Know How / Feed and nutrition AHDB resource Download the feed budget planner spreadsheet Download spreadsheet Case studiesSee all GRASSLAND MANAGEMENTDairy-beef outwintering setup saves on winter housing costsCareful site selection allows Graham Parks to use outwintering as an entry for a reseed. It also saves him £35 a head on winter housing and feeding costs, maintaining his… YOUNGSTOCK MANAGEMENTHow cow minerals unlocked calf health for Somerset farmThe Creeds are meticulous when it comes to calf rearing, so when animals suddenly started to get sick, it was a mystery as to why – until they discovered their… HEALTH AND WELFAREGold Cup winners share body condition scoring strategyEmbracing technology and keeping a close eye on cow condition have helped maintain pregnancy rates at 23% and support cow longevity at an Ayrshire family farm. The Logans, from Holehouse… LIVESTOCKHow Welsh dairy has halved carbon emissionsA Welsh family dairy has almost halved its carbon footprint from 1,447g to 809g of carbon dioxide equivalent per kilogram of fat- and protein-corrected milk, placing the farm within the… LIVESTOCKHow brothers secured future with second autumn-block herdA second dairy unit set up on neighbouring arable land has given two brothers a long-term future on their Leicestershire family farm Martin Wade and his sons, George and Ben,… GRASSLAND MANAGEMENTSilage calculations save on feed for autumn block-calverFor organic grower Jonathan Hughes, working out how much is needed to get through winter, including wastage and contingency, then filling clamps with home-grown forage, hits the sweet spot rather… Practical adviceSee all MAIZEMaize crops perform well in this year's challenging weatherMaize has done well in this year’s challenging weather conditions, utilising summer rain for excellent plant growth, reports Neil Groom, manager of forage specialists Grainseed. “Spring was wet and maize… LIVESTOCKThree-cut silage: Go for leaves, not bulkThree-cut silage systems can take first cut a week earlier next year and still get the same yield, plus better quality. Scheduling all three cuts in the clamp before the… HEALTH AND WELFAREHow to stop losses when grazing youngstock on herbal leysA fundamental misunderstanding of how to manage stock grazing herbal leys has caused heartache on some farms this summer, as more yearling cattle and weaned lambs have died from twisted… DAIRYDairy transition management: Why diet is not the only focusThe payback on a successful transition period is “phenomenal” in terms of health, productivity and reproduction, according to Hefin Richards of Rumenation Nutrition Consultancy. But when it is not going… LIVESTOCKAdvice on grazing far-off-dry cows for correct dietary needsFar-off dry cows at grass could be getting too much energy if summer rainfall has produced lush regrowth. Cows either need to graze stemmy pasture, below 10MJ of metabolisable energy… HEALTH AND WELFAREAcorn poisoning: Symptoms, treatment and preventionLast autumn saw an increase in cattle and sheep deaths with either confirmed or suspected acorn poisoning. This was because 2022 was considered a “mast year” for oak trees. A… InsightsSee all LIVESTOCKWhy diverse forage mixtures could improve outwinteringFindings from a recent trial in Devon have concluded that outwintering cattle on a diverse mix of forages can help improve both animal and soil health, while also benefiting the… FEED AND NUTRITIONHow home-grown forages could make dairy protein more greenMaking better use of home-grown forages could help eliminate the overfeeding of costly dietary protein in dairy cow diets and, in turn, reduce associated emissions, according to Liam Sinclair, professor… LIVESTOCKHow multispecies swards can improve production efficiencyGrassland in the UK has traditionally been dominated by ryegrass. While ryegrass provides high yields of good-quality forage, it is dependent on applications of now-expensive nitrogen fertiliser and is susceptible… FEED AND NUTRITIONMaize-bean cropping tipped to see huge growth in GermanyMore German growers are companion-cropping maize with beans to address astronomical ammonium nitrate and protein costs, saying the dry matter and protein performance of the resulting silage outweighs the energy… LIVESTOCKHigh-yielding herds top efficiency stakesHigh-yielding dairy herds are more feed-efficient than low-yielding herds, but improvements must be made in cow fertility and longevity to lower methane emissions. A study of 21 farms across five… HEALTH AND WELFAREWhy keeping ewes in good condition can help save on wormersKeeping ewes at a good body condition score (BCS) in the weeks before and after lambing minimises worming requirements at a key point in the year, a new Welsh study… FEED AND NUTRITIONMaize silage should feed well despite drought, analysis showsAnalysis of nearly 700 samples of maize silage suggest it should feed well this winter and complement this year’s grass silages. This is according to Liz Homer, ruminant technical development… FEED AND NUTRITIONForage Aid gears up for busy winter feed campaignThe prolonged hot weather and lack of rain has created serious issues for livestock farmers, with increasing reports of forage shortages. Following massive increases in feed, fertiliser, fuel and energy… BREEDING AND FERTILITYWhy big cows are inefficient and how to breed smaller stockCows are getting bigger. UK dairy farmers are feeding and managing the equivalent of nearly five extra cows for every 100 in their herds, compared with 30 years ago. And… PIGSHow forage in pig diets benefits meat qualityA study has shown that rearing pigs at pasture with a diverse range of grasses in the sward boosts their meat with fatty acids beneficial to human health. The on-farm… DAIRYCan palm-oil be replaced in feed to help cut dairy emissions?Fat supplements are incorporated into dairy diets to provide energy and enable cows to maintain butterfat levels. Most of those used in the UK are formulated with palm acid oil.… FEED AND NUTRITIONUlster farmers must act to avoid forage crisisImmediate steps to ensure sufficient winter forage supply need to be taken by Northern Irish farmers facing unprecedented cost escalation, say farm advisers responding to stark findings of a survey. … Advertiser contentSee all LIVESTOCKInnovative feed robot transforms dairy feed managementRoboPusher Nimbo is a revolutionary feed pusher robot that uses visual navigation technology; it can charge itself, push feed autonomously, and facilitate constant access to fresh and nutritious feed for… LIVESTOCKThe need to maximise milk from forage is a ‘no brainer’Although milk prices have dropped back recently, they are still well above previous pricing. But with high costs for certain inputs, producing milk cost-efficiently in 2023 will be key. Which… ARABLENutrient management – are we getting the basics right?On Thursday, September 8th, ICL UK’s agricultural conference entitled ‘Facing the Future’ highlighted some major challenges and opportunities facing farming today. The focus was on effective nutrient management planning to… LIVESTOCKGamechanger, creating a secure and sustainable beef industryWhen it comes to the beef supply chain, efficiency and quality are what matters. The best genetics means the best beef, and the best beef means the best deal for… LIVESTOCKMitigate rising feed costs through better mix qualityWhat’s your TMR costing you? Our studies show that an accurately mixed TMR can lead to an average saving of £23,360* per year. This will be influenced by factors including… DAIRYThis dairy farm has been feeding automatically for 15 years“Wow, time flies!”, Henry Petter says. The first Triomatic feeding robot has been feeding since 2006 at his dairy farm. “It has brought us more than we could have ever…