12 minute read
Farming
WANTED ALL CATTLE PURCHASED
Store Cattle Beef, cows and calves Barren Cows Bulls and fat cattle Price on farm, paid on the day. Haulage arranged. Brookfield Livestock Marketing Ltd Call anytime 07811 381 159 or 01749 830 530
We provide a friendly, local service at competitive prices. Based at Redlynch near Bruton, we supply Car, Commercial, Agricultural, Plant & 4x4 tyres and offer a 24hr breakdown service. We won’t be beaten on price. Call us on 01749 813957 or 07971 012628
or find us at
www.southwesttyreservices.co.uk LOOKING FOR BARN TO
RENT, possibly Blandford area to keep tractors. Tel 01258 880892 or 07980 036250
LOGIC 4' PETROL FLAIL TOPPER. 12.5 hp Vanguard v twin engine. Adjustable wheel heights, roller. Suit ATV/4x4.New belts.Runs well. £1300. No vat. 01308 488757
SCRAP METAL RECYCLING WESSEX METALS
STURMINSTER NEWTON & BLANDFORD AREA WANTED
Scrap Metal, Cars, Heavy and Light Iron Farm And Factory Clearance Weighbridge TOP PRICES PAID
Skips/HAIB lorry available for onsite collection Tel 01258 860 166 or 07974 822 243
TIPPING TRAILER
ATV 1,420KG WITH ELECTRICAL HYDRAULIC TIPPER £2,200
kellfri.co.uk
3-POINT STRIMMER £2,160
ATV FLAIL MOWER 1.5 M 13.5 HP £2,250 FLAIL MOWER W 1.95 M
SIZES FROM 1.05m - 2.8m £1,990
01305 266058
Innovation vital to the future of farming
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Farming needs to continue to innovate and adopt new technologies if it is to rise to the challenges ahead and reduce risks, according to farming insurer Cornish Mutual. “New approaches are vital if the industry is to adapt to the ongoing changes to farming policy and the pressure to produce more with less, while also benefitting the environment,” said Dominic Jones, Loss Prevention Leader. “We believe exploring new technologies needs to be a priority across the industry, which is why we have been looking for new approaches to support our Members. “Recently we launched a partnership with Quantari, having successfully trialled its HAYTECH system. This is a simple but innovative product to help prevent devastating hay bale fires. We continue to look for more innovations which can benefit Members by reducing risks and improving farm safety.” Innovation has also been a focus for Cornish Mutual’s Future Farming Programme, which has looked at projects benefitting the region’s farmers. These include Future Farm, a research platform exploring how innovative changes to feed and management of dairy cows can affect the environmental impact of milk production. Dr Robin Jackson, former director of Agri-Tech Cornwall which co-ordinated the project, believes the project’s findings will have far-reaching benefits: “We hope the work at Future Farm will lead to better management of livestock for the benefit of those animals, the farming business and the environment.”
To read more about agricultural innovation and the HAYTECH system, go to the Cornish Mutual website: https://www. cornishmutual.co.uk/
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Insurance you can trust. Call us on 01872 277151.
Farming
Fertility work and teaching
Alice Miller BVSC DBR MRCVS Friars Moor Livestock Health
One of the best things about being a vet is the variety that comes with the job. When I was training, I didn’t quite appreciate all the career opportunities available. I always had in mind just the clinical work. But sometimes we aren’t just GPs and surgeons for animals we also try our hand at teaching. This is a part of the job I really enjoy and a skill that I have tried to develop over the years. The topics and audiences vary and include giving evening presentations, teaching students and running training courses. While these things often take a lot of time and preparation there is great reward in being able to discuss interesting topics with like-minded people.
As a practice we are lucky that we have many vets within the team who all have varying specialities and interests. This means we can offer high-level training on most topics required by our clients. We currently have upcoming courses on foot trimming, AI training, medicine use and even a calving course for ten–16-year-olds. These are all detailed in our monthly newsletters and on our website so keep a look out or phone our office on 01258 472314 if there is anything of interest or anything you need.
I particularly enjoy the cattle fertility work and run our AI training courses and calving courses. This week I did something a bit different though and taught a group of vets. It was a foundation course in fertility for the British Cattle Veterinary Association. The Kingman family kindly hosted the group for the afternoon, where the vets learnt how to master the use of ultrasound scanning.
One of my very first articles answered the question: “Why do you put your arms up cow’s bottoms?” and indeed it is so we can examine their reproductive tracts, which sit internally, below the rectum on the floor of the pelvis. I taught the vets how to examine the reproductive tract using this technique, and by the end of it they could make diagnoses by scanning the uterus and finding the ovaries. You can tell a lot from examining the structures on the ovaries, so I spent a large proportion of the theory training covering the oestrus cycle of the cow. You can tell what stage of the cycle she is at by examining the size of the structures. And if you understand the natural hormonal cycle, when it goes wrong in cases of infertility, you can use hormone treatments to correct it. Naturally it is a complex hormonal system that involves the release of hormones from the brain, that travel via the bloodstream to the ovaries to stimulate follicular growth, which leads to ovulation and then either maintenance of pregnancy or recycling. Cows are aseasonal, polyoestrus breeders, which means they reproduce any time of year and cycle continuously. Cows aren’t restricted to breeding at certain times of the year – so we are able to drink fresh milk all year round. Some block calving systems choose to calve all their cows over a 12-week period either in Spring or Autumn, however this is a management decision rather than a biological one.
We also discussed how to pregnancy scan and age foetuses. This can be done more easily in younger pregnancies as you can visualise the whole calf and take body measurements – such as the crown-rump length. These scaled measures on a chart are translated to the age of the calf in utero. When the calf gets bigger it becomes harder to visualise the whole calf. However, while you can’t take body length measurements you can measure the orbital diameter – if you can reach the calf’s head. The scale of this measurement accurately translates to age, as the orbital cavity within the skull grows at a uniform rate. You can tell a lot from the use of ultrasound. And while this week I have discussed fertility work, next week I will discuss what else we can use ultrasound scanners for in farm vet work.
Alice Miller ran a foundation course in fertility for the British Cattle Veterinary Association.
Independent veterinary services for livestock in Dorset, Somerset and Wiltshire Independent veterinary services for livestock in Dorset, Somerset and Wiltshire Independent veterinary services for livestock in Dorset, Somerset and Wiltshire
Collection points for livestock medicines and supplies at Sherborne, Sturminster Newton, Blandford and Shaftesbury Collection points for livestock medicines and supplies at Sherborne, Sturminster Newton, Blandford and Shaftesbury Collection points for livestock medicines and supplies at Sherborne, Sturminster Newton, Blandford and Shaftesbury Please call the office on 01258 472314 Please call the office on 01258 472314 Please call the office on 01258 472314 www.friarsmoorvets.co.uk www.friarsmoorvets.co.uk www.friarsmoorvets.co.uk
ZWARTBLES PEDIGREE shearling ram Tel 01985 248353 RYELAND SHEEP FOR SALE. 9 Ewes £120 - £150 each. Tel Julia 07711 715435
Deadline to place your advert is the Friday before publication.
SHEPHERDS HUT fully fitted with shower washbason and toilet ideal for campsite or glamping. As new, Tel 01747 830686
2021 MEADOW HAY, 4 string large bales, Barn stored, 200 available. Please call for price 07714 289400
Farming
by Ruth Kinber
Still no meaningful rain. The cows are now being supplemented with second cut silage and the dry and young stock with straw. It’s a worrying time as we are now relying on rain to bring forward a third cut of silage to replace what’s being eaten now.
I’ve been asked my opinion on regenerative farming. Well, I have to say we have been practising it for years. As a mixed dairy/beef farm, we operate a rotation cropping system. We have cattle which graze the paddocks, moving on to let the sward recover and grow – they, of course, leave behind them valuable manure. We have sheep which also make their mark with eating all the plants – weeds, some might say! – and again the valuable droppings are left behind. The crops of grass for silage and maize are grown primarily using farmyard manure and slurry from the cattle – both feed the soil and the plants. The challenge comes when farms just grow cereal with no livestock to aid soil fertility and structure.
My other big grumble is introduced species, plant and animal. I’ve been saying for several years, grey squirrels damage trees, and in particular young trees, and sadly our native oak seems to be a favourite snack. Too many deer is also a real problem for newly planted trees – I believe the muntjac is particularly damaging to saplings. We now have a programme of reintroducing beavers without any real plan if and when we have some unexpected problems down the road. They, of course, fell and feed off trees, creating dams and flooding areas which can aid wildlife or in the wrong place cause flooding downstream and destroy woodland.
Our brooks and rivers are being overtaken by Himalayan Balsam, a pretty pink plant, but very invasive which soon chokes native vegetation. Japanese knotweed is another such plant. We have also seen the rise in ragwort, again a pretty yellow multi-headed plant, but not only poisonous to horses and cattle but again very invasive and smothers other plants.
We live on a small island and, with lots of humans, we have to try and live together, but balance is the key.
Home food production has never been more important since the Second World War. We can produce more food and deliver for wildlife, but we must be smart about how we manage it.
Himalayan Balsam is a pretty pink plant, but is very invasive, soon choking native vegetation. PHOTO: Manfred Antranias Zimmer/Pixabay
Grey squirrels are an ‘introduced species’. PHOTO: David Mark/Pixabay of farmland to mitigate the carbon used by big business and individuals in air travel. So, without making the necessary changes to your business or lifestyle, you can ease your conscience by buying land then planting trees all over it! There are even some Government grants! Unintended consequences, I feel, or not joined up thinking. Tree planting is great, but only in the right places, then those trees need to be protected and looked after until they can fend for themselves, like most young life. We have planted a few on our land but it has to be done intelligently. Our parish council is embarking on a small scheme to commemorate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee but not first looking into the most suitable trees for our land and how to look after going forward. Kimbers Farm Shop, The Kitchen and Somerset Trading Barn, Linley Farm BA9 8 HD; www.kimbersfarmshop.co.uk Phone: 01963 33177; open Tuesday-Friday 8.30am-5pm, Saturday 9.30am-4pm.
CORNWALL | DORSET | DEVON | HAMPSHIRE | SOMERSET | WILTSHIRE | LONDON
ONLINE DISPERSAL AUCTION Friday 2nd – Monday 12th September Dispersal of Outdoor Activity Centre Vehicles & Recreational Equipment
Highlights include: 4 Off Road Mini Maveriks c/w roll cages, 3 Formula 2 Eagle Hovercrafts 500cc with 2 stroke Rotax 503 Engines, Land Rover Defender 110 V8, Land Rover 88 Series 3, Bowman Claytraps, Barnett Adults & Childs Cross Bows, 2 Air Rifles, Selection of Archery Bows, Shooting Ear Defenders, Full Face Crash Helmets, Down Hill Soap Box Racer, large variety of Mini Parts including Engines & Gearboxes, Calf Crush & IAE Creep Feeder etc. Viewing Day: Thursday 8th September 10.00am – 4.00pm
On behalf of Henley Hillbillies (Ceasing trading). Contact Symonds & Sampson Yeovil on 01935 382909 ON-FARM DISPERSAL AUCTION Thursday 15th September at 11.00am Crockers Farm, Twyford, Shaftesbury, SP7 0JF Dispersal Sale of 3 Tractors, Farm Machinery, Livestock & Butchery Equipment, etc
Highlights include: New Holland T5070 with Quicke Q46 Loader, Ford 6610 with McConnel 060 Loader, Ford 4600, Keenan Klassik 100 Mixer Wagon, Abbey 1300gln Vacuum Tanker, Teagle Tomohawk 808 Straw Blower, Twose Round Bale Handler, Parmiter Mounted/Trailed Disc Harrows, Econ Dual Spreader, McConnel PA93 Hedgetrimmer, Marshall BC21 21’ Bale Trailer, Ifor Williams 12’ Livestock Box, IAE Cattle Hurdles, 20 x Galvanised Calf Pens, Cake Silo approx. 10t, Wooden Butchers Block, Cutting Tables, Cold Display Fridge, Meat Mincer, Metal Carcass Stands, Small quantity of Household Effects including 2 x 2 Seater Sofas, 5’ Pine Kitchen Table, Pine Cabinet, etc Introduced Items inc: John Deere 6600 (97), Land Rover Defender TD5 (03) 230,000 miles, Honda Big Red Quad, Polaris Sportsman SP5500 Quad, Ifor Williams GD85 & CT 136 Trailers, Hardi Master 1000Ltr 12m Sprayer, Kuhn GA4321 GM Single Rotor Rake, Maschio 3m Power Harrow, Agribiz 6m Aerator, Chain Harrows, McConnel Rhino 9 Topper, ATV Sprayer, Logic ATV Flail Topper, 2016 Kuhn FC283 Mower, Twose Folding Cambridge Rollers, Complete Icerobotics Cow Alert System, etc
On behalf of Messrs D & J Selby (Retiring). Contact Yeovil Office – 01935 382909 Maiden Newton Guide £1,005,000 (whole)
A block of productive, free draining arable land and pasture downland situated in West Dorset. For Sale by Private Treaty as a whole or in two lots. 133.75 acres (54.13 ha) in all.
