Livestock

KUHN EXTENDS L ARGE CAPACITY DIET FEEDER RANGE

KUHN Farm Machinery has extended its range of diet feeders with cross-conveyor feeding with the addition of triple vertical auger models. The Euromix 3 CL series includes four models with hopper capacities of 28m3, 33m3, 39m3 and 45m3. The three vertical augers, along with the polygonal shape of the hopper interior, are specifically designed to achieve rapid break-up of whole bales. Augers are designed with a continuous spiral and are fitted with seven knives with asymmetric teeth that have a selfcleaning effect. The auger knives work against two counter knives for faster chopping and optimum mixing. All Euromix 3 CL models are included with an anti-overflow ring, increasing the height of the hopper to help prevent the loss of coarse and fibrous fodder during the chopping phases. Feed distribution is via a large clearance hatch to the right or left of the machine and a broad cross-conveyor with a hydraulic motor at each end. The PVC belt structure of the conveyor ensures a quiet and efficient feed-out and easy maintenance. Rear discharger is also an option, to the right or left of the machine. Euromix 3 CL models have programmable weighing as standard, allowing pre-set mixing times, storage of ingredients and rations in the system memory, and the accurate control of rationing. Kuhn’s Intellimix advanced mixer control system is an option on all models. A recipient of a silver award in the Livestock Innovation category at LAMMA in 2020, the system works via a continuously variable transmission that is integrated into the tractor controls through ISOBUS. This allows a reduction in start-up torque by up to 50% and –through automated changes to auger speeds in response to loading –optimises the use of power throughout the mixing and feeding process. With opening and closing of the hopper door automatically triggering the switch between auto-mix and auto-feed modes, and with auger speed able to be pre-set in relation to varying conditions in the hopper, the operation is fully automated and requires no operator intervention.

Data is key for stor e cattle success

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hen growing store cattle, weights are everything, and trading animals on that data gives both buyers and sellers certainty, as one producer in Devon has discovered.

Tom Samuel, who buys and sells about 750 head of cattle a year at South Lendon Farm near Exeter, has a specific system of buying stock that have not been done up to sell and growing them on quickly. “I buy plain 320-400kg cattle at 12-16 months old, which have been kept hard; on arrival they are wormed, clipped and dehorned, as necessary. I turn them into an isolation pen, transition them onto a formulated ration and sell them on after 100-120 days at about 500kg.” Weighing the stock in, out and every month, Mr Samuel keeps a close eye on performance, and records all the data through the free Breedr app on his phone. “I recently bought some new scales, which are so easy as they Bluetooth the weights to my phone. Using the app, I can see daily liveweight gains, predicted growth curves, medicines and livestock movements, and I can filter the cattle into different groups,” he says. “It’s really user friendly.” When it came to selling the latest batch of animals, Mr Samuel decided to try the Breedr marketplace, putting over 3,000 potential buyers at his fingertips. He listed a group of 46 steers and heifers on the app and sold them within days for close to the asking price. “The cattle were collected within a week, the customer was delighted with them, and Breedr paid directly into my bank within 72 hours – it was so easy,” he says. Even better, there was no haulage to pay, no time wasted, and – for the first three trades – no commission paid. “I had 50 new cattle waiting to come into the sheds, and it was an excellent process for the buyer as it’s totally fair and transparent on weights. They knew what they were going to get.” Mr Samuel houses all of his cattle and feeds a Total Mixed Ration, achieving average daily growth rates of 1.4kg. “We feed maize, grass silage, brewers’ grains, barley and urea: We get phenomenal growth rates. Often, cattle which have stalled on the previous farm will exceed 2kg daily liveweight gain and produce 80-90kg of compensatory growth within the first six weeks of arrival.”

He can finish stock on his farm, but with store prices where they are, the current system works best. “I find it’s better to specialise –those farmers with a finishing contract are best placed to finish stock, and it means there is really strong demand for forward store cattle which I sell. I’ve never sold any stores based on individual weights and actual liveweight gains before, but it works really well.” For more information visit www.breedr.co

Our price: £2,250+VAT Our price: £1,895+VAT

Health is the most important factor for wellbeing in animals

Health versus natural behaviours in far m animals

Farmers and members of the public want animals to be both healthy and able to express their natural behaviours, according to research comparing the views of both groups. There is also general agreement that when it comes to assessing the overall wellbeing, physical health and productivity of the animals, the level of health provision is most important. The study, by researchers at Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC), looked at whether there were differences in the overall importance livestock farmers and the public give to health and natural behaviours.

It also looked at how these judgements are influenced by the extent to which health issues are minimised and natural behaviours promoted. Generally, it has been believed that livestock farmers emphasise the importance of keeping their animals healthy and reducing stress, while members of the public are more likely to want farm animals to be able to exhibit their natural behaviours and have access to the outdoors. The study found there were more similarities than differences in the views of the two groups. In addition to wanting animals to be free from health issues and able to express their natural behaviours, the responses from both groups suggested that minimising health issues was seen to be a baseline requirement before any benefits from promoting natural behaviours were gained. However, it found farmers judge situations where health issues are not minimised but natural behaviours are supported, more negatively than the public. There was also much more variance among farmers in their attitudes to the importance of health and natural behaviours, depending on the sector, production system and farming background. Differences in attitudes among members of the public were also found, with demographic factors potentially playing a role. For instance, having a greater belief in animal mind (sentience) or being vegetarian, vegan or flexitarian increased the likelihood of highly rating natural behaviours as important. The study is based on a survey of more than 800 members of the public across the UK, published in PloS ONE, and a survey of 168 farmers in the UK and Ireland, published in Frontiers in Animal Science.

Dr Belinda Vigors, a social scientist at SRUC and co-author of the study, said: “This study shows that although there are differences between farmers and members of the public, there are also some key similarities. “Importantly, it is very clear both farmers and the public want farm animals to be both healthy and able to express their natural behaviours.

“The findings of the study are relevant to better understanding the expectations of farmers and members of the public and what they consider is important for animal welfare.”

The survey was funded by the Scottish Government’s Rural and Environment Science and Analytical Services (RESAS). For more information, visit: http://bit.ly/ SRUCAnimalHealth

Curious about vir tual fencing? Visit Gr oundswell to speak to far mers and grazing exper ts using Nofence grazing technology

Livestock producers interested in learning about virtual fencing and how it can be used to improve their grazing systems have the opportunity to hear about the benefits of virtual fencing and speak to six different Nofence pilot farmers at Groundswell 2021 on the Nofence stand in Pasture Field C6.

“Technology advances have made their way into the livestock sector with virtual fencing being the next industry gamechanger,” says Synne Foss Budal, General Manager for Nofence UK. “When managed correctly, grass is one of the cheapest feeds available to UK beef producers. But with the challenges due to required infrastructure and weather variables, it is not always straightforward for farmers to take advantage of grazed forage to its fullest. Nofence grazing technology is a unique solution to overcoming many of the challenges presented when trying to intensify a grazing system.”

How Nofence works

Developed in Norway with more than two years of testing on UK farms, Nofence uses a combination of GPS, cellular communication, audio signals and solar power to work with animal behaviour and create a virtual fence perimeter that can be monitored and changed with a smartphone app. Picking up GPS surveying from available satellites, the app allows farmers to set virtual pasture boundaries. Livestock fitted with Nofence collars can then be turned out on the set area to graze with no physical fencing. When an animal crosses the Nofence boundary, a threestage audio warning will start. If the animal does not turn around when cued with the third stage of audio, it will receive an electric pulse equivalent to 12% shock given from standard electrical fencing. The collars which issue the pulse and track animal location are developed with solar panels to ensure long-lasting battery life throughout the grazing season. “Data collected from our farm trials show that the number of pulses administered with a virtual fence is significantly lower than those on standard electric fencing systems due to the animals quickly learning from the audio. You are still relying on the animal’s senses to stay within the grazing parameter, but it is hearing rather than visual,” explains Ms Foss Budal.

The GPS trackers on the collars allow for the farmer to monitor the livestock’s grazing patterns and receive notifications if a pulse has been given. In the event of an animal breaking through a boundary, they will only receive one pulse and will not receive another pulse when entering back into the herd.

On-farm application

James Daniel, consultant for Precision Grazing, has been working with Nofence to set up trials on six different beef farms throughout the UK. According to him, the technology allows farmers to harness the same benefits of managed grazing as found with physical fencing, but on areas of the farm where it otherwise would not have been possible. The Nofence grazing technology also provides greater flexibility to optimise the grazing area at that very moment in time. “This technology has been great for hill and conservation grazing systems by allowing areas to be utilised without making a significant investment into physical fencing infrastructure and allowing for better utilisation of forage that would have traditionally been set stocked,” says Mr Daniel. Wiltshire beef producer Matt Turner farms his nearly 200 head of suckler cows on Salisbury Plain with grassland running alongside a prominent watercourse. Previously, Mr Turner would only set stock graze 50 head of youngstock on the area, receiving pressure in recent years to set up permanent fencing to keep cattle out of the watercourse. Working with Mr Daniel to set up a Nofence grazing system, the farm can now use a more rotational grazing approach to the area which has allowed for greater stocking density while also keeping cattle out of the watercourse with no physical fencing. “It took the cattle about five days to properly get the hang of the virtual fence and the audio cues, but once they did, it has been brilliant in the way it has allowed us to manage grass better. Because we’re not constrained to fixed paddocks and infrastructure, we can quickly adapt to cope with variation in pasture and weather changes,” says Turner.

Learn more from the experts at Groundswell

Livestock producers wanting to learn more about Nofence and its applications including hill, conservation, mob and intensive rotational grazing are invited to the Nofence stand in Pasture Field C6 at Groundswell 2021 and to the Lecture and Q&A Session – Managed grazing with virtual fencing technology – that is being held at 4.30pm Thursday the 24th. Ms Foss Budal, Mr Daniel and Mr Turner will be on stand to answer questions, along with five other farmers using Nofence technology. To learn more about Nofence, visit nofence.co.uk