The TB hub is the ‘go-to’ place for British beef and dairy farmers to find practical advice on dealing with bovine TB, from biosecurity measures to understanding trading rules.

Bovine TB can be devastating to the farming community. So take these five actions (right) to protect yourself and your neighbours.

The TB hub is a joint industry initiative, supported by the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB), the Animal & Plant Health Agency (APHA), the British Cattle Veterinary Association (BCVA), the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), Landex and the National Farmers Union (NFU).

For more on biosecurity, practical guidance and information about TB, including useful videos, go to www.tbhub.co.uk.

T H E N E W S L E T T E R O F T H E B E T T E R R E T U R N S P R O G R A M M E

In this issue• DealingwithCODD• Fitandfertilebulls• Beeffromgrass

BulletinSpring 2016

When changes have to be made to improve a farm business, what needs to be measured and why, are the most important questions.

Best practice in business generally says, 'if you do not measure it, you cannot manage it', but farmers cannot measure everything. They need to understand what the most relevant figures are and to know which elements, when tracked, can give an indication of how things will go in future, instead of just looking back.

Process mapping helps by regarding a business as having distinct but interlacing processes. It is used to identify possible improvements, eradicate waste and identify key measurements to ascertain whether the business is ‘on track’.

For example, when looking at feeding, conventional measurements such as forage analysis and dry matter (DM) testing are still done, but are done with much greater frequency; weekly and monthly.

Another measurement which could be done, is weighing feed as it is fed out and then weighing what is not eaten. Regular recording and analysis like this, allows for quick changes in the forage quality, rather than waiting for disappointing animal performance.

In an AHDB Dairy project, there was a difference of 0.9kg DM in concentrates fed out per cow per day, due to such inaccuracies. By preventing this, one 460-cow business saved in excess of £33,000 in purchased feed.

So set targets, measure key performance indicators (KPIs) and use AHDB Beef & Lamb tools such as Stocktake Lite, to work out basic costings. Visit the BRP section of beefandlamb.ahdb.org.uk and Stocktake Lite is under the Tools tab.

Measureuptomanagebetter

ChangestorodentcontrolFrom April 2016, some rodenticides (edible baits containing first or second generation anticoagulant active ingredients) will have new ‘stewardship labels’ for use outside by professionals, including farmers.Producers purchasing packs 1.5kg or larger, will require a ‘proof of competence certificate’ in rodent pest control. Certificates can be obtained from an approved training programme and awarding organisation confirming professional competence. Visit www.rodentcontrolonfarms.co.uk to find out about training and exam options.

By Rachael Chamberlayne, AHDB Dairy

ProtectyourherdfromTB

RESTRICT contact between badgers and cattle

STOP infected cattle entering the herd

REDUCE risk from neighbouring herds

MANAGE cattle feed and water

MINIMISE infection from cattle manure

Thevalueoflambpostmortems

Focusonsheep

Their work has recently finished and they are producing practical guidance to help producers avoid or deal with CODD.

Leigh identified bacteria called treponemes in all cases of CODD, which suggests they are involved. However, bacteria associated with footrot were found in some of the cases. She also showed that treponemes could be transferred between feet on metal objects, which makes cleaning and disinfecting items, such as foot shears, scanning crates and shearing equipment, very important.

Joe’s project focussed on working with producers who had CODD on their farms, studying risk factors and treatment. The study showed, among other things, that it is important to control footrot and CODD together, as they are closely linked and that not all sheep with CODD are lame. This demonstrated the importance of checking sheep when they are bought-in. The project has just finished and more information, particularly with regards to prevention and control, will be available to producers later in the year.

It appears that the key element, like most diseases, is not to bring it on to the farm in the first place. If an outbreak occurs it can be devastating affecting 40% or more of the flock.

All feet need to be checked as sheep are bought-in and any with suspicious lesions need to be separated. CODD should be added as a risk to the flock’s health plan and dealt with in the quarantine routine.

More details in BRP Sheep Manual 7 Reducing lameness for Better Returns which can be viewed at beefandlamb.ahdb.org.uk, or email brp@ahdb.org.uk or call 024 7647 8834 to ask for a free copy.

Leigh Sullivan (funded by AHDB Beef & Lamb and Hybu Cig Cymru (HCC)) and Joe Angell (funded by the British Veterinary Association (BVA) and Animal Welfare Foundation (AWF), with support from AHDB Beef & Lamb and HCC) were involved with two PhD studentships on Contagious Ovine Digital Dermatitis (CODD).

Emily Gascoigne of Synergy Farm Vets was awarded an AHDB Beef & Lamb Farm Innovation Grant last year, to investigate the value to producers of doing post mortems on young lambs. She is working with five of her clients during lambing in 2016, who have nearly 10,000 ewes between them.

She has worked with the producers for many years and hopes the post mortems will help to refine management of both ewes and lambs.

The farmers are learning how to open up young lambs three days old or less, to rule out common issues such as starvation, cold or difficult lambing. First they will look at the coat, feet, navel, head and body for obvious signs of damage or abnormalities. Then they will examine the fat reserves and look for any blood clots in the abdomen or chest. They will look for any milk clots in the stomach or intestines showing

whether the lamb has suckled. Then they will inspect the lungs and thyroid glands.

Collecting information on the age, sex and whether there was any intervention at birth or treatments given, such as a stomach tube or antibiotics, will also be helpful.

Simply weighing the dead lamb can provide useful information. Under 3kg suggests under-nutrition while inside the ewe and a lack of body reserves. Heavier than 6kg, would have increased the risk of lambing problems. Meconium staining, when the coat is yellow, indicates stress during labour.

Due to zoonotic risks, ie diseases transmitted from sheep to humans, the farmers will never open up lambs that are suspected abortion cases or have abnormalities – they will always consult Emily in these cases. They will also ensure the lambs are appropriately packaged for disposal.

It is important to consult a vet for training on post mortem examinations. This is a worthwhile exercise, as the information derived from carrying them out can prove extremely valuable for stopping future losses.

There is a Post Mortem Worksheet at beefandlamb.ahdb.org.uk – type ‘lamb post mortem’ in the search box.

There is also more information in Sheep BRP Manual 14 Reducing lamb losses for Better Returns and in a video Lamb survival guide: investigating lambing losses. View online or email brp@ahdb.org.uk or call 024 7647 8834 to request a free copy of the manual.

DealingwithCODD

KeepitcleanatlambingGive lambs the best start in life by keeping the environment they arrive in as clean as possible.If the flock is indoors, the housing needs to be clean and dry, with fresh bedding in the group and individual pens. Take special care of areas popular with ewes for giving birth – such as the back of a shed or in a corner. Clean out individual pens between ewes and lambs if possible, or spread dry disinfectant or lime before re-bedding.

It is also important to keep all lambing equipment clean and to disinfect everything used between assisted births. Wash hands regularly.

Treat the lambs’ navels with strong iodine solution (10%), preferably alcohol-based, within 15 minutes of birth. Repeat at least once, two to four hours later.

Assistance at lambingMost ewes will lamb without difficulty. However, it is important to observe the ewes quietly to detect any problems that do arise. If a ewe needs assistance, always have the following to hand:

• Disposable gloves (to reduce picking up diseases and prevent spreading infections between ewes)

• Lubricant

• Antibiotic treatment (as prescribed by the vet)

• Pain relief/anti-inflammatory medication (as prescribed by the vet)

• Disinfectant

Poor hygiene standards can increase the risk of infections in lambs, such as watery mouth, joint ill and navel ill, or mastitis and metritis (uterus infection) in ewes. Strategic use of disinfectants can help reduce the incidence of these diseases.

Richard Seed, who farms near Chipping in Lancashire, approached AHDB Beef & Lamb at North Sheep last June, saying he had lost ewes at lambing with explosive prolapses and had several cases of twin lamb disease. He was wondering what could be done to improve ewe nutrition around lambing to reduce these issues.

He has 400 ewes (300 Texel cross Mules and 100 Mules) plus 90 ewe lambs and uses Texel and Beltex rams. The ewes were on target for body condition score (BCS) at tupping at between 3 and 3.5. The ewes normally scan around 200%, with the ewe lambs achieving around 140%. Lambing is from the third week of February.

Independent sheep nutritionist Kate Phillips was asked to work with Richard Seed. She was also tasked to use any lessons learned, as part of a ewe-rationing workshop that was held in November.

Ewes too fit Kate identified that the ewes were too fit as they approached lambing, which could reduce appetite. This, combined with lower than optimum feed face allowance, meant that forage intake could be too low. Also one large offering of compound feed possibly caused sub-clinical/clinical acidosis/twin lamb disease in some ewes.

The target actions that Kate identified were:

• Check body condition at scanning

• To consider bringing the ewes home from keep sooner to slim them down on poorer haylage

• To act on the forage analysis and maximise forage intake

• To rearrange sheds to provide enough space for access to forage (15cm per ewe) and lying (1.3m2 per ewe)

• To buy better quality compound feed, so less can be fed and for fewer weeks before lambing

• To ensure compound feed for twins is reduced from (0.5 to 0.75kg/head) to (0.15 to 0.6kg/head), from four weeks prior to lambing, depending on forage analysis

• To ensure compound feed for triplets is reduced from (0.5 to 1.2kg/head) to (0.1 to 0.85kg/head), from six weeks prior to lambing depending on forage analysis

• To split compound feeds, so no more than 0.5kg is fed per feed

For more on ewe nutrition see Sheep BRP Manual12 Improving ewe nutrition for Better Returns at beefandlamb.ahdb.org.uk, or email brp@ahdb.org.uk or call 024 7647 8834 for a printed copy.

Feedewesright

The second stage is when the calf is delivered and can last up to four hours, maybe longer in heifers. Finally the afterbirth should be expelled within 12 hours of birth.

When should farmers intervene?As a rule of thumb if:

• First stage labour exceeds eight hours

• The second water bag has been visible for two hours, but the cow is not trying to calve

• The cow has been straining for over 30 minutes but has made no progress

• The cow has stopped trying for 15-20 minutes after a period of progress

• There are signs of excessive fatigue, swollen tongue in the calf or severe bleeding in the cow

Be cleanIf intervention is required, it is vital to be as clean as possible. Use plenty of lubrication before pulling. Do not burst the second water sac until it is time to apply the calving ropes. Always assess the situation before applying traction (cervix dilation, calf position, calf dead or alive?).

Top tips on using calving aids:

Ropes – Always use proper heavy calving ropes, as thin ropes can cause damage. Place the ropes above the fetlock and if possible, take a half hitch below the fetlock as well, to spread the pulling forces over a greater area.

Calving jack – When attaching ropes to the calving jack, make sure the tension on each rope is equal to avoid leg injuries.

When applying traction the force of one person per leg should be sufficient.

For more information on cows and calving see the BRP+ Minimising calving difficulties document online at beefandlamb.ahdb.org.uk.

Bull selection is one of the most important management decisions for commercial producers and pedigree breeders. Their genetics will determine the direction and performance of a herd for years.

Concerns have been raised that breeding bulls are overfed, especially before shows and sales. Overfeeding can:

• Disrupt normal body growth and development

• Increase the chances of abnormal foot growth and bleeding within the hoof

• Increase the amount of fat around the scrotal neck, which reduces sperm production. This layer of fat also inhibits cooling of the scrotum, reducing sperm quality, testosterone levels and libido

The number of calves a bull produces during his lifetime affects the cost of suckled calf production.

An overfed bull may only last three seasons and produce ten calves per year, at a cost of £143 per calf born. The target for a forage-fed bull should be to produce at least 30 calves per year and to last several breeding years. This should reduce bull-buying costs to less than £30 per calf born (Table 1).

MisconceptionsA common misconception is that the biggest bulls will produce the best calves. Also, herds can obtain higher Estimated Breeding Values (EBVs) by feeding more concentrates. However, EBVs are designed to

take into account differences in herd management and will effectively identify cattle with superior genes for growth, even when they are reared on high forage diets.

Bulls which have grown well may look good at the sales due to their size, but their EBVs could show they have relatively poor genes for growth and carcase traits.

A high genetic merit bull may have grown more slowly, possibly because they had more forage in their diet, but are predicted to have high genetic merit for growth rate.

Fit for purpose bulls – a blueprint for breeders is available to read at beefandlamb.ahdb.org.uk.

Focusonbeef

Buyingfitandfertilebulls

AssistingthecalvingcowThe calving process normally has three stages. The first stage usually takes about two to six hours, but can last up to 24 hours in heifers. Signs include seeking isolation, increased vaginal discharges, signs of uneasiness, pain and an extended tail.

Table 1: Annual bull cost per calf produced (£)

Number of years used

No. of calves per bull per year

10 20 30 40 50

1 £330 £165 £110 £83 £66

3 £143 £72 £48 £36 £29

5 £106 £53 £35 £27 £21

7 £90 £45 £30 £23 £18

9 £81 £41 £27 £20 £16

NB: Calculation based on a bull costing £4,500, with a cull value of £1,200 and

maintenance costs of £500 a year.

Investing in parasite control will increase returns by improving cattle health and performance. Getting the most from this investment relies on using wormers effectively.

Use the right product for the type of worm• Wormers should be chosen to target the parasites at the

different developmental stages that are known to or likely to be present on the farm. Withdrawal periods and any known resistance issues should also be considered

Treat cattle at the right time• Treatment timing and frequency depends on assessing the

various risk factors such as pasture contamination, animal type and time of year

Dose cattle at the right rate• Always dose to the liveweight of

the animal, ideally having weighed it or used a weigh band to estimate its liveweight. Not only will under-dosing reduce the effectiveness of the product and duration of protection, it can also cause resistance to develop, so should be avoided. Overdosing could mean the withdrawal period will need to be extended and can cause toxicity in some cases

Treat the right animal• Review your parasite control plans with a vet. The need for

treatment varies according to the type of animals on the farm and the parasite risk. For example, youngstock are most often at greatest risk from gut and lungworms, but cattle of all ages should be included in the liver fluke plan

Administered in the right way• Administering the product according to the instructions is vital

to ensure it works effectively. Check that dosing guns are working accurately by administering a dose into a measuring cylinder

Always consult a vet and/or Suitably Qualified Person (SQP) to ensure the right product is chosen for the herd situation and administer it in the right way.

Usecattlewormerseffectively

Whilst improvements have been observed over the past decade, at present only 55% of prime cattle slaughtered in Britain meet the target

of E, U or R for conformation and 1, 2, 3 or 4L for fat class.

One way of improving carcase quality is to breed cattle with better carcase characteristics.

Currently this is done indirectly through measuring growth rate and associated carcase traits on the live pedigree animal, using ultrasound. The value of this has been calculated to be £4.9 million per annum (Amer et al., 2015).

It may be possible, however, to breed directly for the traits measured in the abattoir.

Abattoir data for genetic evaluationA project funded by AHDB Beef & Lamb, AHDB Dairy and HCC and undertaken by Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC), has shown that, combined with other national databases, abattoir data is suitable for producing genetic evaluations for the traits farmers are paid for.

This project assembled nearly four million carcase records and matched them with British Cattle Movement Service (BCMS) records and other data sources. They created the best possible ‘super pedigree’ to pull the information together into a single dataset that can be analysed.

Genetic parameters were determined and EBVs for carcase weight, conformation, fat class and days to slaughter, for a number of beef and dairy breeds, have been produced.

Heritability values (within breed) for these traits are mainly in the range of 0.2 to 0.4, which is encouraging; indicating that the use of EBVs based on commercial carcase data is not only possible, but also likely to result in good rates of genetic progress.

What can producers do?While nearly 15,000 bulls have more than ten progeny in the current analysis, the true value of this new source of genetic information is limited by the number of BCMS records where the sire is accurately identified on the BCMS passport.

So if farmers want better information on how to select genetically superior sires in the future, they must ensure every calf born in the herd has its sire clearly and accurately recorded on its passport, using the UK ministry number of the sire.

Table 1: Annual bull cost per calf produced (£)

By Kim Matthews, Head of Research and Development at AHDB Beef & Lamb and Samuel Boon, AHDB Beef & Lamb Breeding Specialist

New breeding tools for carcase traits

Focusongrassland

The Beef from Grass project, which sets out to develop grazing systems for beef producers, is up and running and progressing well.

Four grassland mentors, who currently maximise the amount of beef produced from grass and forage, have been successfully paired with four beef producers who want to significantly improve their current beef performance from grass.

Two consultants working with AHDB Beef & Lamb; Marc Jones from ADAS and Charlie Morgan, an independent grassland specialist, along with the designated mentor farmer, visited the improver farms in November, where the current grassland management was assessed. Soil and silage analyses were also undertaken, which will be used to create soil nutrient and silage management plans for each improver farm.

The project will run from autumn 2015 until the winter of 2017, following two grazing and two feeding periods on each farm.

Throughout the project, the designated consultant will meet with the improver farm to discuss various grassland management techniques relative to the time of year. This will include advice on creating nutrient management plans, producing good quality silage and grazing efficiently.

Each farm will host open days, including a farm tour and talks from the consultants, mentors and farm improvers. Updates from the farms will also be included in the Grazing Club e-newsletter.

Beef from Grass blueprintAs well as the practical work on farm, a review of the current tools

available in grassland systems will be completed by the end of March 2017. This report will highlight the type of resources that are likely to be needed to support English beef producers to maximise grass potential.

By the end of the project, it is aimed that a blueprint for managing grass for beef cattle will be created; including targets for growth rates, stocking rates, cover targets and infrastructure requirements.

Key performance indicators (KPIs) will also be identified, relating to grassland management and profitability from beef. These are likely to cover kilogrammes of live/deadweight produced per hectare, concentrates fed per animal and fertiliser practice.

For more information contact brp@ahdb.org.uk.

Silage specialist Dave Davies visited Blaze Farm, Cheshire in early January to carry out a joint AHDB Beef & Lamb and AHDB Dairy workshop.

The main focus of the day was to assess the silage stocks from 2015 and to identify improvements for 2016.

Dave also highlighted the amount of money being wasted on some farms through poor silage management. He calculated that one farm is losing over £18,000 per year through visible silage losses.

Assessing the clampThe density was measured across the clamp (see page 14 of Beef and Sheep BRP Manual 5 Making grass silage for Better Returns at beefandsheep.ahdb.org.uk). This identified that the bottom of the clamp was 890kg fresh weight per m3 (FW/m3) and 760kg

FW/m3 near the top. The target would be 750kg FW/m3, so density was good.

Dave reported that some experimental work had shown that clamp silages with a density of 500kg FW/m3 had around 20% visible losses, compared to 10% for

clamp silages at 750kg FW/m3.

He recommended that if there are any issues with heating, it is worth measuring density, as it will normally be lower than target. If this is the case, it would be worth thinking about what happens when the clamp is being filled next time; layers of grass should be no greater than 20cm deep to ensure good consolidation. (See page 11 of the grass silage manual on how to fill a clamp successfully.)

The temperature of the clamp was 8.7°C at the face, compared to 7.5°C in the yard. Using a 10cm and 50cm probe temperatures of 14°C and 17°C respectively were recorded within the clamp.

This temperature gradient was very good, as it became warmer away from the face. If a gradient was not present, it would indicate poor aerobic stability, which would increase losses during feeding out.

Dave said that the best way to measure silage temperature is to use probes rather than thermal imaging cameras, as the temperature gradient needs to be identified rather than just the temperature of the face.

The feed face of the clamp silage was straight and tidy, so the amount of aerobic spoilage was as low as possible.

In summary clamp silage at Blaze Farm was of a good quality with minimal visible losses. Dave advised farmers to look back to the basics of silage making and do all the various elements as well as possible. This will reduce losses and decrease the amount of bought-in feed needed.

Producingmorebeeffromgrassandforage

Reducesilagelosses

Focusonrecording

The validation of sheep key performance indicator (KPI) project is in its fourth and final year of data collection. This will be the last lambing season recorded, with the final set of data collected at weaning. It is then that the work of analysing the three farms’ data, over the four-year period, will begin.

So far, the data has been analysed on the farms one year at a time, looking back for trends and patterns. Once the full and final dataset is in, longer-term trends will be identified across all farms.

The key areas of analysis to date are:

• Factors affecting litter size at scanning

• Factors affecting lamb weights at eight weeks post-lambing and weaning (focusing on twin lambs)

Crucial KPIThe performance of lambs at eight weeks of age is a crucial KPI and often impacts weaning weights and the period of time to finishing. As ewe body condition has improved on two of the

three farms in the project, the number of lambs achieving the KPI of 20kg at eight weeks old has increased.

Weighing lambs at eight weeks of age is an activity most farms could adopt. Adjusting for age, this provides farmers with the information on which lambs are doing well and which are struggling. Management interventions could be applied, eg assessing ewe body condition, deciding on nutrition and weaning dates based on lamb and ewe performance.

Having the data to be able to identify the lambs that are likely to struggle to finish at such an early age has raised questions. The main questions being what the main cause behind poor lambs is at eight weeks of age? What can we do about it? What is the ‘target’ percentage flocks should be aiming for? As ewe BCS has increased on the project farms, the percentage of light lambs has reduced (see Table 1). There are many other possible reasons that require further investigation. For example, ewe age – the role of shearling ewes, disease such as mastitis, foster lambs and many more. Determining the impact, potential interventions and of course the cost benefit of changes to management practices and/or additional vaccinations or treatments will need to be undertaken.

One of the farms in the project decided to ‘intervene’ and assess the impact of removing poor performing lambs, defined as below 17kg at eight weeks old, from their mothers and putting them onto creep feed. A proportion were also retained with their mothers to enable a direct comparison. Further analysis is required before any conclusions can be drawn from this and interventions will be repeated this year to ensure a robust data set.

FinalyearofsheepKPIproject

Table 1: Data on eight-week and weaning weights of Farm 1

2014 2015

Average weight at 8 weeks (kg) 19.6 21.6

20kg at 8 weeks (%) 42 64

Below 17kg at 8 weeks (%) 23 18

Average weight at weaning (kg) 30.8 33.3

30kg at weaning (%) 52 67

Efficient herd and flock managers spend a lot of time planning to ensure key, time-sensitive tasks are completed on time. The BRP Flock and Herd Management Calendars provide a simple, free-of-charge, online solution for remembering all the important jobs.

The calendars show all the key production tasks throughout the year, which are set by entering the appropriate lambing/calving or tupping/service date.

They contain all the activities, which are time-specific for the group. Clicking on each task brings up helpful technical information relating to it.

Updated versionIn calendar view, the pre-set tasks can now be moved and bespoke jobs can be added which do not already appear, such as shearing or specific veterinary treatments.

The activities can be viewed online or saved as a pdf and printed out. Reminder emails are sent every Sunday with the up-and-coming tasks for the weeks ahead.

Register for free at www.flockcalendar.com or www.herdcalendar.com.

Herdandflockcalendars

Focusonhealth

These are available on RUMA’s website at www.ruma.org.uk/cattle and include practical advice for farmers.

Livestock keepers can play a major role in ensuring responsible use of antibiotics by following these simple guidelines:

• First and foremost follow the four golden rules of disease control:

– Biosecurity to limit disease spread

– Avoid stress

– Good hygiene

– Good nutrition

• Work with the vet to promote the health and welfare of the livestock on farm. This will reduce the disease challenge and the need for antibiotics and other medicines

• Use the herd health plan with the vet to identify preventative treatments, eg biosecurity, vaccination and parasite treatments that proactively manage disease risk on the farm

• Use antibiotics as advised by the vet, having provided accurate information on which they can base their advice. Monitor the effectiveness of any medicines used

• A hospital pen should be available to isolate sick cattle. This allows easy treatment of sick animals and minimises spread of disease

• Do not borrow medicines or move products between farms. All prescribed antibiotics are specific to the population for which they are prescribed

• The full course of treatment, at the correct dosage, must always be administered carefully, having determined the weight of the animal(s) to be treated

• Ensure the appropriate withdrawal period is complied with before slaughter of treated animals

• Keep accurate records of cattle treated and the nature of the condition. Records should also include the batch number, amount and expiry date of the medicine used, plus treatment time and date

information for each animal treated and the withdrawal period that must be observed

Overall the aim should be to maximise animal health and welfare through good management, resulting in antibiotics being used as little as possible, but as much as is necessary.

GettingthemostoutofcattlemedicineDuring 2015, the Responsible Use of Medicines in Agriculture Alliance (RUMA) updated its guidelines for farmers and vets on the responsible use of antibiotics in cattle production.

ResponsibleuseofmedicinesUse as little as possible Reduce risk of disease challenge by having:

• Good farm management including adequate ventilation in housing, the right stocking densities, good nutrition, free access to fresh water, clean feeding and bedding conditions

• Strict biosecurity that prevents new disease entering the farm

• Proactive farm health planning – reviewed regularly

• Vaccination programmes

Medicines must not be used as a substitute for good farm management.

Use as much as necessary • For antibiotics, diagnosis and prescription by a veterinary surgeon

• Veterinary medicines purchased only from authorised suppliers

• Follow the label and veterinary instructions

• Use the correct dose

• If injected, make sure correct technique is used, ie subcutaneous or intramuscular

• Use the full course

• Observe the withdrawal period

• Correctly store all medicines

The project will compare grass silage-based diets with ones using red clover, lucerne and urea-treated wholecrop wheat, with protected soya and sugar beet pulp used to balance the diets for energy and protein.

It is becoming clear from on-farm studies that feed intakes on high quality silages are higher than the established predictions, so this work will provide evidence to improve on-farm advice.

Four groups of twin-bearing Suffolk cross Mule ewes will be used in the trial. They will be fed their allocated forage-based diets from six weeks pre-lambing up to four weeks post-lambing. Lambs will be weighed at birth and weekly until four weeks of age and then

at eight weeks and 12 weeks. Ewes will be weighed and condition scored weekly before lambing and at four, eight and 12 weeks post lambing.

Feed costs, including the cost of growing and harvesting the forages and the cost of supplements, will be calculated accurately, to assess the economic viability of the alternative forages as feeds for pregnant and lactating ewes. This, alongside the ewe and lamb performance data, will provide guidance for sheep producers who want to maximise the use of forages within diets.

The results of the trial will be presented at the Sheep Research Day at Harper Adams University on 19 July 2016. Please register your interest in attending with brp.events@ahdb.org.uk.

Foragesforpregnantandlactatingewes

R&Dupdate

AHDB Beef & Lamb is funding work at Harper Adams University to demonstrate the potential of conserved forages to meet ewes’ requirements around lambing and into lactation.

The Home-Grown Forages Directory is available at beefandlamb.ahdb.org.uk and includes all the different types of forages that can be grown in the UK – from grass, to legumes, to leafy brassicas, forage roots and forage maize. Email brp@ahdb.org.uk or call 024 7647 8834 to request a printed copy.

Methane emissions account for around 44% of total livestock greenhouse gas emissions. Some feed additives can potentially improve feed efficiency and consequently profit margins, at the same time as reducing methane emissions.

The Nutri-beef project led by the SRUC and involving the Universities of Aberdeen and Bristol, has recently been completed. The aim was to understand better the long-term effects of two commercially available additives on methane emissions, cattle performance and meat quality, when fed with different finishing rations to a range of cattle breeds.

Key findings

• Cattle performed well on all rations. Growth rates ranged between 1.2-1.8kg liveweight/day

• When added to the forage-based diet, nitrate reduced methane emissions by 9-17% and oil reduced emissions by 4-7.5%

• The effects of the two additives were even better when both were fed in combination in a forage-based ration

• On the concentrate diet, neither oil nor nitrate additives reduced methane emissions

• Following an appropriate adaptation period, feeding nitrate alone or in combination with oil, with either the concentrate or the forage-based ration, did not cause any measurable adverse effects on cattle health or performance

• Using rapeseed cake to increase the oil content in the ration from 2.7-5.1% DM, did not suppress feed intake or reduce liveweight gain. Nor did using maize distillers’ grains to increase oil content in the ration to 3.7% DM

• No effect on carcase traits nor meat quality was seen with either additive

Commercial relevanceWhilst nitrate feeding can reduce methane, in both trials its use was not financially attractive. Without incentives for farmers to reduce methane emissions, nitrate feeding cannot be recommended on commercial beef farms from this work.

Feeding high oil feedstuffs in finishing cattle diets can be recommended, provided its use is economically competitive and excessive oil levels (>6% in DM) in the diet are avoided.

Full details and all results can be found by searching 'nutri-beef' at beefandlamb.ahdb.org.uk.

Canfeedadditivesenhancebeefproductionefficiency?

Two types of additives

Nitrates (calcium nitrate)

Oils (rapeseed cake and maize distillers’ grains)

Two finishing rations

Forage-based rations (50-58% dry matter (DM) as grass silage and barley wholecrop silage)

Concentrate based rations (74% DM rolled barley)

Four breeds – all steers

• Charolais cross • Limousin cross

• Luing • Aberdeen Angus cross

Study outline

The AHDB Beef & Lamb Trade Marketing team supports businesses throughout the retail and foodservice supply chains for beef and lamb, helping improve their operational effectiveness and assisting with product development, marketing and promotion.

At the heart of their work is the Quality Standard Mark, which aims to improve the quality and consistency of beef and lamb sold. AHDB Beef & Lamb also works with Assured Food Standards in promoting the Red Tractor scheme and its logo.

For more information visit beefandlamb.ahdb.org.uk/directselling or contact the hotline on 0845 491 8787.

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Materials and information to help farmers market their own meat products are available from AHDB Beef & Lamb.

The direct selling programme provides advice for businesses involved in direct

meat sales covering farm shops, farmers’ markets and box schemes and focuses on meat quality and profitability.

The organisation’s skills and knowledge transfer work is carried out through a

programme of communications with businesses involved in direct meat sales, combined with practical events across England, backed up by educational literature and other resources.

Key areas include:

• Promotional support – materials are available free of charge, together with information on how to grasp marketing opportunities

to develop and run a successful meat business

• New product development and carcase costings – use of new cutting techniques to maximise the value of the carcase and the range of cuts produced

• Meat quality – there are key factors along the supply chain that influence the quality of the meat produced

• Establishing a new meat retail business – information for those considering involvement in meat retailing, to help get started

Looking for an abattoir or butcher in your area to help prepare your meat? Our online Food Chain map shows you where to find them and how to contact them.

A two-pronged approach to developing global market opportunities will remain crucial for the sheep meat sector in 2016 and beyond, according to AHDB Beef & Lamb Export Manager Jean-Pierre Garnier.

He said capitalising on opportunities for sheep meat with other EU markets and developing more markets outside the EU for lower value cuts and fifth quarter products, will play a vital role in maximising returns and managing market volatility.

His comments coincided with the publication of the World Sheep Meat Market to 2025 report – produced by AHDB Beef & Lamb and the International Meat Secretariat (IMS). The report highlights how UK export competitiveness will remain a key consideration for the future of the industry.

Jean-Pierre said: “This work is about examining the dynamics of the world sheep meat market and foreseeing the international trade factors likely to affect the sheep sector over the next few years. The UK is an important player on the world sheep meat market. We are by far the largest producer in Europe and the third largest exporter worldwide.

“Although we rely heavily on the European market, equally important will be the continuation of our strategy to export products for which there is little or no demand in Europe, to markets in non-EU countries where they are valued. This will help maximise use of the carcase and thus maximise returns for the UK supply chain.”

The World Sheep Meat Market to 2025 can be found on the AHDB Beef & Lamb website beefandlamb.ahdb.org.uk.

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Quality Standard Mark lamb took a starring role in one of Poland’s most popular TV cookery shows recently.

A full episode of ‘Okrasa łamie przepisy’ (Okrasa breaks the rules), which features prominent Polish chef Karol Okrasa, was dedicated to preparing and cooking quality assured lamb from England.

Set in the rolling Dorset countryside, the 30-minute programme saw Karol meet sheep producer Dan Newman on his farm, before enjoying a butchery demonstration and finally having the opportunity to cook with different cuts of Quality Standard Mark lamb.

The episode, the first in the programme’s long history to be filmed outside Poland, was the result of collaboration between AHDB and the British Polish Chamber of Commerce (BPCC). The programme first aired in Poland on 2 January 2016, coinciding with lamb from England beginning to be distributed to the foodservice sector in the Warsaw region.

AHDB Beef & Lamb export manager Jean-Pierre Garnier said: “Poland has a long tradition of lamb consumption, however sheep meat had fallen out of favour with recent generations.

“Over the past couple of years we have begun to see increased interest in lamb among Polish consumers, due in no small part to the significant proportion of the Polish population who have been

living overseas and developing a taste for different foods.

“With a population of around 40 million people, coupled with fast-rising incomes and this growing consumer interest, the potential for sheep meat exports to Poland is very encouraging. Using such a popular show to highlight our natural production system and the quality and versatility of our product can only help increase demand for our sheep meat.”

From October 2015 to January 2016, Simply Beef and Lamb joined star of Cold Feet and celebrity chef Fay Ripley in singing the praises of the humble mini roast.

Designed to drive purchase of beef and lamb mini roasts, the campaign used a combination of video, social media posts and competitions, stories in women’s magazines, articles in the national press and blogger influencing events to get mini roasts noticed and understood by Britain’s parents.

By telling the story of how fast and simple it is to feed children a nutritious mid-week meal, parents began to interact with Simply Beef and Lamb and recognise the value of the mini roast.

The campaign was featured in the Daily Mail and The Mail Online, The Sunday Mirror, S Mag, MiniKin Guardian Supplement and Best Magazine among others. Over 34,000 people viewed the recipe video and there were 91 discussion points and blog posts written targeting mums by AHDB Beef & Lamb influential bloggers. Coverage of the campaign has had a reach of over 12 million so far with more to come.

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AHDB Beef & Lamb has launched a Meat Education Programme to help develop skills in the red meat supply chain.

The comprehensive programme was conceived after AHDB Beef & Lamb identified a lack of accessible training for professionals working across the meat industry.

The online and free-to-use educational resource is aimed at anyone working in the meat industry, who wants to enhance their knowledge and boost their ability to add value to the supply chain.

Both practical and theoretical meat skills and knowledge are taught

and tested, through modules covering topics such as understanding beef and lamb breeds and understanding different beef and lamb cuts, through to cooking methods and telephone sales skills.

Assessment and certification are available online for the theory modules, together with downloadable learning materials. The three practical beef and lamb modules will be assessed at the learner’s place of work by experienced butchery professionals.

To register to start using the Meat Education Programme, or for further information, visit www.qsmbeefandlamb.co.uk/mep

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The main criteria influencing consumers’ meat purchase decisions are consistency and value for money, particularly important in the current economic situation.

When making an initial purchase, appearance is key. However taste, in terms of tenderness, flavour, and juiciness, will dictate whether they make a repeat purchase, together with other factors such as nutritional content and the amount of plate-waste, especially fat.

CattleConsumer requirements for beef vary, with differences at home and abroad.

For cattle the R4L suits most markets, many favouring a 3/4L rather than a 4L/4H. Some butchers will take animals that are slightly fatter, to a 4H, but these need to be also well-fleshed and R and upwards for conformation. Leaner carcases are generally required for export and manufacture; very few of these customers will look for fatter types.

Favoured carcase weights range from 270kgs to 370kgs, although some will take around 400kgs.

Making marketing decisionsDeciding when to sell livestock can be particularly tricky at this time of year, especially with cattle. Stock sold out of yards has often been more heavily fed and is less mobile than those finishing off grass. Consequently they are often fatter than the market requires.

It takes four times as much energy for an animal to produce fat than muscle, so keeping stock longer than necessary is a waste of time and money, whilst

turning them into a less desirable end product.

It is crucial to handle and weigh animals regularly. While weight is obviously important, sending animals of the right conformation and fat score is just as vital. Frequent, careful handling of the stock is essential to ensure each

animal has reached its full potential and target specification. The key handling points for beef cattle are loin, ribs and tail head.

Supply and demandMarket requirements and volumes change, so talking to customers at abattoirs and livestock markets or field-staff is essential. Obtain feedback from buyers wherever possible, as this is invaluable for monitoring the progress of stock, allowing adjustments to be made in the production system if needed.

The way to maximise financial returns is to produce and sell the type of finished cattle buyers really want and are willing to pay the most money for.

There is no doubt that English farmers can produce a fantastic product. However, at times, there can be a problem with consistency.

Getting all cattle to hit the required specification is not easy, requiring great attention to detail in the run up to selling.

SheepFor lambs, it is essential to sell them when they are ready. This means when they have the ideal finish level for the specified outlet. Do not wait until a ‘special’ set date when some are normally sold. This date could vary widely each season, especially with improved breeding, grassland and feed management.

More than 80% of meat buyers are looking for lambs that classify R3L. The best way to select lambs is to frequently weigh and handle them, ensuring each animal has reached its full potential and target specification.

Avoid over-fat lambsAHDB Beef & Lamb data shows that the proportion of lambs going to slaughter over-fat tends to increase through the autumn and winter.

Lambs need to go when they are finished. Holding on for more weight and fat will only sway the consumer into choosing other proteins, such as chicken, in this already very difficult market.

The mainstream classification targets covers 80% of the marketplace, so while there is a market for lambs that fall outside this area, it comes at a price.

Producers should be aiming for 18-21kg deadweight (38-44kg liveweight) and to market them as ‘fit not fat’ - based on handling and not just weight. Follow market signals and seasonal trends, which are all available on the AHDB Beef & Lamb website.

Make sure lambs are clean and fairly empty-bellied when selling.

Coupled with getting the best fat-to-flesh ratios, achieving conformation targets are essential too for maximum returns. Conformation is often dictated by the breed of the lamb, so farmers must recognise when the optimum period is for selling their particular breed.

Handling points for the conformation of a lamb are the leg, loin and shoulder and to determine finish levels the dock, ribs and transverse process (loin) should be felt.

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Development Board 2016.

All rights reserved.

Tel: 024 7647 8834

Email: brp@ahdb.org.uk

beefandlamb.ahdb.org.uk

For more information contact:AHDB Beef & Lamb

Stoneleigh Park, Kenilworth

Warwickshire CV8 2TL

Producing for different meat marketsBy Steve Powdrill, AHDB Beef & Lamb National Selection Specialist

Figure 1. The percentage of liveweight lambs within SQQ in 2014-15.

It may sound simplistic, but if beef and lamb falls short and does not meet consumers' requirements, they will buy an alternative source of protein.

100

95

90

85

80

75

70

65

60

(%)

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun

2014 2015 Five year average

Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec