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After establishing his Lanmore Speckle Park herd more than a decade ago, Irish breeder Patrick Morrison has seen demand for naturally-reared and presented breeding stock grow in commercial dairy and beef circles.

Sustainability may be a ‘buzz word’ in many conversations concerning agriculture at the moment, but what does it mean to farmers at the coal face?

A new breed record average for Charolais bulls was set at Stirling’s May bull sale, with averages mixed across other breeds.

For mixed farmer Tom James, sustainability falls between social, economic and environmental pillars with the environmental aspect, he says, gaining the most momentum in the industry since the late 1990s because of its emotive credentials.

Recent investment in a new housing facility and milking regime is helping to drive herd performance and efficiency for the Laird family at Blythbridge Holsteins

Nia Davies works alongside her partner Harry and his family on their dairy, beef and sheep farm, near Tregaron, mid-Wales.

Having taken over the farm tenancy taken on by his father in 1966, Bruce Mackie farms some 30 miles north of Aberdeen, where he milks 250 cows through four Lely robots on an organic system and produces yoghurt on the farm under the Rora Dairy brand.

Cows start to feel uncomfortable and can experience heat stress at lower temperatures than some might realise.

Holding back on maize drilling until soil temperatures reach the required levels could be essential to ensure good establishment for this year’s maize crops.