²ÝÁñÉçÇø

February on-farm is all winter routine and maintenance, but off-farm it’s a classic month for squeezing in every committee meeting possible before every sheep farmer gets busy lambing.

As I write, all the good done by Mother Nature’s own version of ‘dry January’ is being undone by Febru-rainy.

Leading a small entry at the North Wales Show Potential sale at Ruthin at 5,800 was a Charolais cross heifer bred by Gary Jones and family, Betws y Coed.

Thomas Saunders, 21, grew up on a mixed farm in Oakley, Bedfordshire. He is currently studying at Harper Adams University and is a NFU student and young farmer ambassador.

The county council farm system has been instrumental in helping Paul and Becky Fenton realise their ultimate dream of buying their own farm. Lauren Williamson reports.

Inaccurate silage sampling can result in reduced performance and higher feed costs according to Dr Liz Homer from Trouw Nutrition GB who urges dairy farmers to make sure the samples sent for analysis are representative of the whole face.

A programme of investment including a new energy-efficient parlour and cow housing is set to slash milking times and reduce running costs for one 300-cow Guernsey herd in Somerset. Wendy Short finds out more.

Dairy farmers are constantly being urged to increase milk from forage, but the exact financial benefits of doing this are not always spelled out.

Taking a targeted approach to the use of manures and slurries as part of a comprehensive nutrient management planning process is essential to keep input costs manageable.

Ross Dilks, an agronomist with Agrii and a dairy farmer in Derbyshire, says although his clients have tried a variety of home-grown feed sources over recent years, his experience shows grass is consistently the most cost-effective way to feed dairy cows.