibody ELISA test, which is done on blood samples taken from 10 individuals is an extremely valuable tool in these circumstances.

“Using this test, we can monitor lambs or calves born in 2023 to look for evidence of exposure to liver fluke.

“Repeated at regular intervals, this not only means we can check for exposure but also when that exposure occurs, which reduces the risk of unnecessary or mistimed treatments.”

SCOPS

SCOPS independent sheep consultant, Lesley Stubbings, said: “Anecdotally, we’ve not seen much liver fluke across the country this year so far.”

In contrast, Stubbings highlighted the increase in cases of haemonchosis in sheep, which is caused by the highly pathogenic roundworm haemonchus contortus  (also known as the barber’s pole worm).

“The conditions in the UK this summer and last summer have seemingly suited this worm, which is common in many tropical and sub-tropical regions of the world,” Stubbings said.

“Because clinical signs of anaemia, bottle jaw and weight loss can result from the blood-feeding behaviour of either liver fluke or haemonchus, this can be confusing.

“Differential diagnosis is all the more important and underlines the need to ‘Test, don’t guess’.”

Testing

Experts from both SCOPS and COWS have urged caution to any producers looking to use the ELISA test but thinking of trying to cut the cost by pooling blood samples rather than testing individuals.

“The sensitivity of a pooled test is much lower and may give a negative result even though one or more animals are positive,” Stubbings said.

“This means that tests need to be done more regularly (every 10-14 days) to try to ensure the exposure is not missed, which will probably cancel out any cost saving compared to individual blood testing every three to four weeks.”

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Suffolk County Council has agreed to pass a Conservative Party motion to support local farmers by ensuring all catering at council-organised events is sourced from them.

At Full Council yesterday (Thursday, October 19), the council committed to including meat and dairy options alongside plant-based produce.

53 councillors backed the motion, with three Green Party councillors abstaining from the vote.

This motion to back produce from farmers was proposed by deputy leader of Suffolk County Council, Cllr. Richard Rout, and seconded by cabinet member for public health and public protection, Cllr. Andrew Reid.

The motion aims to raise awareness of the importance of “hardworking farming communities” within Suffolk.

Cllr. Richard Rout said: “I’m delighted that this motion passed but it is disappointing that three Green councillors felt unable to support it.

“Coming from a farming family, I know first-hand just how hard our farmers and growers work to feed and sustain our nation. Agriculture and agribusiness are an integral part of our local economy.

“This motion not only commits us to doubling down on our support for local farmers but also ensures dietary choice at all our events, keeping meat and dairy firmly on the table alongside plant-based options.”

Plant-Based Treaty

Suffolk County Council said many Green, Labour and Liberate Democrat councillors who are members of authorities such as Edinburgh City Council, Norwich City Council, and Oxfordshire County Council have angered their farming communities by signing the Plant-Based Treaty or banning meat and dairy from their buildings and events.

The council said the Plant-Based Treaty “shuns” the construction of any future livestock farm and promotes plant-based foods in schools and hospitals as well as pledging to prioritise vegan food over animal products.

Cllr. Andrew Reid said: “We in Suffolk are rightly proud of our fantastic farming community.

“Through our county farm estate, which spans over 12,000 acres and contributes over £7 million to the local economy, we have 90 agricultural tenants who do so much for our county.

“I was delighted to second this motion and reaffirm our commitment to this vital sector.”

Councils ‘turning their backs on farmers’

Director of external affairs for the Countryside Alliance, Mo Metcalf-Fisher, said: “We have seen a number of local councils turn their backs on farmers in recent years with puerile motions that ban meat and dairy consumption and effectively warn the public off eating it.

“Rural communities have had enough and are fighting back. If we were to lose livestock farming – as is undoubtedly the aim of those wanting to impose plant-based eating – our countryside would turn into a barren wasteland.

“Red meat produced in the UK is among the most sustainable in the world, and it makes every bit of sense for local authorities to encourage the public to play their part in fighting climate change by sourcing seasonal and sustainable produce from local farmers and growers – irrespective of whether its meat or vegetables.

“We hope all political parties support this motion. The countryside is watching.”

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Vet Sustain and VetSalus have announced a new veterinary resource for farm vets, which is to be launched at this year’s British Cattle Veterinary Association (BCVA) Congress.

The BVCA Congress is set to take place this week from Thursday (October 19) until Saturday (October 21) at the Telford International Centre.

Vet Sustain and VetSalus will launch their new farm vet resource at the event – a factsheet outlining key considerations for vets when approaching conversations around sustainable and regenerative farming practices with their farmers.

The organisations said farm vets, as trusted advisors an advocates, are integral to supporting sustainable and regenerative farming practices and that, through their influence, they can offer solutions for farmers.

Veterinary resource

The factsheet will help vets prepare for these conversations with farmers and act as a starting point towards encouraging a more regenerative mindset, the veterinary organisations said.

Managing director of VetSalus, David Black, said: “After receiving feedback from veterinary colleagues, we set out to develop a user-friendly resource for vet professionals to inspire and enable them to have discussions around sustainability in agriculture; we have provided concepts and evidence to help initiate and maintain meaningful dialogue, thus avoiding polarising debate.”

Chair of Vet Sustain, Ed Bailey, said: “Sustainable food and farming is a complex and nuanced subject in which there are many different competing views.

“This can feel overwhelming as a practising vet trying to navigate conversations with farmers, colleagues or friends who look to us for knowledge and advice.

“This resource is a starting point to help engage and understand more about the challenges and solutions.”

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Foyle suppliers from across Ulster were in attendance at the event which featured talks from Andrew Clarke, Foyle Food Group, Gareth Anderson, FarmGate Nutrition and Jennifer Howse, who spoke on the importance of mental health in farmers.

The event featured a tour of the farm where areas of research were highlighted and the most recent developments were on show.

Research is ongoing on the farm examining methods of improving efficiency, reducing input costs, and improving animal welfare whilst also reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Andrew Clarke said: “Foyle supports knowledge transfer partnerships with our suppliers and these events encourage positive discussions about future beef farming practices.”

Brushes and Bokashi

Cattle brushes have been found to be a key driver of performance on the Foyle farm. Findings have shown 0.2kg/head/day live weight gain in trials conducted on Aberdeen Angus cattle.

Similar trials are planned to go ahead later in the year to potentially assess the cause of this increased performance.

‘Bokashi’, was also a topic of interest at the farm walk. This involves adding a microorganism mixture into bedding and ensiling it for eight weeks once it is mucked out, creating an anaerobic environment.

This manure management strategy is used on the farm to break down organic matter, making it more suitable for land application.

Energy and carbon are retained in the bokashi end product, stimulating soil microbiology, improving soil fertility and preventing carbon loss as CO2.

Infrastructure

Farmers were taken to Foyle’s newly-built cattle shed, the design of which demonstrates a high level of animal welfare.

Maximum levels of natural light are captured to facilitate the evaporation of moisture from the soft-bedded lye-back area, reducing bedding costs.

Other features include polycarbonate roof sheeting, mono-pitch design, open sides and an automatic climate control curtain.

Collectively these contribute to maintaining a consistent environment for cattle, minimising the incidence of respiratory disease and reducing energy costs.

An automatic slurry aeration system within the tank maintains slurry in a semi-liquid state for use when required.

This removes the need for mixing slurry benefitting staff safety and minimises disturbance to cattle.

Staff safety is a major area of focus in the new handling facilities at the farm which were completed in 2022.

There are exit points in every pen, eliminating the need for staff to go inside the pen with cattle at any point.

Also, the layout meets the company’s commitments to improving animal welfare. There are anti-jump rails, anti-backing bars, a double race which merges into single file, auto drafting technology and grooved concrete flooring.

Additionally, the ‘budbox design’ obeys natural behavioural principles, encouraging animals to go back to where they came from and go around the handler.

Feed Bunks

The farm has adopted a feed-bunk management system which it says is useful in their aim of feeding cattle to peak intake and meeting the focus of maximising feed efficiency.

Andrew Clarke explained that “This theory has originated from research conducted by the South Dakota University. They have found that finishing beef cattle should be fed to 99% of their maximum dry matter intake to ensure optimal performance.

“Also, the quantity of feed provided to cattle must match the amount the animals can consume without causing digestive upsets.

“Following feeding, bunkers are assessed based on the residual feed remaining. A score of 0-0.5 is ideal, or as little feed remaining as possible.”

Feeding regimes at the Foyle farm are kept consistent daily, with each feed being provided at the same time in the morning and evening.

Feed is also pushed up in the early afternoon to drive intakes and increase cattle performance.

Genetics programme

Andrew Clarke, lead farm liaison at Foyle Food Group, addressed the audience on current work the company is undertaking in its Superior Genetics Programme in collaboration with Aberdeen Angus Quality Beef.

The programme encourages suppliers to use bulls of high genetic merit as the benefits have been demonstrated with Foyle’s own bull, ‘Elliot Bravo’.

Trials with this sire have found reductions in finishing age by 40 days. Using top sires for traits such as 200 or 400-day weights has the potential to improve progeny weight by approximately 18.5kg without considering any other management tools.

Nutrition

Gareth Anderson from FarmGate nutrition spoke to the audience on the total mixed ration used on the finishing farm.

The guidelines he discussed for finishing diets included:

• A target dry matter intake (DMI) of 2% body weight;
• High energy dense diets of around 12MJ/kg DM, starch;
• Sugar inclusion of >20%;
• Crude protein between 12-14%;
• Fibre content of >25%.

Gareth emphasised the principle of higher dry matter intake correlating with higher liveweight gain.

Aspects of good practice were highlighted, such as good pit-face management, regular forage analysis, consistent mixing and access to clean water.

Gareth explained several different sources of starch and sugars, protein, fibre as well as alternative feed additives including Elensis.

He said this product improves daily liveweight gain and has methane-reducing properties, as trialled on the Foyle farm.

He finished with talking through examples of beef blends which are appropriate for the autumn period.

Mental Health

Jennifer Howse, a PhD student from the Royal Agricultural University and previous agricultural liaison at Foyle Food Group addressed the importance of mental health in the red meat sector.

This message included advice on how farmers can think about positive ways to approach the challenges they face within farming and managing their business.

She emphasised the importance of aiming to tackle the initial struggles or signs of mental ill-health before they begin to build up.

Jennifer also discussed the isolation farmers can often feel and encouraged the audience to talk and reach out if they are struggling.

She offered ‘5-a-day checklist’ for farmers and those in the farming community:

• 1: Be honest with yourself and those around you;
• 2: Talk openly about daily challenges and listen;
• 3: Care for yourself as well as you care for others;
• 4: Contact that person you’ve been saying you should;
• 5: Plan for the unexpected – make the right choices.

Donations were received following the talks for Rural Support, a local listening and signpost service for farmers and farming families across Northern Ireland.

The event closed with a barbeque and steaks were provided by Foyle Food Group.

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Agriland paid a visit to Corrie’s farm, Drumhilla Farm in Co. Down, ahead of the its special sale of 85 in-calf heifers which is set to take place at Ballymena Livestock Mart on Tuesday, October 17, at 7:00p.m.

As well as supplying heifers to farmers across Northern Ireland and further afield, Corrie is also involved in a syndicate known as J.C.B Commercials which is well known for sourcing top-end commercial cattle genetics.

“All heifers in the sale are in calf to a Limousin bull,” he said.

“The majority of the heifers in the sale are scanned in-calf to Ampertaine Lance and are due to calve in the first week of January.

“The remaining heifers are scanned in-calf to a range of stockbulls including bulls sired by Lance, Majestic, and Lodge Hamlet.”

This is the seventh year of the sale and Corrie said that his main focus for the heifers on offer in each sale is “to supply customers with high-end suckler cow replacements”.

“What I look for is heifers with good plates, a good top-loin, good bone and a bit of power about them,” he said.

“The sale has proven itself in offering cows fit to produce top-end weanlings.

“At last year’s sale, two heifers were bought by Strangford farmer William Kelly which went on to produce calves that were the two top-two priced calves in Saintfield suck calf sales this year selling for £3,000 and £1,740/head.

“It’s great to see our heifers are doing the business for repeat costumers.”

The Corrie Leading Ladies sale will kick off at 7:00p.m and the catalogue is available to view on the MartEye app.

“All cattle will be eligible for export in the sale and all heifers have been tested BVD (bovine viral diarrhoea) negative. These heifers are due to calve from January 5, onwards, and have been naturally run. They have not been pushed on concentrate feeding,” Corrie added.

“If you are a new customer of Ballymena Livestock Market, please make sure you pre-register with the venue ahead of the Leading Ladies Sale.”

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A document published on the Defra website dated October 4, 2023, outlines that the “trade of live ruminants from France is postponed as they [France] are no longer able to comply with relevant animal health certificates”.

The postponement of ruminant livestock imports comes following the confirmation of Epizootic Haemorrhagic Disease (EHD) in France.

On September 21, the presence of EHD was officially reported in France. Since then, the French Ministry of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty (MASA) has confirmed a total of 19 outbreaks of EHD, primarily in Pyrenees-Atlantiques and neighbouring municipalities.

As of October 4 of this year, the EU Animal Diseases Information System (ADIS) has reported 50 new outbreaks in Spain and 17 in Portugal.

According to Defra, the confirmation of EHD in southern France “is significant because now that EHD has crossed the Pyrenees mountains, there is greater potential for spread across mainland Europe towards Great Britain”.

The UK’s Defra considers the risk of introduction of EHD into Great Britain via movement of
live animals and/or vectors to be “negligible” but said in a statement it will “continue to monitor the situation”.

There have been consignments of live cattle and sheep scheduled to arrive in Great
Britain from France in recent weeks but Defra has confirmed that back-tracing is being conducted to identify any consignments of live ruminants and ruminant germplasm from France over the past 28 days.

Meanwhile in Ireland, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has urged farmers, veterinary practitioners and other relevant stakeholders to “remain vigilant” for EHD following the confirmation of the disease on three farms in France.

As a result of the EHD outbreak in southern France, a number of French cattle were unable to attend the French livestock show, Sommet de l’Elevage, last week due to concerns surrounding the virus.

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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.

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Beef and lamb farmers as well as agricultural technical experts gathered on a suckler-beef farm in Cheshire recently to get a first look at initial findings from research which aims to help red meat producers reduce their carbon footprint.

The grazing and knowledge transfer event took place as part of ABP Food Group’s PRISM 2030 (PRogramme for the Improvement in Sustainability of (red) Meat) initiative.

The open day took place near Mobberley, Cheshire, on the farm of Ian Norbury and attendees heard the changes he has implemented on his farm since joining PRISM 2030.

Ian manages a herd of 120 pedigree Angus cows, selling breeding bulls and also finishes his heifers and steers with ABP.

He joined PRISM 2030 in autumn 2022 having already used the carbon calculator, Agrecalc, to measure his farm’s GHG emissions back in 2020.

An overview video explaining the farm system can be found here:

After gauging his farm emissions, the Cheshire beef farmer then identified ways to reduce emissions, primarily planting herbal leys and rotationally grazing cattle, eliminating chemical fertiliser requirements, and improving daily liveweight gains.

He now out winters finishing cattle and supplements these with bales. Only in-calf cows are housed during late winter and this system minimises straw use and keeps nitrogen on the grassland.

Many of the forage bales made on the farm are tight-baled hay and require no wrap, eliminating plastic waste, reducing input costs, and minimising labour demands during winter.

Regular weighing of cattle means he can select smaller heifers for breeding and finish larger-framed heifers, monitoring growth rates and feeding accordingly.

Ian has reduced mature cow weight from 780kg to 650kg over the past four years, reducing the overall carbon footprint of each cow.

PRISM 2030 offered Ian the opportunity he sought, to repeat his carbon calculations with Agrecalc, and presented him with advice from The Andersons Centre, Harper Adams University and other farmers involved.

During the event, farmers from across the region heard from ABP’s PRISM 2030 partners Professor Jude Capper of Harper Adams University as well as representatives from The Andersons Centre (Andersons) and Agrecalc.

Professor Capper told farmers at the event in Cheshire that the findings from the project so far are proving “helpful” in illustrating “just how much those involved are achieving by monitoring and reducing their farm carbon emissions, with the support of ABP”.

She said: “It’s really important for our industry which faces arguably more than its fair share of criticism to be armed with much more accurate, representative data which we can point to”.

“We already know some of the broad factors which effects the carbon footprint of a farm but what we don’t is how that plays out on-farm.

“Often, we see two similar farms but with very different carbon footprints. We also see seemingly high-performing farms, which in theory ought to have a lower carbon footprint, having higher ones than lesser-performing farms. This project will help us to understand why.”

Discussing the different aspects of the farm, The Andersons Centre and Agrecalc representatives explained their role in assessing farm carbon emissions and offering recommendations.

Ian gave insight into his handling system investment and discussed the planting and management of GS4 (herbal) leys and led a tour of the bale grazing set-up, ready for cattle to turn out to during November.

Through PRISM 2030, ABP hosts discussion groups, gives advice and offers a Sustainability Grant, to support investment with improvements such as herbal ley mixtures, weighing-scales and handling systems.

Katie Thorley, ABP’s agri-sustainability manager said: “This research project is vital for supporting farmers and communicating UK agriculture’s strong sustainability position.

“Investing in PRISM is partly about telling the story of British farming.

“There is no doubt in my mind that many consumers have negative connotations around the impacts of farming, and we must get our act together to tell the real story.

“Every farm will be re-tested in two years’ time, and we very much look forward to watching PRISM 2030 progress and finding out what the next chapters reveal.”

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The Beef and Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) New Season Outlook 2023-24, published today (Wednesday, October 11), shows that global demand for beef and sheepmeat is expected to recover slightly.

However, ongoing increases in farm costs are anticipated to sharply reduce the incomes of sheep and beef farmers for the second year in a row.

The report states that profit before tax for 2023-24 is forecast to average NZ$88,600/farm (€50,354).

After adjusting this figure for inflation, this is equivalent to NZ$54,800/farm (€31,145) in 2004-05 terms.

B+LNZ said that this represents a 25% lower farm profit than what was recorded in 2004-05.

New Zealand

B+LNZ’s chief economist Andrew Burtt said that this will be another tough year for the country’s farmers.

“Farm-gate prices are expected to be similar to last season but increasing costs, driven by inflation and high interest rates, will continue to squeeze farm profitability.

“We’re forecasting farm profitability to fall by 31% for the 2023-24 year, which follows a decline of 32% in 2022-23 and means profits for farmers have more than halved in two years.

“This is a 15-year low, when you take inflation into account. The global outlook for the red meat sector remains fragile,” he said.

B+LNZ said that although demand is expected to recover slightly from last year’s levels, prices are expected to remain soft compared to the highs of two years ago, especially for lamb and mutton.

The pace of China’s economic recovery is also uncertain, while the economies of other key markets remain relatively weak.

Farmers in New Zealand will also face stiff competition from Australian red meat exports to China.

“There are further short-term downside risks on these forecasts, should China not recover as quickly as forecast, and if Australia suffers a strong drought its red meat exports would be higher than expected in New Zealand’s key markets,” Burtt added.

New Zealand exports over 90% of its meat production, so global economic conditions significantly influence farm-gate prices.

Profit

The B+LNZ report states that some farmers in New Zealand are likely to not make a profit this coming season.

“We expect profitability in all regions and farm classes will decline with sheep-dominant areas most affected, as lamb prices are likely to be flat for the coming season while beef prices are relatively good,” Burtt said.

“This lower profitability comes at a time when many farmers are continuing to rebuild farms in the wake of last summer’s cyclones and preparing for potential drought conditions in the coming months as a result of El Nino, which will impact the timing of sales for example.

“The B+LNZ forecast does not take into account the potential increased costs facing farmers from the government’s regulatory reform agenda,” he added.

The B+LNZ chief economist said that “money management is going to be critical this year”.

“Firstly, making sure every farm input is driving productivity and profitability and secondly, working proactively with bankers and accountants to best manage any debt and tax obligations,” he said.

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ABP Food Group has announced that it is joining the Harper Adams University school of sustainable food and farming delivery partner network.

The UK school is at the forefront of the development of sustainable farming methods and also in exploring methods to help British farmers with their pathway to achieving net zero.

This partnership comes in addition to ABP’s sponsorship of the professorship in sustainable beef and lamb production at the university.

The post, which is currently held by Prof. Jude Capper, is committed to leading the development of postgraduate research into sustainable meat production systems.

ABP

Prof. Capper’s team is currently working with research teams from ABP on the company’s demonstration farm in Shropshire.

The work initially focused on using a data-driven approach to improving the genetics available to the beef herd, so that beef animals grow faster by optimising their feed conversion ratio.

This means that the cattle are ready for slaughter at a younger age.

The ultimate aim of the partnership is to support the industry’s ambition of reducing emissions and demonstrate the industry’s climate credentials.

ABP is also working with 350 farmers across the UK to identify productivity improvements and understand the carbon cycle on their own farm

Commenting on the new partnership, Phil Hambling, UK head of corporate social responsibility (CSR) for ABP said:

“Our existing projects with Harper Adams University are helping us with evidence to dispel some of the myths about beef and lamb’s carbon footprint but also showing how we can improve productivity and benefit farm business resilience.

“Our partnership approach with farmers and Harper will ensure that we can build on our early progress, demonstrate how we can continuously improve and celebrate the positive story that British agriculture has to offer,” he said.

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Farmers have been urged to be vigilant for signs of bluetongue virus as reports of a new strain (BTV-3) in the Netherlands emerge.

According to Ruminant Health and Welfare (RH&W) the existing BTV-8 vaccine will not offer cross-protection against this new strain, making “any likely outbreak difficult to control”.

RH&W has facilitated emergency meetings this week, bringing together over 40 key stakeholders and representatives from across the industry, to ensure the four nations are prepared for this emerging disease threat.

“What we are advising is threefold,” Dr. Joseph Henry, president of the Sheep Veterinary Society and member of RH&W’s steering group said.

“Farmers need to beware when buying animals in, especially from Europe, take action to report any signs of the disease, and at all times, remain vigilant.”

BTV-3 is a viral disease transmitted by biting midges, which affects all ruminants (e.g. sheep, cattle, goats and deer) and camelids (e.g. alpaca).

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

In sheep these include: Drooling, mouth lesions, high fever, lameness and oedema (swollen heads) and 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.

Bluetongue virus in Europe

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 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.

A Defra spokesperson said: “The UK remains officially bluetongue-free but we are not complacent against the risk it poses to our farmers.

“The detections in Europe are an important reminder to all farmers to be vigilant in sourcing their stock and germinal products, ensuring imported animals are properly vaccinated and that they have strong biosecurity practices in place to prevent the spread of disease.

“If farmers have any suspicions of disease, they should report them to APHA (Animal and Plant Health Agency) immediately.”

According to Cat Mclaughlin, National Farmers’ Union (NFU) chief animal health and welfare advisor, and member of RH&W steering group, BTV-3 appears to “mimic BTV-8 in its behaviour, leading us to be extremely cautious to the risk it poses”.

She added that while there are no reported cases in the UK currently, the risk of it reaching the UK is increasing, “so we must adhere to advice and do all we can to keep it out”.

Remain vigilant

Phil Stocker, National Sheep Association (NSA) chief executive and member of RH&W steering group, adds that bluetongue does not pose a threat to human health, but it remains a notifiable disease.

“We’d strongly advise farmers to beware when buying livestock from Europe, and to request pre-movement testing of animals prior to departure,” he said.

“All imports of live animals are subject to post-import testing with restricted movements until a negative post-import test result has been confirmed, so caution is key.”

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Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has scrapped a proposal to tax meat as part of the government’s new plan to meet net zero.

In a speech this afternoon, the Prime Minister confirmed: “I’m also scrapping the proposal to make you change your diet – and harm British farmers – by taxing meat.”

However, this was never put forward as an official proposal.

This is one of many changes to the government’s approach to meeting net zero announced today (Wednesday, September 20).

Other measures that have been scrapped include taxes to discourage flying; sorting rubbish into several different bins; expensive installation upgrades; and compulsory car sharing.

The government has also extended deadlines to transition to clean energy.

“That means you’ll still be able to buy new petrol and diesel cars and vans until 2035, in line with countries like Germany and France,” Sunak said today.

“It also means we’ll never force anyone to rip out their old boiler for an expensive heat pump, which for a family living in a terraced house in Darlington, could cost up to £10,000.”

Sunak said these reversals are possible because the UK has already “overdelivered” on previous targets to date.

“Given this progress, reaching our targets does not need to come unnecessarily at the expense of people facing higher costs – and that’s why today we can ease the burden on working families,” he said.

“We will continue to meet our international agreements,” the Prime Minister added.

Good for rural homes?

Country Land and Business Association (CLA) president Mark Tufnell has welcomed the U-turn on mandatory installation upgrades.

“We strongly support efforts to improve the environment, but some of these proposals were simply unachievable and counterproductive,” he said.

“Due to the nature of their construction, many rural properties cannot be suitably upgraded. 

“Forcing many landlords to spend at least £10,000 on works with no guarantee such investment would actually improve carbon emissions risked damaging the supply of rural housing during a cost-of-living crisis – we know many good, responsible landlords have already sold up.

“The proposed 2026 ban on off-grid oil boilers would have affected one million – largely rural – households, targetting the highest-hanging fruit first as it would have come nearly a decade before a similar ban on new gas boilers. While heat pumps are an option for some, they are not feasible or cost-effective for all.”

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A webinar hosted by the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) will provide advice for red meat businesses on exporting to Canada.

The webinar will take place on October 19, 2023, and will provide an overview of the key points for the businesses to consider, including tips for route to market, compliance and customs clearances.

AHDB said participants will also be given access to information about imports, sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures, labelling requirements, documentation, and checklists to help ensure they are in the strongest possible position to maximise the export opportunities that Canada presents for UK pork, beef and lamb.

The webinar will feature a presentation from Ontario-based consultancy MCS Associates Inc. which provides advice to companies on regulatory and quality compliance of their products.

Market access manager, Ouafa Doxon, said: “It is imperative for our exporters to continuously meet import requirements to maintain and protect our market access to Canada.

“The aim of our webinar is to equip them with the most up-to-date insight and information to help them achieve their export ambitions in this market.”

Exports to Canada

AHDB said its Prospects for UK agri-food exports: North America report has highlighted that Canada is a net importer of lamb, with low levels of tariff protection for imports. 

The value of beef shipments from the UK to Canada in 2022 were worth £13.1 million – up 77% on the previous year.

The value of sheep meat shipped to Canada increased 160%, up from almost £1.9 million the previous year to almost £5 million, while pork export value remained stable at £7.7 million.

“Our analysis has highlighted that Canada is likely to offer improved opportunities for UK red meat exports over the next decade,” Doxon said.

“In particular it will present further opportunities for premium red meat products that are differentiated from conventional domestic production.”

Levy payers have said they value AHDB’s work on export development and wish to see more of it, she said.

“This webinar forms part of our wider international market development work to help our levy payers benefit from the opportunities the Canadian market presents.

“I would therefore urge any UK red meat exporters with an interest in trading with Canada to register for the webinar.”

Those interested in attending the webinar should register via the AHDB website.

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Sainsbury’s has launched a new Aberdeen Angus beef range which will offer a 25% lower carbon footprint compared to industry standard.

The supermarket chain has launched the new ‘Taste the Difference‘ Aberdeen Angus range with the aim of changing how beef is produced in the UK.

Customers will be able to find the Taste the Difference Aberdeen Angus beef range in new packaging in over 60 stores from today (Monday, September 18), with a nationwide expansion expected.

Sainsbury’s said it developed the range by bringing together its dairy and beef supply chains, reducing carbon through a combination of “superior cattle breeding and animal management”.

The Taste the Difference range will initially feature 16 “customer favourites”, including 12% and 5% fat mince, 30-day rib eye steak and a 30-day beef roasting joint.

Director of agriculture, aquaculture and horticulture at Sainsbury’s, Gavin Hodgson, said: “More customers than ever want high quality beef with a lower carbon footprint and that’s why we’ve invested many years of research and development into transforming how we produce it.

“Our updated lower carbon premium beef range not only tastes great but is also positive news for our farmers too, who will benefit from more security and stability, supporting the future growth of UK agriculture.

“We’re excited about the possibilities this move could hold for the future of farming in the UK.”

Carbon footprint

Sainsbury’s said measures such as strictly monitored feed and living conditions mean that healthy calves are raised in the most efficient way possible, needing less time and energy to grow, in turn emitting fewer harmful gases.

As well as being better for the planet, Sainsbury’s said it has made sure the new process will offer benefits for farmers with “fixed, forward pricing” providing greater security and stability.

The retailer said it also equips farms with advanced free-of-charge technology which generates in-depth data to help them make better farm management decisions.

Director of corporate responsibility and sustainability at Sainsbury’s, Ruth Cranston, said: “We know that more customers are wanting to make responsible choices when buying food so we sought to find a solution which gave them high quality, great tasting beef which is lower carbon.

“By creating 25% lower carbon emissions, this launch is another step forward in Sainsbury’s ambition to become net zero across its own operations by 2035, and value chain by 2050, in line with the Paris Agreement’s aim of limiting global temperature rise to 1.5C.

“This launch also shows what can be achieved through genuine collaboration with farmers and suppliers.”

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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.

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Hybu Cig Cymru – Meat Promotion Wales (HCC) said the Welsh beef industry is hoping that recent good weather will help boost prices after a disappointing summer.

HCC said the welcome warm weather may fire up garden barbecues after a dull July and August.

HCC intelligence, analysis and business insight executive, Glesni Phillips, said: “Prices in recent days have picked up again as back-to-school demand, along with fine weather, provided some much-needed additional impetus.”

Going into September, the average deadweight price for steers in England and Wales had recorded three consecutive weeks of price increases to stand at 460.5p/kg, HCC said.

“This average is some 29p higher than year-earlier levels and almost 83p higher than the longer term five-year average,” Phillips said.

“Looking back through the year so far, deadweight prime cattle prices were also very strong during the first few months of 2023 – but by late spring, driven largely by the cost of living crisis, the average was showing small week-on-week declines.

“Then the consistently cool summer weather impacted on demand for traditional BBQ cuts.”

HCC said data from Kantar suggests steaks and mince have still performed well but the total volume of beef sold at British retail was down 2% on the year and some 20% below levels seen for this period in both 2021 and 2020.

“However, 2023 sales volumes are higher than recorded pre-Covid (in 2019), which is a real positive, and it must be remembered that 2021 and 2020 figures included periods of lockdown during Covid, when the foodservice sector was closed and substantially increased sales volumes were experienced by the whole grocery sector at retail,” Phillips said.

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Silage analysis will be important coming into the winter as farmers will be soon begin to close paddocks and house stock.

The challenging weather conditions made the harvesting of silage tough for farmers in many areas, and therefore, ensuring that the fodder is high quality is essential.

Bruce Forshaw, product manager at ForFarmers in the UK said that insight into silage quality can help reduce expenses while maintaining productivity.

Forshaw said: “Our analysis of customers’ silage [stocks] has shown that overall there is more energy and protein compared to 2022.

“This may mean you can reduce the amount of protein you buy in, therefore lowering bills while also helping towards sustainability targets.”

Silage analysis

The benefits of getting silage analysed can not only identify the ways costs can be lowered, but can also be helpful in preventing sickness in cows.

In their silage analysis, Forshaw said that ForFarmers has discovered some results that “give cause for concern”.

“We have noticed some high DCAB (dietary cation-anion balance) silages which was caused by higher than normal potassium levels and lower chloride levels.

“This may not make a huge difference to cows in the milking herd, but can pose a problem for dry cows and can result in milk fever.

“It’s unclear why this year’s silage is showing raised levels.”

Second and later cuts this year, according to Forshaw, indicated an increased risk of aerobic spoilage and heating once silage pits are opened.

Analysis from ForFarmers indicated that this is, in part, due to lower lactic and acetic acids and higher butyric acid.

“The best advice is to get full nutritional and mineral analysis of your silage and ration exactly what your cows need to help them perform at their best while minimising waste,” he said.

“Mineral content of silage can catch you out if there is a change, so we recommend that all farms take at least one sample at the beginning of the season, especially when rationing dry cows.”

Forshaw stated that a full nutritional and mineral analysis of silage will help cows to perform to their best.

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British red meat and dairy products will take “pride of place” in front of an international audience at Anuga, a global trade fair for the food industry, this year.

This is according to the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB), which be joined by 13 British red meat exporters at the Meat Hall at Anuga in Cologne from October 7-11, 2023.

14 dairy exporters will also be on the British dairy pavilion in a collaboration between AHDB and the UK government.

The trade fair follows the introduction of the new UK Subsidy Control Act which enables AHDB to feature the term “British” and the union flag more prominently in its promotional work.

AHDB head of international trade development, Jonathan Eckley, said AHDB is excited to showcase the union flag at Anuga 2023 and highlight the “exceptional quality” of British red meat and dairy products.

“Our participation reflects the commitment to deliver on the objectives to develop international markets for our producers, provide valuable market analysis and insights, and promote the reputation of our products to foreign buyers,” he said.

“We aim to lay the groundwork for every British producer to see how important exporting is in underpinning the future of their farmgate returns.

“Anuga presents a unique opportunity to further strengthen existing partnerships, establish new connections, and bolster the reputation of British red meat and dairy in the global marketplace.”

Anuga 2023

At the event, visitors will have the opportunity to taste quality red meat and dairy products that are naturally and sustainably produced by British farmers, AHDB said.

According to the board, Anuga 2023 is the most important event in the calendar this year for the global food industry, and is expected to attract in excess of 100,000 visitors from around the world.

In addition to the exporters, four farming influencers have also been given the opportunity to attend the trade fair with the aim of gaining valuable insights into the workings of global trade and promote British pork, beef, lamb and dairy.

AHDB senior exports manager, Lucy Randolph, said: “Anuga illustrates how the collaborative approach between industry, AHDB and government can help our exporters seize the opportunities presented on the global stage.

“This collaborative approach will build on the government’s commitment earlier this year to invest £2 million to boost its programme of global trade shows and missions, £1.6 million for the GREAT food and drink campaign and a new £1 million bespoke export support fund for the dairy sector.

“We welcome the government’s commitment which will complement AHDB’s £8million annual investment in exports to facilitate trade and grow our reputation as a producer of quality, safe and wholesome food.”

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With heatwave conditions set in across the UK it is important that farmers keep an eye on their livestock for signs of heat stress.

Heat stress occurs when an animal’s heat load is greater than its capacity to lose heat.

This is seen prominently in heavy cattle, which cannot handle heat stress compared to lighter weight cattle.

Also at a higher risk of heat stress are pregnant animals, animals recovering from illness, pigs and high-producing dairy cows.

The most visible signs in farm animals tend to be elevated breathing rates, however, increased water intake and sweating, along with decreased feed intake, are other symptoms.

To help prevent heat stress occurring, farmers must pay particular attention to water, feed, shade and management.

Consumption of water is the quickest method for animals to reduce their core body temperature.

For detecting signs of heat stress in your dairy herd, further symptoms include decreased milk production and a change in milk composition (milk fat and protein percentages drop).

Farmers should also pay attention to their livestock crowding, breathing heavily, and standing next to a water trough.

On a hot day, cows can drink anywhere up to 110L/day and they can typically drink at a rate of 14L/minute from a trough.

With this in mind, farmers are encouraged to carefully consider trough location, as cattle don’t like to walk more than 250m to get a drink.

Offering feed with a high fibre content can increase the heat of fermentation in the rumen, thus increasing the heat load of livestock.

Cattle should be given preferential access to paddocks with shade from trees and tall hedges during periods of hot weather.

This may mean having to graze more shaded parts of the farm during the day and more open areas during the evening/night.

If moving or handling cattle, farmers should minimise the time cattle are in holding yards and to reduce handling stress.

Where cattle do become affected by heat stress, it’s advisable to isolate the most severely affected animals and provide shade and cooling.

Farmers should avoid handling sheep where possible during hot weather, and where necessary, delay handling or moving sheep until late evening when temperatures cool.

For farmers transporting sheep in trailers, they should ensure there is adequate ventilation and that they are stocked appropriately.

They should check stock regularly during longer journeys and delay movements until late evening/night time where possible.

Farmers with sheepdogs should also be aware that the dogs are susceptible to heat stress, and should delay work until late evening, where possible, provide sufficient rest periods and have access to water.

For outdoor pigs, they will require access to a wallow to cool down, especially if the temperature is above 25°, as these animals are particularly vulnerable to heat stress.

For indoor pigs and poultry the temperature in the animal accommodation must be monitored closely and ventilation adjusted accordingly. 

It is also recommended to reduce stocking densities where necessary to increase air space and flow and to reduce the heat generated by the animals themselves.  

It is also important that farmers look after themselves in the hot weather, by staying hydrated and protecting their skin from the sun with sunscreen and protective clothing.

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It is now necessary for all transporters of livestock animals to have a valid transporter authorisation in order to transport animals over any distance greater than 65km in connection with any economic activity, e.g. trade.

It is also a requirement when transporting animals between member states (including moves to and from Northern Ireland, to register the premises of departure and premises of destination on TRACES in advance of the movement.

This update is in line with the EU animal health law.

TRACES is the online platform for certification required for the importation of animals, animal products, food and feed of non-animal origin and plants into the EU, and the intra-EU trade and EU exports of animals and certain animal products.

Details of this authorisation to transport animals over 65km, in accordance with Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2005, must be registered on TRACES in order for the health certificate to be generated.

Action required for transport

To ensure that no delays are encountered in north-south trade, or in trade between EU member states, the parties to the trade should ensure in advance that the premises of origin and destination have been registered on TRACES.

Once a premises has been correctly registered as an establishment of origin or destination, this will allow them to be selected on the certificate for each movement and they will not need to re-register.

Registration of farms in the Republic of Ireland can be completed by contacting a local regional veterinary office of DAFM.

To register a premises in Northern Ireland, a local Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) regional office should be contacted.

If this process is not completed prior to the sale of animals, it may result in export delays as it will not be possible to create a health certificate on the TRACES system.

If the journey is to be more than 65km, the parties should ensure that the authorisation of the transporter of the animals is registered on TRACES.

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The red meat sector is now worth £2.8 billion to the Scottish economy, up 16% from £2.4 billion from the last time its worth was assessed 2016, according to a new report by Quality Meat Scotland (QMS).

Of this £2.8 billion, 46% was generated on-farm, 32% by meat processing, and the remaining by ‘core’ and ‘other’ supplies.

The Scottish Red Meat Sector Economic Impact Report 2023 adds that red meat output accounts for approximately 36% of national farming output, with on-farm output now up by more than £100 million, from £1.16 billion in 2016, to £1.27 billion now. 

The wider supply chain also generates important revenues with £885 million from meat processing, £361 million from core supply trading (veterinary, machinery, fertiliser, feed and repairs/buildings) and a further £225 million in output from other farm supplies it said.

The report also looked at employment within the red meat chain, which it said currently sustains 39,000 jobs. The majority of these jobs are on farm with 31,200 people, 3,880 in meat processing, 2,000 in the core supplies industry – such as feed and veterinary services – and 2,200 employed in other supplies to the sector.

Red meat sector in Scotland

Sarah Millar, QMS’ chief executive, believes this report is “vital to understanding the red meat supply chain in Scotland’s total as well as its rural economy”.

“Livestock farming is so important to the fabric of our rural economies, supporting both hired and family labour, in full-time and in part-time roles, and in-turn other local businesses in rural and remote places,” she said.

“What’s also important to note is that, when you add in the further processing of red meat into cooked foods and food service, for example, the total employment contribution of the red meat sector is even greater.”

Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon also echoed Millar’s sentiment: “This report highlights the continued importance of the red meat supply chain both to Scotland’s economy as well as our rural communities.

“Improvements in on-farm efficiency as well as work to further build the brand and reputation of our nation’s iconic meats have led to a marked increase in value of the sector.

“This is down to the diligence and hard work of farmers, crofters and all those who work in the wider supply chain.”

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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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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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This year’s Great British Calf Week will focus on two themes – dairy beef genetics and tuberculosis (TB) calves.

The week-long campaign will take place from September 13-20, 2023, and will showcase interactive events hosted by industry stakeholders.

The week aims to celebrate the progress that industry has made since the launch of the Dairy Calf Strategy in 2020 through a series of webinars, farm walks and events.

Great British Calf Week will kick of at UK Dairy Day in Telford on Wednesday, September 13, with a breakfast launch on the National Farmers’ Union’s (NFU) stand.

NFU dairy board chair, Michael Oakes, said the event will celebrate the “significant progress” that industry has seen under the GB Calf Strategy.

“Since 2020, there have been a number of commitments made across both the beef and dairy supply chains to better integrate the two, and help ensure, as dairy farmers, we are rearing calves with an end market in mind,” he said.

“As we approach the end of the initiative’s final year, we need to continue working together to identify market opportunities and help ensure we are maximising the value of each calf to optimise returns.”

Since the launch of the strategy three years ago, the NFU said “huge strides” have been made across the supply chain to implement breeding strategies which rear all healthy calves “with care and for a purpose”, including an increase in the use of sexed dairy semen, from 31.9% in 2019 to 76.5% in 2023.

Bovine TB

At the outset of the GB Calf Strategy, a Bovine bTB subgroup was established to help increase access for TB restricted cattle into licenced TB units.

The group includes:

• The NFU;
• NFU Cymru;
• The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra);
• The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA);
• The Welsh government;
• Representatives from the dairy and beef supply chains.

The group said it has worked to try to overcome some of the “red tape and barriers” impacting producers affected by TB.

The group said its next meeting will be in early September at a member’s TB isolation unit, where it will discuss extended filling periods and the potential for dual herd sourcing isolation units.

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Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) has announced a series of ‘Meat the Market‘ workshops for beef and lamb farmers.

The events aim to guide beef and lamb producers and offer industry knowledge about target specifications for finished animals.

The first workshop will kick off at 9:30a.m on Tuesday, October 10, and will focus on cattle. The event will last around four and a half hours in total and it will be held at Highland Meats (Dunbia), Saltcoats, on the West Coast.

Attendees must be over 18 years of age and most have photo ID to prove this, QMS said.

QMS said processing plant tours will enable visiting farmers to visually grade cattle before slaughter, before seeing the resulting carcass for later comparison.

Visitors will be given guidance on carcass grading of home finished cattle, to help with determining if they are ready for sale and to ensure maximised returns.  

The speakers at the events will be divisional manager with Meat and Livestock Commercial Services Ltd (MLCSL), George Allan, and industry specialist, Adrian Crowe.

They will discuss market specifications, customer requirements, presentation of animals and minimising risk of carcase downgrades.

Head of industry development at QMS, Bruce McConachie, said: “It is important to present clean animals that fit the required processor grade specification for conformation and fat cover, to ensure that returns can be maximised.

“Seeing livestock graded offers valuable insight and feedback from the abattoirs and may highlight any issues relating to your cattle or lamb health, that may cause downgrades or condemnations.” 

Farmer Lawrence Martin visited the Bridge of Allan abattoir during a Meat the Market workshop.

“Seeing carcasses on the line after grading the animals in lairage was insightful, as a result, we are now hand grading lambs before weighing those deemed fit, it has changed the order in which we do things, saving us time,” he said.

“Meeting other farmers at these workshops is as valuable as what we learn from the speakers, I will certainly be attending more of these events.” 

QMS said more workshops, including those focusing on lamb, are planned for later dates and will be announced soon.

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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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Management has stated that this is likely to leave beef processors with unused capacity in the US.

Global president of operations, Wesley Mendonca Batista Filho said that there “is no doubt” cattle supplies will “remain tight” in 2024.

The number of beef cows in the US at the start of this year was the lowest since 1962 at 28.91 million, according to a report by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS).

US analysts have said that meat processors like Tyson Foods and Cargill will pay elevated prices for cattle until producers start rebuilding the herd.

The figures reflected the smallest herd for that date since the government began keeping the records 52 years ago, and reflected a fifth year of declining beef cow numbers.

JBS SA

JBS also reported a second-quarter loss this week, related to the cattle supply shortage on its main market, but also the negative effects of a global chicken glut.

Chicken businesses are forecasted to recover quicker than beef.

Chief executive officer (CEO) of JBS, Gilberto Tomazoni said companies are gradually adjusting chicken supplies in the US and Europe, improving pricing prospects.

According to Reuters, Tomazoni said prices had already begun to rise on chicken meat sales to Gulf countries, “in a very clear sign of change”.

JBS shares rose 3.66% in mid-morning trading as some investors perceived results as better than feared.

The company overall forecasts gain of $450 million this year related to lower grain prices, particularly corn, higher than guidance of $340 million given at the end of the first quarter.

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“You don’t just get this on the basis of a good story.” Those are the words of beef sector manager with Bord Bia, Mark Zieg, who was speaking about the protected geographical indication (PGI) application for ‘Irish Grass Fed Beef’ on the AgriFocus podcast by Agriland.

Zieg explained that the European Commission needs evidence and proof from applicants that a particular product has the unique qualities that differentiate it from other products on the market.

Earlier this month, the European Commission’s published the all-island application for a PGI for ‘Irish Grass Fed Beef’.

EU quality policy aims to protect the names of specific products to promote their unique characteristics, linked to their geographical origin as well as traditional know-how.

Product names can be granted a ‘geographical indication’ (GI) if they have a specific link to the place where they are made.

The GI recognition enables consumers to trust and distinguish quality products while also helping producers to market their products better.

PGI application process

Stressing that the European Commission is quite discerning when determining if a product should receive PGI status, Zieg said: “You have to be able to prove those points that you make as the key qualities that differentiate your product and make it unique and make it protectable.

“This is the thing ultimately. This is nearly like a trademark, it has to be unique and protectable.”

The initial application for PGI status was a joint project between Bord Bia and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, however Northern Ireland wished to be included in the PGI proposal, so the application was resubmitted as an all-island prospect.

“Irish beef is produced north of the border as well [as southern Ireland] and has sold well in Europe,” Zieg continued.

“We have accounts over the years… where Irish beef and Irish grass-fed beef from both sides of the border would have been produced [for European markets].

“Our counterparts up there [NI] are working on putting those proofs in place.

“We were fortunate I suppose, in terms of… this is Irish Grass Fed Beef, we have the grass-fed standard here and that’s the main provable requirement for the PGI, which is the grass-fed standard – 90% grass-fed in the diet,” Zieg told AgriFocus.

The Bord Bia representative said Northern Ireland is currently working on getting a similar quality assured standard up and running to match the Origin Green standard.

Waiting game

After the publication of the PGI application earlier this month by the European Commission, the process remains open to opposition from other countries for a period of three months.

Bord Bia is optimistic that the PGI for Irish Grass Fed Beef will be registered at the end of the public consultation but has not ruled out the possibility of objections.

“We could get objections here. That would not be unusual or would not be insurmountable,” Zieg explained.

“We would have to address those to the satisfaction of the commission. We didn’t get them [objections] the last time, we would hope that would be very much the case but we can’t pre-judge that,” Zieg stated.

You can listen to the full interview with Mark Zieg on the AgriFocus podcast by clicking here.

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This is according to Livestock and Meat Commission (LMC) chief executive, Ian Stevenson.

“The current state of uncertainty within that market is being reflected on an international basis,” Stevenson explained.

“China is slowly responding to the decision to move away from a zero tolerance Covid-19 policy.

“The country’s economy is currently in a state of stasis. This is reflected in the fact that almost 30% of its 2023 university graduates cannot find employment.

“In addition, consumers across China are now putting a very strong focus on the paying back of debt.”

The LMC chief said that as as a consequence, beef and lamb retail prices have softened and that cheaper pork is also impacting negatively on the country’s red meat market.

“But currency is also coming into play within China’s beef and import scenario. Recent months have been marked by a weakening of the Chinese Yuan,” he added.

In theory, this should make China less attractive as an export destination.

The most recent figures confirm that beef and lamb imports into the country actually increased during the first months of 2023 by a factor of 8%. However, the actual value of these imports fell by 11%.

China and global meat markets

Australia and Brazil remain key suppliers of beef to the Chinese market.

Similar trends can be identified within China’s sheepmeat market.

The ending of Covid-19 restrictions has boosted consumption levels; sheepmeat is very much a driver of social occasion in China.

However, imports have risen by 33% over the first half of 2023, leading to a 20% fall in prices during the same period.

“We are also seeing signs of a grey market for beef resurfacing in China. This entails the likes of frozen buffalo meat from India coming into the country through Hong Kong,” Stevenson continued.

“In addition, steps taken to boost levels of indigenous food production in China are now bearing fruit. The end result is a lowering in demand for imported beef and lamb coming into the country.

“Widespread inflation is squeezing margins across international beef and lamb sectors. There will be difficulties in passing on costs to consumers during the current cost of living crisis,” he added.

According to the LMC, retail meat prices have probably peaked; consumer spending is under significant pressure.

The commission said that there has been some relief for farmers reently on the back of falling feed costs.

“But threatening socio-political developments taking place around the world add cost and complexity along the entire food chain,” Stevenson said.

“Chronic labour shortages in economies around the world is adding significantly to food production costs.”

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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.” 

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Welsh Rural Affairs Minister Lesley Griffiths has today (Wednesday, August 16) launched a five-year bovine tuberculosis (TB) delivery plan.

The Pembrokeshire Project will explore how a partnership can tackle the disease and will aim to tackle “deep-seated levels on infection” in parts of Pembrokeshire, where TB incidence and prevalence have worsened, the Welsh government said.

The project aims to facilitate collaborative working between vets and farmers and empower local informed decision making and leadership in disease control.

The project’s contract has been awarded to agroup led by Iechyd Da (Gwledig) Ltd. Work is now underway to deliver the project with further details to follow, the government said.

“We are very aware of the challenge of TB in cattle, and the distress it causes for farmers. This is why we are determined to eradicate bovine TB in Wales as set out in our delivery plan, published earlier this year,” Griffiths said.

“We have made steady progress since 2009, with fewer affected herds and new incidents, but we know there have been challenging levels of infection in Pembrokeshire.

“I have always said we cannot do this alone, and partnership working with our farmers and vets is crucial to reach our shared goal of a TB-free Wales.”

Griffiths said she is looking forward to seeing the results of the project and is hopeful that it will have a positive impact in Pembrokeshire and “lessons can be learned for the rest of Wales“.

Disease control

Wales’ chief veterinary officer, Dr. Richard Irvine, said the project will work with a small sample of farms in Pembrokeshire.

Its main purpose, he said, will be to empower vets and farmers to make informed decisions and show leadership in disease control.

“It will develop and implement additional approaches to bovine TB control, over and above the statutory measures currently used in the area,” he said.

“The project will focus on identifying residual disease risk in clear testing cattle and develop a pathway for reducing cattle-to-cattle transmission.

“This will include identification and management of high-risk animals to slaughter and veterinary oversight of biosecurity practices.”

Irvine said he is pleased to see the project, which he labelled an “exciting example of partnership working”, get underway.

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Highland cattle have been brought in to trim the vegetation on the nesting grounds of lapwing at Arundel Wetland Centre in West Sussex.

Arundel Wetland Centre is one of 10 wetland centres across the UK managed by the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT) conservation charity.

Four Highland heifers were brought to the wetland nature reserve on August 2, and will graze the wet grassland for two months.

The aim of using the cattle to graze is to knock back the vegetation more sustainably than machinery. An added benefit, WWT said, is the beetles and worms that the cows’ dung attracts, which provides rich feeding grounds for nesting lapwing in springtime.

Reserve Manager Suzi Lanaway said: “These lovely girls will help keep vegetation in check in the summer months.

“Birds and wildlife aren’t bothered by the livestock – in fact the cattle egrets will enjoy the flies the heifers attract.”

According to the WWT, which runs Arundel, the land where the Highland cattle will be grazing was traditionally grazing marsh.

The cattle will be visible from the Ramsar Wildlife hide and the Lapwing Wildlife hide at the wetland centre.

WWT maintains thousands of hectares of wetland across its reserves with the purpose of supporting and protecting endangered species – the lapwing being one of these.

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The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) has highlighted red meat and dairy export opportunities in Central/South America and Sub-Saharan Africa.

The board said new analysis outlined in its Prospects for UK agri-food exports series revealed potential prospects for further exports, particularly for offal, in Central Amercia.

It also highlighted the benefits of the UK expanding the amount of commodity level red meat to Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire and South Africa, as well as more premium cuts to the latter.

Longer-term opportunities for dairy also exist in South Africa as a larger cheese importer than other Sub-Saharan countries, AHDB said.

AHDB’s senior economist, Dr. Amandeep Kaur Purewal, said the latest analysis offers a “comprehensive insight” into where UK exporters can can maximise opportunities for red meat and dairy products over the next decade.

“The ultimate aim of our analysis is to provide insight and analysis for our producers and exporters to understand the opportunities and challenges of trading in different parts of the world,” she said.

“Cultivating these opportunities adds value back into the supply chain on behalf of our levy payers while supporting the UK Government’s ambition to become a ‘Great Trading Nation’.”

This latest analysis concludes AHDB’s series of Prospects for UK agri-food exports analyses launched in January this year.

The report researched opportunities for red meat, dairy and cereals exports on a region-by-region basis which includes Europe, Asia, North America and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).

AHDB’s international trade development director, Dr. Phil Hadley, said: “We know there is interest across the world for British products and we need to fully understand the market dynamics and demands to make the most of the opportunities if producers are to continue to maximise returns.”

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UFU president David Brown confirmed that, according to the European Commission, the amended application to register the PGI on an all-island basis has successfully met the regulatory requirements.

“Now, a three-month opposition period in accordance with the [commission’s] defined regulatory procedures will be carried out. If all goes accordingly in this final stage, the PGI will be officially registered later this year,” he said.

“The UFU lobbied to ensure Northern Ireland would be part of the Irish Grass Fed Beef PGI, and we are optimistic that our farmers will be able to benefit from this deserved status very soon.

“Northern Ireland’s beef farmers have faced many challenges over the last number of years and a PGI status would provide a much-needed boost, highlighting the world-class beef that our farmers produce,” Brown added.

PGI status

The UFU said the special indication would display local beef as a unique product during a time when NI now must compete on the world beef market.

The union explained that it will give recognition to farmers who strive to produce quality beef to the highest standards and will help to ensure farmers receive a fair economical return.

“In the meantime, the UFU will continue to work with industry with the shared goal of creating appropriate processes that will allow local farmers to utilise the PGI once it is registered,” Brown continued.

Meanwhile, Livestock and Meat Commission (LMC) chief executive, Ian Stevenson, has also welcomed the PGI-related developments.

“We are pleased with the update coming from Brussels that the application for registration of ‘Irish Grass Fed Beef’ as a Protected Geographical Indication fulfils the regulatory conditions,” he said.

“The next step will see the European Commission undertake a three-month opposition  period in accordance with its defined regulatory procedures.

“Pending no reasoned notices of opposition to the application for registration being submitted during this time we are hopeful that the PGI will be registered later this year.

“The credentials of a PGI are valued in many markets with over 3,500 geographical indications already registered by the European Commission covering various foodstuffs, agricultural products, wines and spirit drinks produced in identified regions. 

“Securing PGI status for ‘Irish Grass Fed Beef’ could prove to be an additional marketing benefit for processors selling our world-class grass-fed beef.”

The LMC has stated that while the PGI application progresses, it will continue to work with industry to develop the processes that need to be put in place to enable use of the PGI after it is registered.

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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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This is despite the fact that the same markets held up well during the first half of 2023, in relative terms.  

According to market analysts, one of the key factors contributing to the relatively strong market conditions to-date this year, was the decision taken by governments around the world to subsidise energy prices.

In addition, the winter of 2022/2023 was milder than had been predicted. As a consequence, one of the key contributors of consumers’ regular household outlays was kept very much in check.

However, this scenario is now fast-changing. Governments are stepping away from the energy supports previously made available.

As a consequence, consumers have no option but to face-up to the full cost of expensive energy bills.

And the knock-on impact of this and the other factors that contribute to the continuing cost-of-living crisis, will factor into their food-buying decisions during the second half of 2023. 

Beef and sheep prices

“Volatility across many international beef and lamb markets may well be the major factor coming into play over the next few months,” Livestock and Meat Commission (LMC) chief executive Ian Stevenson confirmed.

“This was certainly the view expressed by representatives of the international beef and lamb sectors, who participated in a recent global meat market outlook presentation, delivered by the GIRA Meat Club.”

Based in Switzerland, Gira is an international consultancy and forecasting agency, operating at every level of the food supply chain. LMC is a member of the organisation.

“There are a number of factors now coming into play that will impact on both the production and demand side of the redmeat market equation,” Stevenson continued.

“These include the cost-of-living crisis, impacting at consumer level, and the continuing developments in Ukraine.

“The reality is that inflation is now impacting significantly on buying habits. Consumer pressure will, almost certainly, start to come on market prices.”

The LMC chief explained that from a production point of view, there has been some cost reductions, from a feed and fertiliser perspective.

“However, political uncertainty remains a major issue with the ongoing war involving Russia and Ukraine being the most obvious example of this,” he said.

“Instabilities of this nature serve only to add production costs, from a farming and food perspective. It all adds up to growing levels of volatility and uncertainty impacting on global meat markets.”

Labour

According to the LMC, labour availability is now a key factor impacting negatively across many farming and food economise around the world.

“Having to pay more for labour adds to the cost of producing beef and lamb,” Ian Stevenson explained.

“Meeting the sustainability challenge that now confronts the international livestock sector will also come at a substantial cost.

“Farmers know that they will have to invest in more efficient production systems if they want to meet their climate change targets.

“But all of this commitment comes at a substantial cost, one which they will want markets to fully reimburse them for,” he concluded.

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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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Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue has today (Tuesday, August 8) welcomed the European Commission’s publication of the all-island application for a PGI for Irish Grass Fed Beef. 

Minister McConalogue said: “I welcome the fact that the European Commission has finalised its scrutiny of the PGI application for Irish Grass Fed Beef, following the amendment of the application to extend the geographical area to include Northern Ireland.

“The publication at this stage is a requirement under EU rules.” 

The publication represents the next phase of consultation on the application for PGI status for Irish Grass Fed Beef.

It is now open to other member states and third countries (countries outside the EU) that have a legitimate interest to make submissions on the application with the commission, within a three-month period from the date of publication.  

“If successfully registered, the PGI for Irish Grass Fed Beef will be of real benefit to our suckler and beef farmers as a reward for their hard work, commitment, and dedication to producing a world-class beef product,” Minister McConalogue added.

“This application for a PGI for Irish Grass Fed Beef is a reflection of the truly unique product from this island and a solid step towards recognition of that fact. I am hopeful that the process is progressing to conclusion.”

Jim O’Toole, Bord Bia chief executive commented: “This is a significant step forward in the process to achieving rightful recognition for Irish Grass Fed Beef as a unique European product.

“Achieving a PGI status would help strengthen our ability to directly promote the advantages of Ireland’s grass-fed beef production system with consumers and cement its position as a premium product.”  

PGI

EU quality policy aims to protect the names of specific products to promote their unique characteristics, linked to their geographical origin as well as traditional know-how.

Product names can be granted a ‘geographical indication’ (GI) if they have a specific link to the place where they are made.

The GI recognition enables consumers to trust and distinguish quality products while also helping producers to market their products better.

The PGI application was initiated by Bord Bia on behalf of producers and was submitted for scrutiny by the European Commission in November 2020 by the Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine (DAFM).

On December 8, 2021, the commission published the PGI application for the ‘member state/third country opposition procedure’. This opposition period ended on March 8, 2022.

On March 1, 2022, the European Commission notified the DAFM that the UK authorities had submitted a ‘Notice of Opposition’ (in a bid to make it an all-island PGI application) and invited the applicant and the opponent (NI) to engage in appropriate consultations for a period of three months.

On July 11, 2022, consultations between the DAFM and Bord Bia with their Northern Ireland and UK counterparts were successfully concluded, with agreement that the geographical area covered by the application will be extended to include Northern Ireland.

The revised application single document and product specification document were lodged with the European Commission for scrutiny of the revised application. 

The publication today of the revised application is required by EU rules and will be for a period of three months from the date of publication.

If no legitimate oppositions are received, it is hoped that the application will proceed for registration. 

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The National Farmers’ Union (NFU) has reiterated and republished prevention advice and legal information regarding livestock worrying.

The union said livestock worrying remains a “serious cause for concern for many farmers” as it has a devastating impact on those affected.

As a result, the NFU has compiled a “guide on action” for farmers to take if an incident occurs and steps to help prevent against the crime of livestock worrying.

Livestock worrying

The union has declared the definition of livestock worrying as when a dog or dogs attack or chase livestock on agricultural land.

The union’s insurance branch, NFU Mutual, published its rural crime report for 2023 yesterday (Tuesday, August 1) which revealed that UK farm animals worth an estimated £1.8 million were killed or injured by dogs in 2022.

Rural business policy advisor at NFU Scotland, Rhianna Montgomery, said spring of this year saw a “constant stream of reports of cattle and sheep being attacked by dogs”.

In the event of an incident of livestock worrying, the NFU has advised farmers to document evidence by either getting somebody to film or taking photographs themselves of what is happening and taking note of identifying details.

These can include checking to see in the person responsible gets into a car and then taking notes of the vehicle’s details.

The union said those affected should then speak to their insurer to see if it is able to offer additional help or advice.

Prevention measures

The NFU said there are simple steps that farmers can take to help prevent dog attacks happening on their land.

These include:

• Putting up signs to encourage dog walkers to keep their dog on a lead around livestock;
• Reporting any incident of worrying to the police, even if the animals are not directly attacked or killed;
• Helping to educate the local community by engaging with relevant groups like local dog training classes;
• Using social media and taking part in events to spread awareness and encourage responsible dog ownership in the area to help prevent livestock worrying.

Legal information

The union has encouraged farmers to be aware of the laws regarding livestock worrying.

It is currently an offence to allow a dog to worry livestock and the offence carries a maximum fine of £1,000 to those found guilty.

The Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill introduced to parliament on June 8, 2021, included new measures aimed at cracking down on dog attacks on livestock.

“Improved police powers should enable them to respond to livestock worrying incidents more effectively,” the NFU said.

“This can make it easier for them to collect evidence and in the most serious cases seize and detain dogs to reduce the risk of further incidents.”

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This year’s show was judged by Scotsman Ian Watson, owner of the 50-cow Kersquarter Herd based at Kelso in Roxburghshire and current junior vice-president of the Aberdeen Angus Cattle Society.

It was a red-letter day for the Parke family from Strabane, as they notched up the senior female, exhibitor-bred and overall supreme championships with Coolermoney Frances T703, and the junior male championship with five-month-old calf Coolermoney Ragnor Z322.

Six-year-old Coolermoney Frances T703 was the winner of the cow class, and kept impressing the judge throughout the day to claim a number of other top awards. She was sired by Hallington Edition M362 and her dam was the privately purchased Lough Erne Frances J014.

She was a first-prize winner at Balmoral Show in May, and breed champion at Omagh Show a few weeks ago. This much-admired young cow was accompanied in the showring by her February-born bull calf Coolermoney Frankie Z311.

Adrian and Graeme Parke founded in the Coolermoney prefix in 1996, and run a herd of eight pedigree cows.

Their junior male champion was five-month-old bull calf Coolermoney Ragnor Z322. He is by Rawburn Boss Hogg N630, and bred from Coolermoney Rosita J003.

“This bull calf came from a strong class of six. Congratulations to the Park family on their first-class presentation and winning first, second and third in the class,” added the judge.

Claiming the reserve overall championship was the senior male award winner, and reserve exhibitor-bred champion, Glenbrae Red Mr Kayo Y536 exhibited by William and Jane Dodd, and sons Jamie and Lewis, from Saintfield.

The 16-month-old ET bull was sired by Mosshall Red Evolution P353, and is out of the Scottish-bred Gannon Red Miss Kayo S697 – one of 15 cows in the herd. He has won an array of awards during the show season.

The Dodd family also scooped the reserve senior female championship with the September 2021 Glenbrae Red Mouse X236. A Mosshall Red Forrest V018 daughter, she is bred from Gannon Red Mouse U173.

Rounding off a successful day for the Dodd family was the reserve junior female champion, Glenbrae Red Miss Kayo Y477, a full ET sister to the reserve supreme champion.

Home Farm Erne Y802, bred Fintan Keown, Belleek, was the winner of the reserve senior male championship.

Sired by Haymount War Smith R578, his dam was the former Pedigree Calf Fair breed champion Home Farm Ebony Stunner S087 – one of 10 cows in the herd. Home Farm Erne Y802 was junior champion, male and reserve supreme champion at Balmoral Show in May.

The reserve junior male champion was Ard Dubh Premier Y617, a Dillon New Holland son, bred by Mena McCloskey from Dungiven. Born in November 2022, he is an ET son of Mogeely Paula V630.

Securing the junior female Angus championship was Island Farm Pretty Y145, a seventeen-month-old Stouphill Marcus Prince U251 son, bred by Kevin McOscar, Cookstown.

Speaking after the event, judge Ian Watson said: “Thank you to the Northern Ireland club for inviting me to judge. I thoroughly enjoyed the day, despite the persistent rain.

“There was a fantastic show of cattle, and I’d like to commend the exhibitors on a great effort.

“The show was dominated by younger animals, and the heifer classes were exceptionally strong, with up to nine individual entries in one class. There was great quality throughout, and the top-placed animals in every class are full of potential for the future.

“The champion is a terrific young cow, and is working hard rearing her bull calf. She was a very worthy winner, and later in the day I was pleased to see her winning the reserve interbreed beef championship,” he added.

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The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is investigating the acquisition of an abattoir in the town of Bridge of Allen, and a meat packing plant in Queenslie in Glasgow.

Both plants belong to Scottish-based processor Scotbeef.

The CMA issued an enforcement order to Anglo Beef Processors (ABP) UK on Saturday (July 29), indicating that it had decided to investigate the transaction on the basis that the business of ABP UK and Scotbeef will cease to be distinct.

The CMA has not indicated a date by which it will reach a decision.

The enforcement order prevents ABP from taking any action, during the course of the investigation, which would lead to the integration of Scotbeef with ABP; transfer ownership or control of Scotbeef or its subsidiaries; or impair the ability of ABP and Scotbeef to compete independently in any of the markets affected by the transaction.

However, this does not apply to any actions taken by ABP prior to the date of the enforcement order.

As well as outlining what ABP cannot do, the enforcement order also compels ABP to take certain actions and ensure certain condition are maintained.

These include, but are not limited to:

• Scotbeef is carried on separately from ABP, with separate brand identity maintained;
• Both businesses are maintained as going concerns;
• No significant changes are made in the organisational structure of either business;
• Quality of goods provided by both businesses within the UK are maintained;
• Assets of either business are maintained and not disposed of;
• No integration of the information technology (IT) between both businesses and Scotbeef’s software platforms will remain unchanged;
• Lists of suppliers and customers of both businesses will remain separate, and Scotbeef will continue to carry out its own negotiations with existing or potential suppliers or customers;
• No changes are made to key staff of either business and no staff are transferred between the two;
• Reasonable steps must be taken to ensure all key staff remain with both businesses;
• No information of a confidential or proprietary nature relating to either business shall pass between the two, except as is necessary in the ordinary course of business (such as regulatory or accounting obligations), provided that any records or copies of such information be returned to the business to which they relate and are destroyed in the event that the transaction is prohibited.

Again, these obligations in the enforcement order only apply from the date on which the order was issued.

ABP is required to provide information to the CMA that the latter requires for the purposes of monitoring compliance with the enforcement order.

ABP announces acquisition

ABP announced the acquisition of the Bridge of Allan abattoir and Queenslie meat packing plant on June 15.

It is intended that the two facilities will become part of ABP’s UK meat division, which also includes an existing processing facility in Perth, Scotland.

The sale was expected to be completed by the end of July.

Frank Stephenson, group chief executive of ABP, had said: “We look forward to working with the team in Scotbeef to ensure a smooth and seamless transition for farmer suppliers, colleagues and customers at the Queenslie and Bridge of Allan plants.”

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The May 2022-born Limousin bull Jalex Transform is set to go up for auction and is considered by those behind the Jalex herd as “the best they have ever offered”.

The bull was sired by the 16k Huntershall Nutcracker which is a proven show-calf producer. The bull’s dam is Brockhurst Oriana and was a fatstock champion several times over including champion at Bucks show, Reserve Champion at Agri Expo, and Champion Winter Stock Festival.

Oriana is from a line of renowned breeding females from the Brockhurst Herd. Her dam Brockhurst Lucy was Champion at the Scottish Grand Prix, her grandam being Brockhurst Bolshoi, multiple Champion and Interbreed champion-winning cow, including Interbreed at the Yorkshire show.

Jalex Transform has chalked up an array of awards to include:

• Balmoral Show Junior, Male and Reserve Exhibitor bred Champion;
• Ballymoney Show, Interbreed Champion and Limousin Champion;
• Ballymena Show, Champion Limousin and Interbreed Champion;
• Antrim Show, Supreme, Intermediate and Male Champion at Northern Ireland’s Limousin Club’s National Show;
• Antrim Show, Bull Stakes 2023 Interbreed Champion and Overall Interbreed Champion;
• Clogher Show, NISA Junior Bull of the Year Champion 2023.

Jalex Transform was bred with 1 NT821 and 1 Q204X genes and the Jalex Herd team has said the bull “should be an exciting prospect to breed calves for both the pedigree and commercial market”.

The herd owners said: “Ordinarily, this bull would have travelled to Carlisle later in the season, however work commitments on this busy farm has promoted the decision to offer Transform at the on-farm sale instead. Export can be arranged to UK and Ireland.”

The sale will take place on August 18, from 7.30p.m, on the farm at Gloverstown Road, Randalstown, Co. Antrim. Pre-sale viewing is an option.

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National Farmers Union (NFU) livestock board chair Richard Findlay has today ( Tuesday, July 26) voiced his “concern” over recent price trends in the UK beef market.

Findlay has commented on the prices that farmers have received for their produce recently, and warned that confidence in beef production in the UK would be eroded because of current trends.

“There is growing concern that we’re seeing sustained falls in the GB beef price. In the last eight weeks we’ve seen over 20p/kg deadweight come off the clean steer price,” he said.

“If the current trend continues, confidence in UK production, which is already low, will be further eroded as livestock producers look to manage input costs of feed and fertiliser, and will be considering whether they can make the SFI23 (Sustainable Farming Incentive) offer work for them.”

Regarding the downturn in the UK beef prices, Findlay provided his own opinions regarding the influences of inflation and food consumption on the production of beef in the UK.

“Certainly the cost of living crisis driven by food inflation continues to have an impact on demand,” he continued.

“We have seen the beef category in UK retail fall by 2.7%, with consumers choosing to trade down to cheaper proteins and lower priced options.

“However, it’s not all bad, red meat consumption has held up pretty well despite food inflation hitting 17.3%,” he added.

“But when we see the market share of meat alternatives declining by 12.9% it tells me that consumers still value the quality and nutritious value of red meat in their diet.”

However the NFU livestock board chair said he remains frustrated about the prices that farmers are currently receiving and believes that they are not being sufficiently compensated for their produce.

“With worldwide demand continuing to outstrip supply I find it frustrating that our hard-working members are not adequately rewarded for the investment, risk and time they put into producing such a quality product,” he explained.

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The auction will take place on Saturday, August 26, at Ballymena Livestock Mart in Co. Antrim. Online bidding will also be available on MartEye.

Coolnaslee Charolais was formed in 1993 by the late Gilbert Crawford from Maghera, Co. Derry, and his love for the Charolais breed spanned over 25 years until his passing in 2017.

The Coolnaslee Herd has enjoyed great success in both the show and sale rings over the years and its key focus is on producing eye-catching cattle with style and presence and the ability to perform in a pedigree and commercial herds.

Over 120 lots are set to go under the hammer, which will include:

• Cows with calves at foot;
• In-calf heifers;
• A batch of choice maiden heifers.

All lots on offer in the sale that have been running with the bull or served to artificial insemination (AI) will be scanned in advance of the sale and full information will be made available to buyers.

Speaking ahead of the sale, Jonathan Crawford said that a catalogue will be available within the next week.

“We would like to extend a warm welcome to everyone to come join us at the dispersal of our Coolnaslee Herd of Charolais cattle,” he added.

“My father had an unrivalled passion for the breed and built up many friendships over the years as he travelled to shows and sales, not only in the UK, but right across the world.

“He had a great eye for selecting new bloodlines for the herd and never compromised. When he saw a potential stock bull, he was a hard man to stop.

“It has always been a team effort at Coolnaslee and we were fortunate to have wonderful stockmen who played an invaluable part in our story.”

All stock will be eligible for immediate export to the UK, while stock purchased by southern buyers will return to the farm for export testing.

Pre-sale viewing on farm is welcome by appointment and catalogues will be available from auctioneers and on MartEye.

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The figures reflected the smallest herd for that date since the government began keeping the records 52 years ago, and reflected a fifth year of declining beef cow numbers.

US analysts have said that meat processors like Tyson Foods and Cargill will pay elevated prices for cattle until producers start rebuilding the herd.

They explained that longer-term plans for new slaughter plants to open in coming years indicate processors will also increasingly need to compete with each other to buy limited numbers of cattle.

Chief strategist for brokerage Allendale, Rich Nelson said: “The next two to three years are going to be a bloodbath for packer margins.”

The USDA, in a separate report, said producers placed 1.68 million cattle in feedlots in June, up 3% from 2022.

Analysts had expected placements on average to decline 1.6% from last year.

They signalled that the increase meant there is still not enough pasture for cattle to graze on due to dry weather.

Economist for Steiner Consulting, Altin Kalo said: “The dynamic is not there yet where you’re going to see a real shortfall in the number of cattle going on feed.”

US herd statistics

In total, there were 95.9 million head of cattle and calves on US farms as of July 1, 2023, according to the USDA NASS report.

Other key findings in the report were:

• Of the 95.9 million head inventory, all cows and heifers that have calved totaled 38.8 million;
• The number of milk cows in the US remained unchanged at 9.40 million;
• US calf crop was estimated at 33.8 million head, down 2% from 2022;
• All cattle on feed were at 13.1 million head, down 2% from 2022.

To obtain an accurate measurement of the current state of the US cattle industry, NASS surveyed roughly 15,600 operators across the nation during the first half of July.

Surveyed producers were asked to report their cattle inventories as of July 1, 2023, and calf crop for the entire year of 2023 by internet, mail, telephone, or personal interview.

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It is one of the largest red meat processors in the UK and employs more than 1,350 people at its sites in Northern Ireland, England and the Republic of Ireland.

In its latest set of financial results the Omagh-headquartered group, which has been in business for more than 40 years, said there had been “very challenging market conditions” throughout 2022.

The Foyle Group said in particular the “buy-sell margin” had been impacted by an increase in cattle prices and that “rising operating costs heavily linked to energy costs” had also been a significant factor last year.

It has a working relationship with 11,000 farmers and has highlighted that it has “a closed supply chain” served by producer clubs including Blackmoran Angus producers, Glenslieve Hereford producers and Redman Limousin producers.

The latest results show that the group’s turnover rose by 17.6% year on year to more than €482 million.

Cattle prices

Its directors stated that they were pleased with the “improvement” in the company’s key performance indicators for the year despite the “very challenging market conditions and increases cost”.

“The increase in turnover is heavily linked to the increase in cattle prices that have been prevalent throughout the year,” they added.

The Foyle Food Group’s key divisions include primary processing, further processing, four butchery facilities and an ingredients and retail packing factory.

Its net assets stood at more than €52.3 million by December 31, 2022.

However, the Co. Tyrone group, whose business operates across four key divisions, detailed in the latest accounts that both its distribution and administration costs had risen in 2022.

It also noted that its energy emissions were reduced last year and again underlined its commitment to “certified renewable electricity” at all of it locations.

“Reducing our carbon footprint and limiting our impact on the environment are key focuses,” it stated.

Earlier this year the Foyle Food Group said it was moving to 100% renewable electricity and plans to cut its emissions by 28% by 2030.

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Roger Parry & Partners has brought a 442.26ac livestock farm in Shropshire to the market with an asking price of £4.75 million.

The farm is situated just outside Picklescott Village at the edge of the Long Mynd, and is close to the market town of Church Stretton and within reasonable proximity to Shrewsbury and Ludlow. 

The property includes a six-bedroom, five-bathroom farmhouse which was built in 2003.

The farm itself has been run as a beef cattle unit plus arable land. It has approximately 58,875ft² of buildings for 1,200 in-housed cattle. It has a range of modern buildings currently used primarily as cattle yards.

All livestock buildings are supplied with water from a private well.

In addition, the Shropshire farm has a grain/fodder store, a workshop, machinery storage buildings, an annex and stables.

The land is ringfened, and has access of council-maintained roads. The owners also benefit from Commoners’ rights on the Long Mynd. 19.94ac are woodland.

Commenting on the property, Roger of Roger Parry & Partners said: “This sale offers an outstanding opportunity for buyers to purchase a fully equipped livestock farm which has been run as a beef cattle unit plus arable land.

“It has an outstanding range of modern agricultural buildings in a superb location.

“The property is available to purchase as a whole or up to five lots,” he added.

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This is one of the findings of a major four-year project currently underway at Northern Ireland’s Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI).

Ammonia is produced when faeces (which contains the enzyme urease) and urine (which contains urea) mix, with this process taking place on the floors of livestock houses, during slurry storage and at field spreading.

The ammonia gas produced enters the atmosphere and may be deposited locally on sensitive habitats, where the nitrogen within ammonia can cause nutrient enrichment of soil and water and lead to biodiversity loss. 

Both livestock production and sensitive habitats have a significant presence in Northern Ireland and, as such, ammonia emissions present a key challenge for the livestock industry in order to support the health of sensitive habitats. 

Lowering crude protein

AFBI is partnering with John Thompsons and Sons Ltd., and Trouw Nutrition Ltd., in developing the new project. Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs ( DAERA) funding is also available.

In one of the studies within this project, dairy cows were offered diets containing either 14%, 15.5% or 17% crude protein on a dry matter (DM) basis, with the concentrates offered with each treatment formulated using different raw material inclusion levels.

During this study samples of faeces and urine produced from cows on each diet were collected and subsequently mixed and incubated in a temperature-controlled environment.

Ammonia produced from the different manures was then measured over a four-week period using a photo-acoustic gas monitor.

The work has confirmed that reducing dietary crude protein levels from 17% to 14% reduced ammonia emissions by an average of 64%, with emissions from the 15.5% crude protein diet intermediate in nature.

Bigger picture

In addition, the AFBI work clearly demonstrates that ammonia production was highest during the days after the faeces and urine were produced, and gradually decrease over time.

The background document produced by DAERA as part of Northern Ireland’s recent ammonia consultation contextualises the current AFBI work extremely well.

It specifically points out that action on this matter is required urgently, in order to achieve better outcomes for nature, and for public health.

In other words, addressing this challenge is essential to see agriculture thrive while at the same time protecting our environment.

The greater the extent and speed of action to lower ammonia emissions and reduce ammonia concentrations, the greater opportunity there will be to support sustainable farm development.

Northern Ireland has 394 sites of high nature conservation value designated for their protection.

Almost 250 of these are sensitive to the impacts of ammonia and nitrogen. The vast majority of designated sites are currently experiencing ammonia concentrations and nitrogen deposition above the critical levels and loads at which damage to plants may occur.

As a consequence, sustained and tangible reductions in ammonia are required to protect nature, to meet Northern Ireland’s legal obligations and to ensure a sustainable agri-food sector.

Ammonia targets

DAERA has set two 2030 ammonia targets. These are 1) to reduce total agricultural ammonia emissions by at least 30% from 2020 levels and 2) to reduce ammonia levels at internationally designated sites by 40% by 2030.

There are two pillars to the envisaged ammonia abatement strategy that has been proposed by DAERA. Pillar 1 comprises ambitious and verifiable ammonia reduction programme with Pillar 2 centred on conservation actions to protect and restore nature.

The establishment of a stakeholder group, representing primary agriculture, the agri-food supply chain and the environmental sector, has been proposed to advise on implementation of the finally agreed measures.

The steps that can be taken on farm to reduce ammonia production and emission levels are multi-faceted.

The uptake of verifiable ammonia reduction technology in livestock housing will be encouraged. There will also be a requirement to spread all slurry using low emission slurry spreading (LESS) equipment by 2026.

Trials have shown that nitrogen excretion levels in cows’ urine can more than double if dietary protein levels are boosted from 14% to 19%.

This process, in itself, puts an additional energy demand and increases the metabolic stress on the cow.

The fact that urea is a very volatile chemical means that a high proportion of it is lost to the atmosphere when slurry is spread on land.

Urea is also very water soluble. As a consequence, it can add to the pollution threat posed by slurry.

Typically, the nitrogen efficiency of dairy cow diets will be in the region of 22% to 32%.

Reducing emissions

Developing verifiable systems to encourage implementation of longer grazing seasons has significant potential for the future.

The need to reduce ammonia emissions from fertiliser will include a consultation on the potential introduction of a prohibition on the use of urea fertiliser without an inhibitor in 2024.

Establishing systems to implement and verify crude protein reductions in livestock diets can play a key role in reducing farm ammonia production levels, as will the identification and selection of genetic traits that maximise nutrient use efficiency.

In addition, supporting protein crop establishment is already available, courtesy of a pilot scheme.

And, finally steps will be taken to encourage the development and implementation of emerging technologies for ammonia reduction.

Livestock diets

It is universally agreed that reducing crude protein in livestock diets has a significant influence on ammonia emissions.

Reducing the amount of nitrogen in animal feed reduces the amount in excreta, leading to less of the nutrient being available for ammonia generation.

Scientific research shows that ammonia emissions are reduced by 8-10% for every 1% fall in crude protein in pig diets.

Ammonia reductions of up to 35% are thought to be possible in poultry diets.

Across the livestock sectors, including cattle, it is envisaged that reducing crude protein in all livestock diets can achieve an industry wide reduction in ammonia of around 9%.

Trials have shown that nitrogen excretion levels in cows’ urine can more than double if dietary protein levels are boosted from 14% to 19%.

This process, in itself, puts an additional energy demand and increases the metabolic stress on the cow.

Typically, the nitrogen efficiency of dairy cow diets in Northern Ireland will be in the region of 22% to 32%.

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The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) has decided to partner with ITN Business to showcase the positive impact of livestock on the environment and the food system.

Livestock agriculture is perceived to be one of the biggest contributors towards climate change and pollution, but could hold a key to creating a sustainable food system, with a positive impact on the environment, according to AHDB.

By 2050, the global population is expected to reach nearly 10 billion, and to meet dietary demands food production must increase by 70%.

AHDB partnership

To raise awareness and understanding of the importance of livestock and the role it has to play in feeding the population sustainably, the AHDB has partnered with ITN Business to produce news-style programme ‘Farming a Greener Future’.

The programme will be anchored by journalist and news presenter Duncan Golestani from the ITN London studio and will look at the positive contribution livestock makes to society.

The programme will explore key themes including:

• Dispelling the myths around livestock agriculture;
• Livestock’s unique role in providing and supporting nature-based solutions to climate change and nature decline while producing a nutritious, quality food source;
• Delivering food security for a growing global population to support health.

AHDB’s divisional director of engagement, Will Jackson, said: “The reputation of our industry is a core priority for AHDB, and we are delighted to be able to partner with ITN to deliver a critical message about our livestock industry.

“Too often the public narrative about the impact of livestock is a negative one, while their unique ability to provide both solutions for climate change, nature decline, and food security is either ignored or misunderstood.

“AHDB hopes to shed light on this and encourages anyone who would like to be part of highlighting livestock’s unique abilities to join us in this partnership.”

Programme on positives of livestock

Launching in November, ‘Farming a Greener Future’ will combine expert interviews, news items and reporter-led sponsored editorial profiles.

The programme will be hosted on the ITN Business content hub and will be supported by a digital advertising campaign.

Nina Harrison-Bell, head of ITN Business, spoke about the partnership with AHDB: “This is a really interesting partnership for ITN Business.

“By partnering with AHDB, we hope to share the many benefits of livestock farming, such as the nutritious food for the global population, the jobs it provides and positive impacts for our planet.”

There are commercial opportunities for leading organisations to be featured in the programme and spearhead their own news item.

AHDB is looking for organisations contributing towards food security, delivering nature-based solutions and positively impacting the environment, to take part and share their story.

AHDB is a statutory levy board funded by farmers and others in the supply chain. It said its purpose is to be a critical enabler, to positively influence outcomes, allowing farmers and others in the supply chain to be competitive, successful and share good practice.

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NFU Mutual has produced new signs that farmers can use to caution members of the public walking on their land about the dangers of cattle.

The sign encourages walkers to be aware, be prepared, and be respectful, and gives advice on how to behave around cattle.

For example, it warns that cattle can react to peoples’ presence so encourages walkers to move quietly and predictably. It also encourages walkers to keep their dogs on leads, but to release them immediately if chased by cattle.

NFU Mutual, the rural insurance branch of the National Farmers’ Union (NFU), launched the signs to coincide with the 11th annual Farm Safety Week this week, and in a teamed up effort with the Farm Safety Foundation and Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU).

Farm Safety Foundation manager Stephanie Berkeley commented: “In a week where it has shown incidents involving livestock continue to be the main reason members of the public lose their lives on our farms, we are proud to support this new campaign by NFU Mutual and remind farmers of their legal duty to consider the health and safety of members of the public using public rights of way through their fields.

“As we have seen over the past few years, the rise in the numbers of general public visiting our beautiful countryside has grown and this gives rise to new issues when thinking about health and safety on your farm.

“Farming activities can pose risks to you, your workers, and also to any contractors or visitors – including walkers, hikers and cyclists.”

According to Health and Safety Executive (HSE) figures, of the 27 fatalities in Great Britain’s agriculture sector in the year from April 2022 to March 2023, six were members of the public.

Of these six fatalities, four were as a result of members of the public being trampled by cattle.

The HSE has previously urged farmers to be aware that they have a legal responsibility to manage their herds to reduce risk to people using footpaths and other rights of way.

Earlier this summer, a UK landowner was fined after members of the public were “seriously injured” by cattle while walking along footpaths on his estate, and in March a farmer from Devon was fined after a dog walker was thrown 8ft into the air by one of his cows and then trampled by it.

“These signs have been designed for the well-being of the walker and will help to provide peace of mind for the farmer, as they clearly outline that livestock are in close proximity, the risks and how walkers can keep themselves safe,” UFU president William Irvine said.

“The signage will be a great addition to farms helping to create a safer environment for everyone.”

Signs will be available from local NFU Mutual agency offices in the coming weeks. 

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Global food corporation, Cargill has partnered with TREES Consulting to develop a Gold Standard-approved beef methodology.

It reportedly offers the global beef industry a framework for measuring methane emissions reduction using feed supplements that have been incorporated into beef cattle diets.

Methane emissions

Gold Standard’s certification process allows climate and sustainable development initiatives to quantify, manage and maximise their impacts toward climate security, and requires verifiable impact toward three or more of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The new beef methodology defines a set of parameters that beef producers can adopt to quantify reductions in methane emissions, a greenhouse gas (GHG) that is derived from enteric fermentation (digestion process) in cattle through eructation (burping), as well as from manure handling.

According to the company, the new methodology is now available for beef producers worldwide to quantify, audit and verify methane reductions, enabling them to register their GHG mitigation project for Gold Standard certification.

Gold Standard’s Verified Emissions Reductions (VERs) can be traded in carbon markets, allowing credit purchasers to directly support the projects.

Cargill has said that these efforts can also be recognised in corporate value chains, whereby beef producers and food companies account for the reduction in supply chain GHG emissions, which contributes to their Scope 3 targets.

Cargill

Through its Reach4Reduction programme, Cargill said that it is taking a holistic approach to methane reduction by uncovering the potential of feed management and nutrition to do more with less, helping to ensure food security while protecting the planet.

The company said that it is working to accelerate progress by supporting producers with managing on-farm productivity to improve feed conversion rates, optimising animal health and nutrition, and innovating with new additives and solutions that reduce methane and nitrogen emissions directly.

For beef producers who are adopting these technologies, the new methodology ‘Reducing Methane Emissions from Enteric Fermentation in Beef Cattle through Application of Feed Supplements’ will enable them to accurately quantify the reduction of methane emissions and can provide them with opportunities to add value to their efforts.

Joanne Sharpe, Cargill’s global ruminant sustainability lead said: “We know that the industry is looking for more accurate tools to measure methane reduction.

“As producers look at their current levels of production efficiency and work toward sustainability goals, we are committed to finding ways to ensure they can be recognised and rewarded for their efforts.”

Margaret Kim, CEO, Gold Standard added: “Changing agricultural practice can help reduce methane emissions, and this new methodology provides beef producers with a way to reliably measure the impact of those changes.

“Cargill’s support is helping pave the way for the animal agriculture industry to reduce methane emissions and it complements Gold Standard’s other efforts to reduce the impact of agriculture on our planet – such as our recently published methodology which reduces the methane emitted by rice production.”

Methodology

In practice, projects using the new methodology first establish a baseline for emissions during “business as usual” activities for a minimum of three continuous years.

The cattle given feed supplements must be clearly identified and tracked over the course of the project.

The project crediting period is set at five years, and can be renewed for an additional five years, excluding the baseline years.

“We were thrilled to collaborate on the development of the methodology, which will provide the beef industry with an important framework for advancing methane reduction,” Martin Gehrig, TREES Consulting added.

Gold Standard was established in 2003 by Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) and other international non-governmental organisations (NGOs) as a best practice standard to help the world #GrowToZero.

All Gold Standard-certified projects and programmes accelerate progress toward the net-zero ambition of the Paris Climate Agreement.

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The government has loosed controls on meat imports coming from Brazil to Great Britain, following an audit of the South American country’s sanitary and phytosanitary regulatory system.

Additional controls on Brazilian meat imports had been in place since 2017, when the UK was part of the EU, after Brazil identified shortcomings in its sanitary and phytosanitary regulatory system.

As of July 20, these additional controls will no longer be required to export affected commodities from Brazil to Great Britain.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said that the audit found that these shortcomings had been “fully addressed”.

The audit focused on the Brazilian system for inspecting products of animal origin, notably beef and poultry, and was the first British audit mission abroad after Brexit.

Commenting, a Defra spokesperson said: “Following a recent audit with Brazilian authorities, we assessed that shortcomings in their sanitary and phytosanitary regulatory system had been fully addressed.

“This means that additional controls on affected Brazilian food commodities will be removed later this month.”

The spokesperson added that Defra remains “committed” to maintaining its “existing high standards for food imports”.

The Brazilian government added that the UK also announced the ‘regionalisation’ of Brazil at state level in relation to avian influenza (bird flu).

This means that any potential future outbreaks of bird flu in Brazil won’t result in the British market closing for all Brazilian poultry meat products, but only for those coming from the state where the disease has been identified.

Brazilian meat exports to GB

The UK will now place its trust in Brazil’s system of reviewing the sanitary and phytosanitary status of exporting establishments, which Brazil calls its “pre-registration” list.

According to the Brazilian Association of Animal Protein (ABPA), Brazil’s national institutional organisation for poultry and pork production, under the system, all companies that wish to ship chicken meat to the UK market must be approved by the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, and no longer by individual qualification missions of establishments carried out by the authorities of the European country.

The British missions, from now on, will focus on revalidating the Brazilian inspection system, it added.

President of the ABPA, Ricardo Santin, said this is a “demonstration of the high confidence of the UK authorities in the Brazilian inspection system”.

Director of markets from ABPA, Luis Rua added: “From a marketing point of view, the return to the pre-listing system will potentially allow more Brazilian companies to access what is one of the largest consumer markets in the world, guaranteeing greater access and more marketing options to Brazilian exporters.”

According to Brazil’s Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, Brazil exported US$ 282.2 million in poultry meat and around US$ 134.5 million in beef to the UK in 2022.

Since Brexit, it said Brazilian agricultural exports to the UK have increased by 67%, reaching US$ 1.8 billion in 2022. The ABPA said that the UK is Brazil’s fifth-largest importer of poultry product.

According to Defra, the UK imported £334.1 million worth of meat and meat preparations from Brazil in 2022.

Brazil’s government also welcomed the lifting of the additional controls “with satisfaction”.

“The decision reflects the solid partnership between Brazil and the UK, adopting a precautionary approach in order to preserve trade between the two countries,” it said.

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Firefighters have urged farmers to think about fire safety following a call out to a field fire in Essex last night (Monday, July 17).

Crews from Essex Fire and Rescue Service were called to Ludgores Lane in Danbury at around 9:20p.m last night after a combine harvester caught fire.

When the crews arrived, the fire has spread to approximately 10ac of crops. Crews from Chelmsford (two), Maldon (two), Rayleigh Weir and Witham, and off-road vehicles from Billericay and Burnham helped tackle the fire.

Group manager Craig McLellan said: “Crews did a fantastic job of surrounding the fire so quickly and stopping it from spreading.

“The fire affected about 10ac of crops so they had to work incredibly hard to extinguish it. I’d like to thank the farmer for assistance too.

“Due to the rural location, crews have set up a water relay to extinguish the fire affecting the combine harvester.” 

It is believed that the cause of the fire was accidental.

Fire safety

Following last night’s incident Essex Fire and Rescue Service have urged farmers to think about fire safety, during harvest season in particular, “to reduce the risk of devastating and dangerous fires”.

It has said that farm machinery is one of the top causes of rural/farm fires.

To reduce the risk of a fire it advised farmers to keep machinery and vehicles well maintained and serviced regularly, and to clean machinery regularly to keep it free from hay, straw, oil and grease.

This messages comes at an apt time as the 11th annual Farm Safety Week is underway – the theme of which is ‘Farm Safety Starts with Me’.

A drive-home message of this theme is for farmers to take the time to review the safety measures on their farm.

Echoing this message, the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) is this week running a campaign encouraging farmers to “take five to stay alive”.

The idea behind this message is that taking five minutes before a tasks allows time to evaluate the task at hand and implement ways to make the task safer.

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Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) president William Irvine is encouraging farmers to review safety measures on their farm and work out what can be done to improve it this Farm Safety Week.

“For example, signage regarding slurry pits, high-powered equipment and livestock can make a huge difference and can help to keep you and farm workers safe all year round,” he said.

“By doing this, you are not only actively working to keep yourself safe, but you are also protecting the farm business and most importantly your family, from the devastating experience of losing a loved one.”

The 11th annual Farm Safety Week, an initiative by the Farm Safety Foundation involving organisations across the UK and Ireland, kicks off today (Monday, July 17) with the theme ‘Farm Safety Starts with Me’.

Common excuses like ‘I’ve always done it that way’ and ‘I’m in a hurry’ are “not good enough reasons for risk-taking, poor maintenance of equipment or unsafe working”, Stephanie Berkeley from the Farm Safety Foundation, said.

“While we are seeing more people calling out poor practices and sharing their experiences there seems to be a broad acceptance that this is just how it is in farming?” she added.

Berkeley reminds that the agriculture mortality rates remain “stubbornly high”; 21 people were killed in work-related incidents in the agriculture, forestry and fishing industry in Great Britain last year.

According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), this is “markedly higher than the average across all industries”.

Camilla Mackey, HSE Northern Ireland’s principal inspector of the agri-food team, added: “I am appealing to the farming community to consider the risks they face, and, put proper precautions in place to ensure tasks are carried out safely. It could just save your life.”

Farm Safety Week

The National Farmers’ Union (NFU) over the week this year is encouraging farmers to “take five to stay alive”, with the idea that taking five minutes before a tasks allows time to evaluate the task at hand and implement ways to make the task safer.

It also encourages regular breaks to prevent physical or mental burnout. NFU is encouraging farmers to share the ways that they stay safe on the farm on social media using the hashtag #Take5StayAlive.

The “heartbreaking thing” about most farm accidents, UFU president Irvine said, “is that they could have been prevented”.

“Working on a farm creates risk every day and we need to be constantly aware and reminded of that to create a safer working environment and habits,” William Irvine said.

“All of us are guilty of thinking ‘it will never happen to me’. But, as Farm Safety Week has shown in the past, and will do again this year, a farm accident can happen to anyone in a spilt second, changing lives forever.”

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Women who work in the meat industry in Ireland and the UK who are under the age of 35 are being invited to apply before the deadline of July 31. Nominations are also accepted.

The One to Watch award, now in its fifth year, aims to recognise and celebrate young, ambitious women making their mark in the meat industry.

The winner will receive £4,000, which can be used to invest in personal and professional growth, as well as a place at the awards lunch and networking event October 5, 2023.

Previous winners came from Cranswick plc, ABP Ireland, Marks & Spencer, and Morrisons, amongst other organisations, and have used the prize money for initiatives like leadership courses, technical qualifications, and new product development initiatives.

One to Watch 2023

This year’s judging panel comprises Margaret Boanas, chair of International Meat Trade Association; Lucianne Allen, director at Aubrey Allen; Jamila Gordeon, CEO of Lumachain; and Sean Deane, market specialist at Bord Bia. 

Rebecca Fearon, membership marketing manager for Meat Business Women said: “Celebrating young, aspirational women in the meat industry is a passion for Meat Business Women. We want to support the fantastic talent that we know exists in the industry.

“The great thing about this prize is that it gives our winner a really tangible step up in her personal development, and also helps to build self-confidence, which we know can be a barrier for some.

“Feedback from previous applicants is that completing the application form is a great exercise in reviewing personal achievements and celebrating how far you’ve come in your career to date.”

Applications – which comprise a series of questions which make the basis for judging – can be submitted online, and shortlisted finalists will be contacted in August.

Meat Business Women

Meat Business Women is a professional networking group for women working in the meat industry with membership in the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. It was founded in 2015 by Laura Ryan and Pamela Brook.

Having worked in the meat industry for more than a decade, Ryan was struck by the limited number of females in the industry, and at board level in particular.

Improvement has been made with regards to this since then; according to an independent report commissioned by Meat Business Women, women now make up 23% of board-level director roles, 32% of high-level leadership roles and 32% of middle-manager roles in the meat industry.

However, the report on gender representation in the meat industry in 2023, which was published in May, also revealed that just 8% of CEO roles are held by women (up by 3% since 2020) and the number of women in the global workforce has dropped to 33.5% (down from 36%). 

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The benefits of the nutrient in improving palatability and mineral balances are relevant at all times of the season.

According to Origin Fertilisers, the inclusion of sodium is particularly relevant during periods of hot, dry weather.

It should be included as part of a tailored nutrient management plan to alleviate heat stress on grass and livestock.

Driving this approach is the fact that grass with access to good levels of sodium can withstand extended periods without rainfall.

Use of sodium

Grass uses salts such as potassium and sodium to regulate the movement of water and sugars.

The availability and balance of these salts is particularly important in dry conditions. If the ratio of potassium to sodium is high, there is an increased risk of hypomagnesaemia (grass staggers).

However, applying sodium in grassland fertiliser helps optimise the key potassium to sodium ratio.

In turn, this reduces the risk of staggers. Peter Scott, technical director at Origin Fertilisers, says sodium is a vital nutrient to prevent crops becoming stressed.

“A greater percentage of sodium taken up by the crop will increase digestibility and improve sugar content, making grass more palatable to livestock, even as it starts to become fibrous,” he said.

“Sodium encourages a greater percentage of live herbage, which will help livestock increase dry matter intake and get more from grass.”

In addition, where grass is being supplemented with concentrated feed, sodium can
help reduce the risk of acidosis by helping to buffer the pH in the rumen.

It also reduces the risk of pica which has been highlighted as a common sign of sodium deficiency.

Application

Fertiliser applications of sodium can continue even in drought conditions. Peter Scott recommends farmers should get the advice they need when using sodium.

This will ensure that nutrient performance is maximised from the application rates that farmers are using.

“Even in soils with a moisture deficit, a heavy overnight dew can deposit up to 0.5mm moisture,” he explained.

“This has been proven to be sufficient to start dissolving fertiliser. Where grass is visibly green, and there have been signs of growth, it is also possible to apply small amounts of fertiliser and see a response.”

As a guide, sodium should be applied at 5-6kg/ha to help alleviate stress in both grass and livestock.

So could sodium become the new sulphur? 20 years ago, sulphur was deemed not to be required as a component – at all – within grassland fertiliser programmes.

Now the nutrient is widely regarded as a key contributor of growth and forage quality, particularly within silage scenarios.

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The organisation, in a recent position paper adopted by its General Assembly, underlines the significance of sustainable agriculture and raises concerns regarding the potential impact of lab-grown food on global food security, food safety and human health, cultural heritage, and the livelihoods of farming communities.

Lab-grown food, substances produced in laboratories for human consumption, are created using tissues or cells and are not naturally occurring on a large scale, according to the WFO.

It claimed that they are supported by marketing campaigns that enhance the myth of greater sustainability compared to agriculture.

The WFO said that farmers “firmly reject this narrative that lacks scientific evidence”.

Lab-grown food

According to the WFO, the recent report by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Health Organisation (WHO), titled ‘Food Safety Aspects of Cell Based Food’, makes it clear that there is no reliable evidence to compare cell-based food to farmer-produced food

The WFO stated: “There is still much to consider about its nutritional value and how it could affect human health in the long-term.

“In addition, any claims regarding less land and water use, greenhouse gas emissions reduction, animal welfare and reduced risk of zoonotic diseases have yet to be proved.

“The role of farmers is essential in shaping resilient and sustainable food systems.”

The organisation added that achieving sustainability involves embracing diverse agricultural systems, ensuring inclusiveness and transparency, and promoting research and innovation while preserving tradition.

“The WFO values innovation and embraces an approach that is bottom-up, science-based, and
result-oriented,” the organisation’s statement continued.

It has called for collaboration among farmers, researchers, and stakeholders in the value chain to address the challenges ahead, develop innovative practices, and deliver sustainable solutions to produce, process, distribute and consume food in a sustainable manner.

The WFO is also urging stronger connections between consumers, policymakers, and the agricultural and rural communities to promote a better understanding of the benefits of agriculture, including livestock farming.

“On these assumptions, the WFO strongly opposes replacing farmer-grown food with lab-made foodstuff,” the organisation stated.

“Such substitutes dismiss the work and contribution of farmers to sustainability and push consumers towards a homogenous dietary model that undermines the tradition, diversity, richness, quality, and uniqueness of regional food systems across the planet.”

World Farmers’ Organisation

The World Farmers’ Organisation, is a member-based organisation, representing a community of geographically balanced entrepreneurial farmers.

Regardless of their size (small-, medium- and large-scale), gender, and age, the WFO wants farmers’ role as food producers and economic actors, globally recognised.

The WFO said its mission is to advocate for the global farming community in international processes impacting the present and the future of the agricultural sector.

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Researchers at Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC)  found that under laboratory conditions, using an artificial cow’s stomach, emissions could potentially be reduced by in real cows by 30% when this extract is added to their feed.

Commercial trials, involving the SRUC, are now underway.

Daffodil

This work will be completed over a four-year period. If successful, it is envisaged that the daffodil extract should act to reduce methane production levels by 30% under commercial farming conditions.

The farm trials involving the new feed additive will be carried out on a number of commercial cattle farms, located throughout the UK.

Meanwhile, SRUC scientists are also lending their expertise to a major new project, designed to breed sheep with a naturally low carbon footprint.

The English sheep sector has been awarded £2.9 million by the Department of Food, Environment and Rural Affairs (Defra) to carry out an industry-wide project called: ‘Breed for CH4nge – Breeding Low Methane Sheep’.

This three-year initiative 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 overall efficiency of sheep production systems.

The project will eventually demonstrate the impact of low-carbon sheep on whole-farm carbon footprints and will help English farmers to make a positive contribution to UK agriculture’s journey towards net zero.

The required scientific input, technology and additional genetics expertise will be provided by SRUC and Harper Adams University

SRUC’s Dr. Nicola Lambe said: “This will build on international research on breeding to reduce methane emissions from sheep, to the point of industry implementation in UK flocks.”

The project will initially develop on-farm protocols and use portable accumulation chambers (PAC) to predict methane emissions from grazing sheep alongside measures of health, production and efficiency traits at the individual animal level.

Further measurements, including rumen size and microbiota, will improve understanding of the underlying biology and ensure that reductions in methane emissions positively contribute to sustainable genetic improvement of ewe productivity on UK grass and forage.

This comprehensive set of information will enable understanding of the genetic control of these characteristics and DNA sampling will allow relationships with the underlying genome of the sheep to be investigated.

The end result will be the development of tools to compare the breeding value of sheep in flocks, identifying breeding stock that will contribute to improving farm carbon footprint.

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While the Aussie cattle herd is growing, so to is its influence on the UK beef market.

UK beef imports from Australia in June 2023 have almost quadrupled on the level of beef imports from Australia in June 2022, according to the UK’s Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB).

The bar chart below shows the total fresh/frozen beef imports from Australia to the UK:

The free trade agreement (FTA) between the UK and Australia kicked in on May 31, 2023, which grants tariff-free quotas (TRQ) on Australian beef.

Recorded shipments of Australian beef to the UK have totalled 384t in June under the new TRQ.

For comparison, the UK imported an average of 15,400t from Ireland in the same period which is 68% of the UK’s total beef imports in June 2022.

The TRQs allow this Australian beef to enter the UK without paying for tariffs which would usually increase the cost of importing it, according to the AHDB.

Under the new FTA, the current limit of beef imports (product weight) is 20,616t/year. This is split equally between first come, first served (FCFS), and allocated quotas.

Allocated quotas are for large exporters with an allocated tonnage they can import and are based on the size of the company.

FCFS quotas are non-allocated and fill up as and when. The total TRQ will continue to grow from 2023 to 2033, up to 110,000t.

Under the allocated TRQ, 343t of Australian beef have been shipped to the UK in the four weeks ending June 26, 2023. This is 3% of the allocated quota, with 9,984t available to enter until December 31, 2023.

Under the FCFS quota just under 41t have been shipped, with 10,267t available to enter until the end of the year.

Looking at previous years, June imports of beef from Australia have averaged 103t from 2018-2022, making up 0.4% of the UK’s beef imports in June.

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Last year’s event saw a significant Irish attendance with representatives from Irish Hereford Prime, the Irish Charolais Cattle Society, the Irish Hereford Breed Society, and many other Irish farmers with a keen interest in livestock.

This year’s event will see over 2,000 head of livestock on display with a total of 1,500 exhibitors and 100,000 visitors expected to attend over the four days.

The 2023 event will see both the Limousin and Brown Swiss breeds host their national championships and the mixed Montbelliarde breed will host its inter-regional competition.

Limousins at Sommet

This year marks the fourth time the Limousin breed in France will use the event to host its national championships.

Divided into four half-days, the event is described by the organisers as “the world’s largest gathering of the Limousin breed” with over 140 Limousin breeders from across France represented at the show.

Over 400 Limousin cattle from the best French Limousin genetics will compete in the event.

An auction sale of elite breeding stock will round off activities on Thursday, October 5.

Brown swiss

The Brown Swiss breed will host its national championships at the event for the second-ever time.

Brown Swiss farmers from across France will be present and over 150 Brown Swiss cattle will be competing in the championships.

The emphasis for breeders will be on welcoming Brown Swiss enthusiasts from other countries and developing contacts for potential exports.

The event has a significant dairy-breed presence with over 530 dairy cattle from a range of breeds set to be on show at the thee-day event.

Sustainability in livestock production is the theme for the 2023 event.

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From December 13, 2023, non-assured UK livestock farmers will be required to provide a declaration signed by a vet for their products to be eligible for export to the EU.

The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) said this requirement is due to an EU animal health regulation change mandating farms producing animals or products of animal origin for export to have regular veterinary visits.

The previous temporary requirement, which involved a farmer declaration, will be replaced by this new procedure.

To obtain this declaration, farmers must undergo regular animal health checks conducted by qualified veterinarians.

During these visits, the vet will carry out a visual assessment of the farm to confirm it is free of notifiable diseases, with no sampling or laboratory testing needed.

This does not need to be the sole purpose of the visit and can be combined with other visits, providing that all animals present at the farm are considered.

The visit from the vet should occur at least once during a 12-month period, but if the vet considers a need for a subsequent visit before the 12-month mark, this will be communicated to the livestock owner and clearly stated in the declaration.

Farmers that are part of an approved farm assurance scheme already meet the requirement for a veterinary visit so no additional veterinary declaration is required.

Schemes currently approved are:

• Red Tractor;
• Quality Meat Scotland (QMS);
• Farm Assured Welsh Livestock Beef and Lamb Scheme (FAWL);
• Welsh Lamb and Beef Producers Ltd. (WLBP).

If your farm has had an annual health and welfare review as part of the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway, then this will also fulfil the requirements.

You will need to retain the receipt from your visit as evidence as official veterinarians certifying goods for export do not have any access to the AHWP database.  

These regulatory changes were due to take effect on December 13, 2022, but the government agreed to delay the implementation of the new rule by a year, allowing farmers more time to prepare for the change and arrange the necessary vet visits.

Dr. Phil Hadley of the AHDB said: “The UK ships approximately 72% of all its meat exports to the EU.

“It is particularly significant for the sheep meat sector, with 94% of sheep meat exports destined for the EU with a value of £475 million in 2022.

“In addition to this, £274 million worth of pig products and £347 million worth of beef meat was exported from the UK to the EU in 2022.”

“The organisation’s (AHDB) role includes supporting farmers with their export health certification, and with UK meat exports continuing to climb, we’re focusing on the future to identify new markets for our exporters, ensuring UK meat is enjoyed in more countries around the world.”

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21 people were killed in work-related incidents in the agriculture, forestry, and fishing industry in Great Britain last year, according to figures published today (Thursday, July 6) by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

This is just below the sector’s five-year age of 26 and the majority of deaths (64%) were to the self-employed.

While there were more deaths in the construction industry last year (45), the agriculture, forestry and fishing industry has the highest rate of fatal injury per 100,000 workers of all the main industrial sectors.

The HSE said that the rate of fatal injury in the sector remains “markedly higher than the average across all industries”.

Fatal work-related incidents

Overall, 135 workers were killed in work-related incidents in Great Britain last year (period April 2022 to March 23). 26 of these were in Scotland, 15 in Wales and the remainder (94) in England.

This number is higher than the previous year (123), but in line with pre-pandemic levels. The figure for 2021/2021 was 145. Over the long-term however, the rate of fatal injury to workers shows a downward trend.

The three most common causes of fatal injuries are falls from height (40), being struck by a moving object (29), and being struck by a moving vehicle (20).

Commenting on the figures released as part of the ‘Work-related fatal injuries in Great Britain’ report today, HSE chief executive Sarah Albon said: “Any loss of life in the workplace is a tragedy.

“While these figures show Great Britain is one of the safest countries in the world to work, safety must continue to be at the top of everyone’s agenda.

“Our mission is to protect people and places and we remain committed to maintaining safe workplaces and holding employers to account for their actions.”

A further 68 members of the public were killed following a work-related incident in 2022/23. This is a decrease of 20 from last year.

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Speaking to Agriland, Adrian Fitzsimons said he hopes his near-death experience will serve as a reminder for all farmers to exercise extreme caution when working with slurry.

The part-time suckler farmer said the freak accident occurred while he was filling a tanker with slurry on Saturday afternoon (June 24).

“I was doing no different than I was doing with every other load of slurry,” he explained.

“I went to walk across the pipe, the tank lid was open and I had safety mesh down and I don’t know did it [the safety mesh] move, but I fell down in a shot into the tank.

“I fell down and the next place I found myself…..was below, on my hands and knees at the bottom of the tank and completely submerged with slurry,” he said.

“The tank was over three-quarters full. When I was standing up in it, [the slurry] was up to my mouth.

“So I swung round quick and found the pipe. The pipe at this stage was still connected to the tanker because I never even got to close down the sluice or do anything like that, it happened as I was going across to do that.

“I got a hold of the pipe and got myself fished up out of the slurry. I pulled myself up and got my head and shoulders and mouth above the slurry.

“I held on to the pipe. My eyes, my ears and my mouth were all full of slurry. I thought if I got a second, I would be able to climb up the pipe and get out,” he continued.

“I pulled and tried and pulled but I could only get up a few inches. I could not get up, I could not get myself out.

“I held onto the pipe as hard as I could because with the muck and everything I tried to just keep my mouth above the slurry, trying to get just a gasp of the fresh air from the manhole above.

“I thought I was gone. The emotion of it, the smell, the ammonia, it was out and out unreal. It was absolutely the scariest thing. I started dehydrating in the tank with the roaring and the shouting and with the slurry.

“I put my hand up and my lips were rock hard. I have a moustache and it was solid with the slurry that was on it and my mouth was dry because when I was submerged down in the slurry, it was up my nose and in my mouth. I was trying to spit it out and my mouth went dry.

“When I was below in the tank, I was slipping because the slurry was coming back up over my shoulders. The pain in my head was unnatural.”

Adrian was in the slurry pit for two and a half hours, from roughly 2:20p.m until 4:50p.m when a friend came.

“I had arranged to meet a friend later on that evening. My phone was in the tractor and he had rang and text several times wondering why I wasn’t replying back,” Adrian explained.

“He just by an off chance landed into the yard and he heard me shouting below in the tank and he got me.

“It’s one of these things you don’t expect to happen but it can happen very, very handy.

“There’s not too many that get the chance to tell the tale. If my story will stop a farmer from taking a chance, well then I’m a happy man.”

Adrian said the slurry tank has been closed and will not be reopened until all safety covers have been fixed.

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A number of focus groups have already been studied with beef, pig, poultry, dairy, sheep and arable farmers from across the UK, looking at the attitudes of these farmers towards the increase of lab-grown meat.

As a result, recurring themes of possible threats to food and farming were highlighted.

RAU is now seeking a team of up to eight farms to take part in the project, which would model “how their business could change in a world with cultured meat”. 

RAU is asking farmers interested in collaborating to get in touch through their website.

Lab-grown meat

Lab-grown meat is one type of meat substitute, and according to RAU it has attracted interest from investors, because of its “potential to have the same taste and texture as conventional meat”.

Illtud Dunsford, founder of ‘Cellular Agriculture’ came from a “small” farming family in west Wales.

His family diversified the farm business about 15 years ago into a meat processing business. They went from supporting their own farm and food that they produced, to supporting about 19 farms.

Dunsford does not think the production of lab-grown meat will end agricultural practice.

“The challenge is to feed everybody, and in order to do that we need a set of tools to be able, and this is just one of them. It’s not a replacement technology or anti-animal,” Dunsford said.

This project is just one of 11 that was awarded funding under the government’s Transforming UK Food Systems Strategic Priorities Fund (SPF) programme.

One of the funded projects includes research by University of Bristol: ‘Sustainable nutrition, environment, and agriculture, without consumer knowledge’.

The research project aims to generate a 15-30% reduction in both the carbon footprint of meals and their sugar, fat, and salt content.

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What the agents are calling a “first-class arable and livestock farm” in Northumberland is on the market guiding at £6.75 million as a whole, or in three lots.

Branton East Side Farm in Powburn, Alnwick comprises approximately 565ac in total and comes with a five-bedroom house, one-bedroom annex and four cottages.

It lies around 11 miles northwest of Alnwick and the A1 and under a mile from the A697 at Powburn. Alnmouth train station is on the East Coast Main Line providing regular services to Edinburgh, Newcastle and London.

The majority of the farm (350ac) is designated to arable farming, with 175ac as pasture and 33ac of woodland. The land is predominantly assessed as Grade 3 by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).

It is also currently entered into a Higher Level Countryside Stewardship Scheme, due to run until 2028.

The farm’s buildings have the capacity to house 500 cattle, 1,000 ewes, silage clamps holding 1,800t and storage for 700t of grain. There is also a range of machinery and general storage facilities.

John Coleman, head of farm sales at GSC Grays, which has brought the property to market, said: “This is an exceptional commercial farm in a most attractive location and is already attracting strong interest from buyers across the UK.”

The current owners are retiring, having had the farm in their family for the last two generations.

Northumberland farm

Also for sale in Northumberland is Birdhope Farm, in Northumberland National Park. This approximately 364ac farm is on the market for offers of over £1.2 million.

It comes with a two-storey farmhouse, woodland, permanent pasture, upland grazing and wildlife habitats.

The farm buildings comprise mainly traditional buildings which have been restored, including a range of stables, a distinctive timber hay-barn with slate roof, a workshop and a separate former byre.

Alistair Cochrane said selling agent Galbraith expects a “great deal of interest” in the property.

“The sale of Birdhope Farm offers an outstanding opportunity to acquire a delightful mixed landholding in the heart of the National Park, amidst some of the most striking scenery in England,” Cochrane said.

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The World Meat Congress 2023, a global meeting of representatives from the meat industry and related sectors, will take place in the Netherlands in October, its organisers have announced.

The International Meat Secretariat (IMS) and the Dutch Meat Industry Association (COV) have announced that the event will take place from October 11 to 13 in the city of Maastricht.

It is expected that several hundred people from the global meat industry will attend, along with representatives of other sectors.

The theme of this year’s congress is ‘Meeting Society and Consumer’.

According to the organisers, key topics on the agenda include the role of meat in the “global climate ambition”, society’s expectations on animal welfare, the labour market, and the impact of geopolitical developments on meat trade and production.

The event will hear from speakers on these issues from the academic world, international organisations and representatives of the meat value chain.

The organisers also said that the congress is attractive for stakeholders not directly working in the international meat business, such as representatives of government, trade organisations, retailers, and non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

Commenting on the World Meat Congress 2023, Laurens Hoedemaker, president of the COV, said: “The world is on the verge of several major changes and transitions. Social and environmental developments lead to a critical view on the production of meat and meat products.

“At the same time, the sector – helped by technological innovation – is making big strides towards more sustainable production,” Hoedemaker added.

This will be the first World Meat Congress in five years. The organisers say that their focus is on challenges facing the industry and to help meat industry professionals understand the current the future expectations of consumers as well as society.

The opening address of the event will be ‘Healthiness of Meat in our Contemporary Diets’, and will be delivered by Dr. Luc van Loon, professor of the Physiology of Exercise at the Department of Human Biology and Movement Sciences at Maastricht University.

The congress will also feature a plenary debate, to which ministers from some European countries have been invited.

The topic of this debate is ‘The political landscape for the production and consumption of meat’.

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Former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Featherweight and Lightweight Champion Conor McGregor has said he is on the look out for Belgian Blue bulls.

The Mixed Martial art (MMA) fighter, nicknamed ‘The Notorious’, took to Twitter on Thursday evening (June 22) seeking assistance in finding suitable cattle.

The 34-year-old Dubliner did not specify the number of bulls he was seeking but said the cattle would be going “to a good home” in “Ireland”.

McGregor, who has 10 million followers on the social media platform, added that the cattle will have “ample green land for them to roam” .

The post from McGregor read: “Hey guys, I’m in the market for some Belgian Blue Bulls if anyone could direct me. To a good home, Ireland. Ample green land for them to roam. Thanks.”

Unsurprisingly, the request has attracted the attention of Belgian Blue breeders and farmers across the island, with many offering to help McGregor to find the perfect animal.

€52,000 Belgian Blue bull

While the MMA fighter did not make it clear what his budget is for Belgian Blue bulls, last December, a Co. Longford farmer secured €52,000 for a Belgian Blue bull which he sold in an on-farm timed auction.

The January 2022-born bull Fatherson Quest (372 2144752 1 4713), or Rainbows End as he was referred to in the online sale catalogue, was owned by the McGee family and was the highest-priced bull ever sold at an auction in Ireland.

The bull was bought by Co. Limerick-based artificial insemination (AI) firm Bova AI.

The sale was a timed auction and took place on the MartEye ELITE app in association with Mid Tipperary Co Operative Livestock Mart (Thurles Mart).

For comparison purposes, the record for the highest-priced bull at a society sale is understood to be held by Co. Laois man Garrett Behan, for his Simmental bull Lucky Explorer who sold for €52,000 at the Irish Simmental Cattle Society’s October Premier Show and Sale in Co. Roscommon in 2020.

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Foyle Food Group’s Andrew Clarke told the Northern Ireland Institute of Agricultural Science (NIIAS) summer conference that there are a number of key factors to consider in relation to ruminant methane inhibitors.

“They must deliver improved levels of performance, in terms of enhanced daily growth rates and feed conversion efficiencies,” he warned.

According to Clarke, Foyle has been trialing a methane inhibitor – Elensis – which has showed what can potentially be achieved.

He said: “The initial work on the additive’s rationale in reducing methane production levels was carried out in France.

“Our trial work has been very much focussed on identifying the value of the product in delivering improved animal performance.”        

According to Clarke up to this point Elensis has been included in total mixed ration (TMR) diets, offered to finishing cattle.

He outlined that it acts to improve microbial conditions within the rumen which in turn leads to lactic acid levels being reduced while propionic acid levels are increased.

According to Clarke during this process, methane levels are also reduced. Trials have confirmed that propionic acid is favourable to the muscle development of fattening cattle.

The search is also continuing to identify a methane inhibitor that will work for cattle at grass.

Foyle has joined forces with Northern Ireland’s ARCZero project to participate in a trial that has included beef cattle grazing a mixture of perennial ryegrass and cut willow.

There is a suggestion that the tannins in willow will act to reduce enteric methane production levels.

One of the clear benefits of willow is that it grows easily in the UK and is already used as a bioenergy crop in Ireland

Meanwhile trial work with sheep carried out by Agri-Food and Biosciences’ Institute (AFBI) research scientists has confirmed that the inclusion of oil derived form microalgae in TMR diets can reduce methane emission levels by 21%.

The next stage in this process will be to add a second methane inhibitor to the animals’ diet. The aim of the work is to find out if a cumulative effect can be generated, where methane reduction is concerned.

Other AFBI research has shown that increasing starch and concentrate proportions in the diet within recommended guidance levels can also reduce methane production per unit of feed.

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The vaccine has reportedly “transformed herd and flock health for farmers across the world over the last 25 years” and has turned out to be one of the most “significant global advances” in livestock vaccination.

Ian Duncan Millar, RHASS Presidents’ Initiative honorary president, said: “Willie and the Pasteurella team are often unsung heroes, but they’ve contributed enormously to global livestock high health, and exemplified how collaborative science and farming both carve out a legacy and define the future.

“This extraordinary step in science, and its ongoing impact 25 years on, is a testament to the importance of continuous scientific research and development to support optimal farming and food production.”

The vaccine

The Mannheimia (Pasteurella) haemolytica vaccine was developed at the Moredun Institute by Prof. Donachie and his research team.

The vaccine “owes its success” to the discovery that to survive, the bacteria needed to be able to access iron.

From this, Prof. Donachie developed a new technique that significantly reduced the occurrence of pneumonia in lambs and calves.

Prof. Donachie explained that it was a really “exciting time” using new technologies to make “new” discoveries.

He said it was “strange as well because we were working on something game changing, but we couldn’t talk about it to anyone while the development was ongoing”.

“Vaccinations are prevention rather than cure, and it was important to get a vaccine that could cover all strains of P.haemolytica in one.

“We were fortunate, it was the right people and the right time, and, like all my research and work over 37 years at Moredun, it was the fantastic opportunity to work collaboratively with farmers and scientists to create necessary solutions for real issues.”

The vaccine created at Moredon was the first vaccine able to immunise against all 15 strains of Pasteurella.

The success

Andrew Houstoun, a hill livestock farmer who farms 1,100 breeding ewes and 160 Angus cattle, as well as deer in Highland Pertshire, said the vaccine is “vital” for the way he farms and ensuring consistent flock and herd health.

Houstoun said: “This is essential for our system as we have sheep out on the hill and across a number of other farms and farming extensively like this, we can’t keep a close eye on all the sheep all the time and may miss signs of declining health.

“We’d be lost without it – it’s easier management for us; it keeps treatment costs and losses down, and productivity up.

“There are a lot of challenges in sheep farming at the moment between rising feed costs, lack of labour and profitability, but one thing we are lucky with is health.”

Prof. Donachie, who went on to be deputy director of Moredun Research Institute and managing director of Moredun Scientific, was awarded an OBE in 2016 for services to animal and veterinary biosciences.

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ABP has today (Thursday, June 15) announced the acquisition of the Bridge of Allan abattoir and Queenslie meat packing plant in Scotland from Scotbeef.

The two facilities will now become part of the company’s UK meat division which also includes an existing processing facility in Perth, Scotland.

The Bridge of Allan abattoir is located just north of Stirling, Scotland, and the Queenslie meat packing plant is located in Glasgow, Scotland.

A statement from ABP explained the sale is expected to completed at the end of July 2023.

Commenting on the announcement, Frank Stephenson, group chief executive of ABP said: “We look forward to working with the team in Scotbeef to ensure a smooth and seamless transition for farmer suppliers, colleagues and customers at the Queenslie and Bridge of Allan plants.

“It will be very much business as usual with a commitment to building on Scotbeef’s well-established tradition and reputation for high-quality Scottish red meat products.”

ABP has been in the meat processing business for almost 70 years and the company has been operating in Scotland for over 40 years.

According to ABP it is “one of Europe’s leading meat processors, with a reputation for quality and innovation”.

ABP supplies both fresh and frozen meat products to retailers, and food service providers in both the UK and worldwide.

ABP employs over 13,000 colleagues across its four divisions: Red Meat, Pet Foods, Renewables and Proteins, with processing facilities in nine countries and a turnover of €5 billion.

ABP Linden Foods green energy agreement

Earlier this year, ABP Linden Foods, a Co. Tyrone-based beef and lamb processor which is part of the ABP Food Group, announced a green energy agreement with two Northern Ireland businesses.

Progress Energy and 3T Power will collaborate with the group with the aim of providing a circular-economy solution that generates renewable electricity from biogas for the company’s retail site.

The biogas is generated by Progress Energy, which is situated in Dromore, Co. Down, via anaerobic digestion of organic waste byproducts from two other ABP factories in Newry and Lurgan.

The biogas will then be converted into homegrown green electricity for the Northern Ireland-owned 3T power, which will then supply it to ABP Linden’s retail facility.

ABP Linden Foods has said that it satisfies its retail site’s renewable electricity and is part of ABP’s group-wide commitment to lowering its carbon footprint through a sustainability strategy.

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The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board’s (AHDB’s) four sector councils have begun discussions over increasing levy rates to address the impact of rising costs on the board’s spending power.

Conversations will be held with key industry stakeholders and levy payers during the coming months.

Levy payers and stakeholders can give feedback to the AHDB in a number of ways, including: Attending AHDB meetings, talking to representatives in relevant sectors, and contacting AHDB directly.

Once levy payers and stakeholders have had the opportunity to share their views, sector councils will decide on a recommendation to share with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), which is responsible for making a final decision on changing levy rates.

If approved, new rates could be implemented from April 2024, the AHDB said.

AHDB levy rates

The levy rate for the beef and lamb and cereal and oilseeds sectors has not changed for more than 10 years, and for the dairy and pork sectors it hasn’t changed in over 20 years.

However, rising costs across agriculture and inflation have added pressure to sector budgets.

“[The] AHDB is having to adapt the work it’s delivering at a time when budgets are being impacted by inflation and a budget reduced by changes to our VAT status,” AHDB’s divisional director of engagement, Will Jackson said.

“There have been no increases for over a decade, inflation has eroded the value of the levy by around 40% in this time and there needs to be a significant step taken to close this gap

“There is never a right time to be recommending a levy increase, but we believe the current economic climate makes the case more urgent with clear, tangible benefits.

“Without a levy increase, we will lose the expertise and impact that the four sectors need.”

AHDB sector councils

AHDB sector councils represent the beef and lamb; cereals and oilseeds; dairy; and pork sectors. They decide what programmes of work are needed to support their sectors, and what recommended levy rate is needed to fund that work.

The council members are typically levy payers of the that sector. Appointments are made based on candidates’ skills, and are confirmed through a levy payer vote.

The AHDB is currently seeking new members for all four of its sector councils.

Interested parties have until Monday, June 26, to apply.

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Descriptive and informative menus may encourage diners in the out-of-home market to select meat-based dishes.

This is according to research from the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB), which also showed that out-of-home dining accounted for between six and 13% of total beef, lamb and pork volumes in the UK during 2022.

However, the board has said that its research has uncovered unused opportunities to elevate the red meat industry in the out-of-home market and, if implemented, could maximise sales and improve the reputation of the industry.

The new findings from AHDB’s consumer and retail insight team have highlighted that getting the menu and dish offering right is the key to ensuring that a consumer chooses a red meat dish when they eat out.

AHDB senior retail insight manager, Kim Heath, said: “The research provides restaurants and other eating-out establishments with insights to help them maximise sales of these dishes, benefiting the supply end of the market by improving the reputation of red meat among consumers and increasing demand.”

Out-of-home market

AHDB said the out-of-home market is driven by indulgence and enjoyment, which are both associated with perceived quality from consumers.

When presented with mock menus and asked to select which areas most signalled meat quality to them, consumers stated that standards and ‘Britishness’ combined were the most meaningful aspects to them.

The Union flag, Red Tractor and RSPCA Assured logos, for example, were identified as trusted, intuitive symbols according to AHDB’s research.

“Coupling this with appetising images and descriptions focused on preparation and cooking methods, flavour and eating experience, will bolster meat quality and taste perceptions further,” AHDB said.

“Descriptive words such as ‘tender, slow cooked belly of pork’ suggests a sensory experience, and ‘specially selected for flavour’ implies quality and care.

“Descriptors around freshness and outdoor bred and reared were also valued pieces of information to inform meal choice.”

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The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) is seeking new members for all four of its sector councils.

Positions are now available in the beef and lamb; cereals and oilseeds; dairy; and pork sectors. The application deadline for the available positions is Monday, June 26.

Appointments are for three-year terms, starting from October of this year. The roles require a commitment of up to two days/month, including attendance at sector council meetings.

AHDB said sector council members play a “crucial role” in deciding what work should be commissioned for their sector and ensuring there is effective engagement between levy payers and the board.

Members applying for positions in any of the sectors are required to abide by the AHDB code of conduct for board and committee members.

Responsibilities of sector council members include attending senior council meetings – of which there are typically four every year – and contributing to debates and discussions to agree five-year strategic sector priorities for levy payers to vote on.

As well as engaging with levy payers to seek feedback on their sector’s needs, new council members will also be expected to contribute to debates and discussions in deciding the proposed activities and programmes which will be funded.

They must take into account the results of levy payers voting polls, AHDB said. More information on the roles and their respective sectors can be found on the AHDB website.

“At the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB), we act as a critical enabler for the industry and shape the future of farming in the UK,” a spokesperson said.

“Working with AHDB you won’t just be helping our farmers produce the food we eat and look after our environment, you’ll be shaping the future of food production and leaving a legacy for the next generation.”

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Yorkshire based Wagyu beef specialist, Warrendale Wagyu, has announced plans to double its production in the next two years.

The company said the plans to more than double its production by 2025 are due to “continued demand and the thriving market”.

Warrendale Wagyu outlined its plan at its 2023 conference, attended by over 250 farming delegates. It currently processes 130 cattle/week, which is equivalent to 105,000 burgers and 18,000 steaks. 

Tom Richardson of Warrendale Wagyu said British Wagyu is the fastest growing breed in the UK – up 30% in 2022 – and the company is confident that it can increase this “even further over the coming years”.

“Ultimately, our goal is to protect the premium quality whilst growing the full supply chain sustainably and this was our opportunity to be completely unified on this with all our partners and customers,” he said.

Warrendale Wagyu

At the conference, Warrendale Wagyu updated delegates on its aspirations to rapidly expand its network further and secure more farm partners at every stage of the process, from dairy farmers to calf rearers and finishing farms.  

A large focus was placed on the resilience of its collaborative supply chain, which has been its key focus for the first five years in business and security for the entire supplier network is one of the company’s key values, it said.

However Warrendale Wagyu’s managing director, Tom Richardson, also outlined an increased effort over the next five years on improving quality even further while focussing on the industry’s net-zero targets.

Richardson said the company will work with its supply chain and use the “extensive data it has gathered over the last five years” to make further improvements. 

On its consumer home delivery service, the company said it was now delivering between 200 and 500 parcels each week directly to UK homes and that over a quarter of these customers (28%) are 25 to 34 year olds.

It explained how its gaining exposure to the important ‘TikTok generation’ by “selling the meal, not the meat” through digital marketing strategies.

The conference was held in partnership with the British Wagyu Breeders Association and Wyndford Wagyu. Attendees also heard speakers from Aldi, the Australian Wagyu Association, Genus ABS and Red Tractor.

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The Irish food board said Deane will begin his tenure at “a time of positive growth” for Ireland’s meat supply to the UK.

The value of Irish beef exports increased by 15% earlier this year, and the UK remains the largest single market for Irish beef exports at 43% of the global share, it said.

Commenting on his appointment to his new position, Deane said: “It is a privilege to be joining the team at Bord Bia to represent the Irish meat sector in the UK.

“Sustainability is a huge passion of mine and Ireland has some of the highest standards in the world when it comes to grass-based farming.

“I look forward to contributing to the continued success of the category within the UK market, showcasing the unique landscape and care that goes into producing world-class, grass-fed Irish beef, as well as the incredible versatility the different Irish beef cuts have to offer both the grocery and food service industries.”

Bord Bia general manager, Donal Denvir, said the company’s London office is delighted to welcome Deane to its team.

“His extensive international expertise, passion and drive will undoubtedly elevate our efforts to raise awareness of the unique proof points that make grass-fed Irish beef so special,” he said.

“Having dedicated and strategic individuals like Sean on board is crucial to maintain Ireland’s reputation as a committed partner of the UK food sector.”

Sean Deane

Deane has said he is committed to upholding Ireland’s reputation as a “consistent and reliable” supplier of grass-fed Irish beef.

He has experience in food and beverage marketing and experience in growing brands within international markets.

Because of this, Bord Bia said, Deane will bring a depth of specialised knowledge to his role as UK meat market specialist.

He graduated with a Masters degree in marketing from University College Dublin (UCD) and previously acted as a Bord Bia market advisor in New York for the US market.

“He has a strong understanding of the exceptional quality, provenance and sustainability credentials, that Irish food and drink has to offer,” Bord Bia said.

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An educational event on the County Showground in Haverfordwest this month will aim to teach school children from across Pembrokeshire about local food production.

The event, which is sponsored by Meat Promotion Wales/Hybu Cig Cymru (HCC) and Castell Howell, will take place on Monday, June 19, and Tuesday, June 20, 2023, on the Pembrokeshire County Showground.

The event is suitable for year five students upwards and will feature arable, dairy, beef and sheep farmers to demonstrate and explain the journey of the different crops, milk, eggs and meat produced in Pembrokeshire.

There will also be machinery and animals at the event to help farmers explain what skills are required to produce food and care for the countryside, the Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society said.

The society anticipates that over 1,000 children will be in attendance, all of which will have allotted times.

Pembrokeshire Show governor, Kathy Wilson, said: “One of the important elements of Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society’s work is educational and spreading the word around the county about how local food is produced.

“The response was extremely positive to our first Food Story event last October which had a harvest theme.

“We hope local school children will learn a lot about where their food comes from when they attend this barbecue themed event next month.

“We are very grateful to all the farmers and supporters who are volunteering their time to make this event happen.”

Local food production

The event will feature businesses from Pembrokeshire who will teach the children about health and well-being as well as how science, technology, engineering and mathematics are used to produce food locally.

It will also provide an opportunity for children to learn about land-based careers and those within the food and drink industry.

There will also be discussions around weather and climate and how it can affect the work farmers do and how crops grow.

Children will also get an opportunity to cook and taste something with local ingredients, Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society said.

Schools that are interested in participating in the event are urged to complete the booking form, which is available via the Pembrokeshire Show website.

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New research suggests shoppers would prefer meat-free products to be displayed in a different place to meat products in shops.

The research undertaken by the retail and consumer insight team of the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) in collaboration with the Smithfield Collective shows that 60% of shoppers want both products to be displayed separately.

The aim of the research was to understand consumer behaviour towards vegetarian and vegan products.

The research found that there is the potential for confusion among shoppers, with 52% admitting to being confused when meat and meat-free products were very mixed together in stores.

AHDB said British farmers should take the research as evidence that it is looking to protect their interests.

Separately a total of 69% of consumers who took part in the research indicated that meat-free brands should try to describe their products in a way that sounds like meat, and 50% believe they should not use words like ‘steak’ and ‘bacon’.

The research also found that shoppers are more fond of meat packaging, with 70% likeability on average across the three meat packs tested compared to 61% for meat-free packs.

In terms of packaging details, 75% of shoppers think the amount of detail on meat labels is ‘about right’, while 66% of shoppers said the same thing about plant-based packages.

Retail insight manager for AHDB, Grace Randall, said: “This research is helping provide retailers and processors with evidence to protect and grow red meat sales.

The findings give the industry the evidence needed to challenge retailers or government that meat and meat-free products shouldn’t be displayed together.

“AHDB will use these findings for further research in to how best to optimise meat packaging.”

AHDB said the research may now be used by industry bodies who wish to challenge their “intellectual property”.

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The Livestock Improvement Corporation (LIC) – an agri-tech and herd improvement co-op – claims there is “there’s a lack of evidence” to support the proposal.

DairyNZ, through New Zealand Animal Evaluation Limited (NZAEL) wants to improve breeding worth by creating one animal evaluation index to “ensure” dairy farmers “remain internationally competitive”.

Their proposal outlined that “better herds mean better farm performance and higher profits for farmers”.

“In New Zealand, slow uptake of genomic selection and young sires has meant that our herds have lagged behind our international competitors over the last ten years,” the report stated.

LIC responds to proposal

DairyNZ said the unified system would improve data quality and access however LIC has stated that they “do not endorse the proposal that has been suggested.”

In a letter to LIC shareholders, chief executive David Chin, said that LIC agrees with the principle for a single index, but does not agree with the value it would unlock for New Zealand dairy farmers.

Chin said:”There’s a lack of evidence that there will be value returned to the industry from the model.

“Long-term users of LIC genetics have almost doubled the rate of genetic gain in their herds over the last 10 years, now at 18gBW (Geonimic Breed Worth) per annum.

“This surpasses the industry average of 10BW, as stated by DairyNZ. In fact, we have already surpassed the DairyNZ proposal’s goal of 15BW.”

Consultation

DairyNZ is currently running a consultation on its proposal to give the public an opportunity to put forward their views on it.

DairyNZ the consultation will focus on finding out from farmers what principles would be important in designing a successful system and is it important for farmers to have a transparent, industry good animal evaluation solution.

Meanwhile LIC has said it will also submit a response to the proposal and share it with the public before the consultation period ends.

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The Australian Agricultural Company’s (AACo) herd has grown by 13%, bringing the herd total to almost 433,000 animals.

This news comes ahead of the implementation of the UK-Australia Free Trade Agreement, which will see the removal of most tariffs on trade between the UK and Australia.

The agreement is due to come into effect at midnight on Wednesday (May 31).

The trade agreement will allow for more Australian beef to come into the UK market tariff-free, with a tariff rate quota (TRQ) of 35,000t, rising in installments to 110,000t within 10 years of the agreement.

This is substantially more than the current levels of Australian beef imports, which are around 2,500-3,00t/year according to the UK government said.

As well as an increase in its herd numbers, AACo’s operating cashflow was also a positive for the 2023 financial year, the company said, sitting at $16 million.

Managing director and chief executive of AACo, David Harris, said the company has also commenced a “major increase in our production capacity” with the expansion of one of its properties.

“Once operational, we will be able to further improve our value chain and boost our global supply.”

“Not withstanding our herd growing by 13% and producing 19% more live weight kilogrammes, whilst being operating in a high cost environment, we were able to hold our cost of production stable with a 2% reduction/kg.

“I think it’s a great demonstration of how we are creating a simpler and more efficient AACo as we continue making operational efficiencies throughout the supply chain.”

Farmer concerns

A number of UK farming organisations have raised concerns related to the trade deal, with some saying that UK farmers will suffer as more Australian produce becomes available in the country.

The Government’s Impact Assessment (IA) shows a negative effect on the UK agriculture, forestry and fishing; and the semi-processed food sector as a result of the deal.

The National Farmers’ Union (NFU) previously stated that there is little in the trade deal to “benefit British farmers”.

Speaking on the UK’s trade deals with Australia and New Zealand, NFU president Minette Batters said:

“It’s clear that UK farmers have very little to gain from these two deals; instead, we are pushing the government to focus its trade efforts on opening up markets where there’s a genuine opportunity for UK agriculture to grow our sales of fantastic products overseas.

“Confirmation that the UK’s new trade deals with Australia and New Zealand FTAs will come into force at the end of May brings into sharp focus the need for our government to monitor the ongoing and cumulative impacts for our farmers and growers of the inevitable tougher trading environment they will face.”

The government has said that the concerns of farmers and farming organisations are “misplaced for several reasons”.

Market access for Australian producers, it said, will be phased in gradually for “sensitive products” like beef and sheep meat.

The quota system which limits the volume of tariff-free imports of certain products from Australia for up to 10 years also aims to offset negative impacts on UK farmers.

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Stats NZ is similar agency to Ireland’s Central Statistics Office (CSO).

The 2022 survey of farming production and practices reveals small decreases in the national dairy herd and sheep flock, with dairy cattle numbers down 1% from the previous year.

General manager of economic and environment insights, Jason Attewell said: “The total number of dairy cattle was 6.1 million at June 2022. This is 8% lower than in 2014 when the total dairy cattle herd peaked at 6.7 million.”

While the dairy cattle herd has decreased in both islands, the North Island has seen a much larger fall.

Across the North Island dairy cattle numbers fell by 11% (431,000) compared with 2014 (when dairy cattle numbers peaked). In contrast South Island dairy cattle numbers fell only 5% (131,000) compared with 2014.

Sheep and beef in NZ

The NZ national sheep flock tallied 25.3 million at June 2022. This was a drop of 400,000 sheep compared with the previous year, representing a 2% decrease.

Despite total sheep numbers continuing to fall, there were 22 million lambs tailed in the 2021-2022 year.

“The ratio of sheep to people dropped below 5/1 in 2022, for the first time since the 1850s, when national sheep numbers were first recorded,” Attewell continued.

“In 1982, New Zealand sheep numbers famously sat at 22 per person. Australia currently has three times as many sheep as New Zealand, though its ratio is only around three sheep to every Aussie.”

The number of beef cattle has stabilised around 3.9 million. Beef cattle numbers, which peaked at 6.3 million in the 1970s, totalled 3.5 million in 2016, a historic low.

More recently, the number has stabilised and totalled 3.9 million in both 2019 and June 2022.

The Agricultural Production Census 2022 provides a detailed snapshot of New Zealand’s production and practices.

The collection of data from farms, orchards, and forests across New Zealand gives a clearer picture of its largest export sector, primary production.

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