dairy do something with that data,” she said. To work out youngstock targets, you can: 1. Work out the mature bodyweight of your cows 2. Calculate 90% of the mature bodyweight, which is the target weight to calve cows down at 24 months 3. Calculate 60% of the mature bodyweight, which is the target weight for serving cows at 13 months old 4. Calculate the target growth rate from birth to service. You can do this by deducting the birth weight from the service weight and dividing it by 400 days 5. Calculate weaning weight Bulling at the right weight and calving down at 22 months has saved Halton Farms money, with each heifer going through the system costing £270 less. This saving is coming from: • Improved maiden heifer
• • • •
fertility. On average, only 1.2 straws of semen are needed compared to 2.2 before Reducing the number of days to first calving Heifer milk yield maintained – 10,500l in a 305-day lactation First lactation fertility improved- 100-day in calf rate at 100% First lactation culling rate for fertility reduced- three years ago it was 10-15% now it’s a 0%
To achieve such targets, attention to detail by every staff member is paramount. Karen’s philosophy is that if she were to get run over by a bus tomorrow, the calves would never know, with every team member able to perform the job correctly. This means protocols are in place at every stage in calves’ life. Karen said:” You’ve got a six-week window to grow calves, and you can’t get that back. This means there is no compromise for that six weeks.”
One-stop-shop training platform to maximise herd health and business performance A unique training hub, which aims to equip farmers with the skills and knowledge they require to optimise herd health and business performance, is now available. FarmIQ has been launched by VetPartners to help farmers navigate this period of rapid change that the industry is experiencing. Farmers are
striving to continue to progress and remain profitable in the face of a new policy and support framework, rising input costs and an increased focus on sustainability. The platform raises the quality of online, hybrid and in-person training opportunities available to farmers looking to improve their businesses.
www.farmingscotlandmagazine.com
crofting
Crofting Law Reform Back On The Agenda By Patrick Krause, Chief Executive, Scottish Crofting Federation It has been confirmed by the Scottish Government that work is to start imminently to ensure a Crofting Reform Bill is passed in the course of this parliament. Think of crofting law as an overgrown garden – there is actually very good substance underneath the brambles. It was recognised back in 1998 that the law needed remedial work and since then there has been a series of amendments. Some helped but some added problems, so more had to try to then plaster over the damage. It is an impenetrable thicket now, in need of branch and stem pruning. In the last term of Scottish Government, a serious attempt was made to do this and it got close to a draft bill, but was dropped due to all legislation teams being put on to preparing for Brexit. The approach is to write up the 30 or so amendments already identified as essential, plus some that need more work. There are also recommended revisions from the Scottish Law Society research work which took place in the intervening
period and, a win for the SCF ‘Access to Crofts’ campaign, the Crofting Commission has been asked by Scottish Government to generate a list of amendments that they need to enable them to discharge their duties effectively. When all the amendments have been made and passed into law, and the law is used for a while, given its test run, a consolidation bill is required to bring all the amending acts together in one act (last done in 1994). So there is still a way to go until we enjoy a stroll in a well-tended garden. Meanwhile, the Crofting Commission is getting additional staff and will now be able to put more resource into the Regulation and Land Use team and so use the existing legislation more effectively. It is clear from recent SCF village hall meetings that crofters want the commission to regulate well and to free up unused crofts for new entrants. If you have concerns or just want to chat about crofting, come and talk to us at the Royal Highland Show.
www.crofting.org
