North Tyrone dairy farmer Tynan Roulston is proof positive that you don’t need to be farming south of Dublin to make spring calving and producing as much milk as possible from grazed grass feasible options. He is, in fact, a new entrant into milk, having previously managed a very successful suckler beef operation. This year […]
News & Events
Mycotoxins
This winter, we have witnessed many issues caused by mycotoxins, but with a notable surge in recent weeks, it’s a hot topic on dairy, beef and sheep farms. What are mycotoxins? Mycotoxins are natural substances produced by moulds and fungi. They are invisible, tasteless and toxic. More than 500 different mycotoxins have been identified […]
Grassland decisions made now will affect dairy farming profitability for the next 12 months
Grassland management decisions taken over the next three months will determine the profitability of dairy farms throughout Northern Ireland well into 2022, according to United Feeds’ ruminant nutrition advisor Alan Boyd and company nutritionist Matt Bourne. “Swards have taken no hurt over the winter months, which should set farmers up well for the push to […]
SUSTAIN – Protected urea
SustaiN is protected urea Nitrogen fertiliser. Urea is treated with a stabiliser called Agrotain. Agrotain reduces volatilisation, ensuring the Nitrogen is available to fuel crop growth all season long. Sustain (Agrotain) has been independently trialled by AFBI on both grassland and tillage. The trial results show that SustaiN yields are consistently as good as CAN, […]
Fertility management kicks-in when the cow is dried-off
According to United Feeds’ nutritionist Andrew Fyffe, effective dry cow management has a crucial bearing on two fundamental aspects of dairying performance: the ability of the cow to have a successful lactation after calving and her subsequent fertility performance. Body Condition Score is the key driver in both cases. From a management point of view, […]
Improved nutrition will act to boost immunity levels in young calves
The considerable daily fluctuations in temperatures of recent weeks are significantly increasing the respiratory challenges faced by calves across Northern Ireland. United Feeds’ nutritionist Jenny Hamilton takes up the story: Retaining body heat can be a real challenge for young calves at the best of times. So the recent variations in temperatures, particularly those mild […]
Getting grass right for the rest of the summer
With the fine spell of weather most farmers thoughts turn to first cut silage and the work load it brings. While it is important to ensile top quality winter forage do not take the eye off the ball when it comes to grass on the grazing platform, as this is your feed source for the […]
Grassland management
With GrassCheck predicting peak growth rates this week – have you got surplus grass on your farm? Andrew explains the benefits of baling paddocks that are too strong to graze.
First cut 2020 – Silage season well underway
Alan Boyd discussing first cut as it’s being mowed at his Dad’s farm in Straid, Ballyclare.
Choosing the right fertiliser for your second cut silage
While the world copes with the current Coronavirus pandemic, farmers are getting on with producing our food in the most effective and efficient way they can. As we find ourselves in May, most farmers in Northern Ireland will harvest their first cut of silage for the 2020 season and thought will turn to growing second […]
Reduce waste to exploit the full value of silage
Forage waste continues to be a major factor reducing efficiency of forage use and leading to higher purchased feed costs on dairy farms. Bryan Buckley from Lallemand Animal Nutrition argues that the opportunity to reduce forage waste needs to be improved to help dairy production become more profitable. “Reducing forage waste is the quickest and […]
Silage 2020 – farmers gearing up for the season ahead
According to United Feeds’ nutritionist Jenny Hamilton, the start of the 2020 silage season is less than a fortnight away for some. Farmers in the east tend to get started that little bit earlier than their colleagues in other parts of Northern Ireland. However, in some parts of the west, it’s noticeable that grass swards […]