Publications

Bulbing turnips, leafy turnips, forage rape, rape/kale hybrids – which brassica should you grow for your summer catch crop?

Grazing well is the number one way to improve margins at a time when milk price is low. This needs strategy and planning in advance, and constant adjusting to suit ground and grass conditions. This Farming Note covers: • What you need to set yourself up with • How to make a spring rotation plan […]

Environmental mastitis pathogens are naturally present in the housed environment, but problems occur when the pathogen pressure becomes too high. This Farming Note covers: What encourages environmental mastitis? Reducing humidity Loose housing risk Which bedding is the most hygienic? Bedding conditioners – prices Issued December 2015. About Kingshay Farming Notes Since 1991 Kingshay has been […]

There is increasing pressure on producers to use veterinary medicines more sparingly, in particular, antibiotics. Many assurance schemes are striving to prove agriculture is doing its bit to prevent antimicrobial resistance. This Farming Note covers measures that can be taken to use antibiotics more selectively. This Farming Note covers: How antibiotic resistance can develop on […]

Autumn grass can be a high-value feed, and for those squeezed by milk price, maximising use of late season grass can boost margins. This Farming Note covers: how long it is worth grazing for the flexible strategies needed to gain the most from late season grass target pre and post-grazing covers and average covers how […]

This Farming Note follows on from Mid-Season Grazing Management, and covers: Strategies for dealing with a grass excess Methods of reinstating residuals Different types of supplementary feeding Is supplementary feeding detrimental to grazing? Issued May 2015. About Kingshay Farming Notes Since 1991 Kingshay has been publishing Farming Notes on issues critical to the success of […]

Mid season grazing management presents a challenge. While it's easy to grow grass in spring, as rotations progress, grass quality diminishes if effort is not put in. Maintaining high ME grass is possible, and this Farming Note addresses how to achieve this. Issued May 2015 About Kingshay Farming Notes Since 1991 Kingshay has been publishing […]

Nitrates in forage can reduce milk yields and cause fertility problems, can turn silage butyric and even cause death in stock. This Farming Note covers: How to ensure grass nitrate levels are down at a safe level before grazing and cutting What environmental conditions cause grass to have a higher nitrate content than usual How […]

featuring results from the Heat Detection Survey There are numerous and varied products sold in the UK claiming to increase heat detection rates in bulling cows, from tail paint to sophisticated multifunctional accelerometers. Kingshay's Heat Detection Tried and Tested Report details the different products on the market and includes ratings and comments from the farmers […]

Lighting on a dairy farm is important for animal health and production, but can be a significant cost. This Farming Note addresses: Optimum lighting levels and hours of light and dark for both milking and dry cows Advantages of 'long day' and 'short day' photoperiods Comparable costs of buying and running different types of bulbs, […]

It is estimated that a large proportion of the UK's pasture is deficient in sodium – backed by Kingshay forage mineral analyses. Spreading salt on grazing fields is common practice for some to improve palatability, however there are disagreements as to how much to spread and how often. This Trial Report explains why it may […]

As part of Kingshay's exhibit at the 'Livestock Event' and 'The Dairy Show' last year, farmers filled in a survey assessing levels of cow comfort on their farm. The Cow Comfort Report presents these results in an interactive style report, which is designed to help you pinpoint pressure points in your system where production and […]