NFU Scotland

livestock Take advantage of precision liquid feed service

Livestock farmers across the country can now take advantage of a leading liquid feed range directly from Brinicombe Agri and its one-of-a-kind delivery service, TransAg.

Neil Ashwell, head of agriculture at Brinicombe Agri, explains that for over 30 years the company has offered a range of top-quality liquid feeds through a bespoke metered delivery system and is now offering a price match guarantee so customers can buy quality with confdence in the cost.

“The unique direct to farmstore pumping equipment on Brinicombe’s TransAg lorries means farmers will receive a precise, measured amount of their chosen liquid, only paying for the exact volume they receive,” he says.

“This format of delivery takes away the hassle of disposing IBCs after the liquid has been consumed, playing a part in helping the industry reduce plastic waste.”

Why use liquid feeds?

Neil explains the challenging weather this cropping year has led to increased concentrate feed prices. “This is where the use of competitively priced liquid feeds can help keep winter feed costs down.

“Our range of protein, mineral and energy liquids are tailormade to maximise performance from forage, and make up for any shortfalls, allowing farmers to utilise forage and feed already available on farm,” he says.

“We can also offer ball or wheel feeders for livestock to lick, meaning liquids can be fed with minimal mess, regardless of whether or not a Total Mixed Ration (TMR) is being supplied through a diet feeder.”

NFU ScotlandFarming and crofting in Scotland’s Less Favoured Area is the glue that holds the rural economy in Scotland’s fragile areas together writes NFU Scotland’s LFA Committee Chair Robert Macdonald. Accounting for 86 percent of Scotland’s agricultural land, 90 percent of its sheep and 83 percent of its beef herd; LFA agriculture is the backbone of Scotland’s world-famous red meat industry. In addition, our precious LFA is critical in the delivery of local jobs, outstanding landscapes and biodiversity, carbon sequestration and storage, thriving communities and cultural heritage. The importance of agricultural activity in Scotland’s LFA has never active farming and crofting in the LFA, the Scottish Government must act with urgency to: ¬Retain LFASS from 2021 with a £65 million budget and rebase the scheme to better reflect current activity Reinstate LFASS 2020 payments made in Spring 2021 to 100 per cent of 2018 payments Retain SUSSS with the added safeguard on the number of ewe hoggs claimed limited to 20 per cent of the ewe flock to ensure better targeting to those most reliant on Region 3 land. The Union believes that only by securing and targeting vital support in the short to medium term will active farming and crofting Less Favoured Areas – Delivering for Scotland By Robert Macdonald been more apparent than be properly underpinned to during Covid-19, where it enable the continued delivery has underlined the resilience of the many valued outcomes of remoter communities as it provides. The Union wrote well as the contribution it to Cabinet Secretary for makes to Scotland’s overall Rural Economy Fergus Ewing food security. outlining our priorities and

Yet huge question marks provided him with an advance remain over future funding copy of the document ‘Less levels for farmers and Favoured Areas – Delivering for crofters in the LFA. The Less Scotland’. As a committee, we Favoured Areas Support have been privileged to have Scheme (LFASS), the Scottish the Cabinet Secretary attend Suckler Beef Support Scheme in the past and we are certain (SSBSS) and the Scottish he knows how important a Upland Sheep Support profitable and vibrant LFA is to Scheme (SUSSS) all provide Scotland’s future. lifeline funding to LFA farmers The importance of LFASS and crofters, in addition to the payments through what will mainstay of support via the be a turbulent period for LFA Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) farmers and crofters cannot and Greening. be overstated.

In our flagship policy The full reinstatement of document “Less Favoured LFASS support until at least Areas – Delivering for 2024, moving away from the Scotland”, launched in disruption and uncertainty October, we state that to we have seen around LFA safeguard and enhance the support in recent times is the significant contribution of key ask.