Publications

This Dairy Insight publication highlights best practice for getting maize off to the best possible start.

Maize can be a very valuable and productive crop, however, are you creating unnecessary environmental risks at maize harvest or consistently not hitting yield targets? If so, it's time to make some changes. Take the time to review and improve your growing strategy or question whether alternative crops may be better suited to your farm.

Integrated pest management (IPM) uses a variety of pest management techniques in a coordinated and planned strategy for the prevention, detection and control of pests, weeds, and diseases. IPM has long been associated with crop production and crop pests. However, IPM can also be applied within livestock enterprises through controlling crop pests on forage crops and controlling livestock pests and diseases. This Dairy Insight explores the control of pests on forage crops in an environmentally responsible and economically viable way.

Undersowing maize with another species could reduce the soil erosion and nutrient leaching risks associated with leaving soils bare over winter. At the same time, additional income is available through The Sustainable Farming Incentive and some local water companies, making it a topic well worth exploring for all maize growers.

Balancing diets is not just about ensuring you provide the correct energy, protein, starch, etc. Minerals are essential for health, fertility and production. With forage contributing a major proportion of the diet, its mineral status will have considerable impact. This dairy insight publication explores the importance of analysing forage minerals, when and how to take a sample, and how to interpret your analysis results.

As bought-in feed costs show no sign of abatement, choosing to feed home-grown cereals rather than sell them could be a wise decision. The variety of treatment options available also creates flexibility to either produce a concentrate or forage replacer, depending on requirements. However, before making decisions, it's important to sit down, weigh up the options and calculate what's best for an individual farm. This DAIRY insight explores the options for you to consider.

Mycotoxins are a hidden risk in feeds and forages which can lead to milk suppression, suboptimal fertility and health issues. Once present, they are impossible to remove, so prevention is a must. When issues are suspected, diagnosing the mycotoxins responsible and feeding the correct binder at the right rate is key to success. This dairy insight explores Mycotoxins, how to spot them, prevent them and picking the correct binder when issues are suspected.

Last published in 2017, this NEW edition of the Forage Costings Report has been fully updated to provide a detailed insight into the costs of producing forage. Using this report enables the reader to compare the cost of a range of different forages and to see how they compare on the basis of their relative value, benchmarked against soya and wheat.

This is the fourth in a series of dairy insight publications covering 'Net Zero Emissions', where we will attempt to identify the sources of each GHG, how it may be reduced and aim to outline current and future actions that may help the UK dairy industry become net zero emissions by 2040. On dairy farms nitrogen oxides are produced almost entirely by the way we store and spread manures and fertilisers and the ability of our soils to manage water flow. This DAIRY insight explores practical ways to mitigate these gases.

The amount of maize grown in the UK has increased significantly over the last decade, due to both the three-crop rule and an increasing use of maize in anaerobic digesters. As this area expands, the disease risk increases as pathogens become more prevalent, evolving and adapting to UK conditions. There are 5 main diseases: Fusarium, Northern Corn Leaf Blight, Common Rust, Smut and Eyespot. These diseases can potentially impact maize silage yields and quality of feed. Early detection and treatment are therefore essential.

Maize is an excellent feed providing a good source of starch to complement the protein in grass silage, but it is not cheap to grow. It is therefore essential to optimise soil conditions so that maize can achieve its growth potential, along with careful variety selection, timely drilling and the precision use of fertiliser inputs […]

How can you be sure you have sufficient feed to see your cows through to spring turnout? And if you haven't got enough, what can you do now, to maximise stocks for the winter? There has never been a more pertinent time to calculate your current forage stocks and compare with your expected forward requirements. […]