AHDB Food & Farming

Following a difficult winter, AHDB Beef and Lamb Engagement Manager Emma Steele looks at how sustainable forages like lucerne can help us adapt to changing weather patterns, balance soil health, improve livestock performance and increase profitability.

Joining Emma is Monitor Farmer and Farmers Weekly Beef Farmer of the Year, Ian Farrant, and Paul Morgan, Germinal Sales Manager and forage guru.

** And if you want to learn more then you can join all three at a Resilient Beef Systems event on Tuesday, 9 July (see link below).

Book on to the event: Resilient beef systems - Lucerne

Germinal- Ask an expert

AHDB Weather Hub

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We mark 80 years of the Recommended Lists for cereals and oilseeds (RL) which has been delivering trusted, independent variety information since 1944.

Join presenter Carolyn Smith for a potted history, with contributions from some of those who have helped shape the RL, and others who have relied on the guide.

Recommended Lists for cereals and oilseeds (RL) | AHDB

A brief history of the Recommended Lists (RL) | AHDB

Variety selection tools for cereals and oilseeds | AHDB

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In this simulcast to promote AHDB's brand new podcast series, Agonomics with David & Jack, economists David Eudall and Jack Watts look at why pork market prices have been stable so far this calendar year. Could an extended run for Gareth Southgate's squad at Euro 2024 create a spike in demand?

And while it's all quiet on the pig front, the same can't be said for the grain markets as we enter a critical and volatile time of the year with the harvests across Europe. So, all eyes on Germany... and Russia and Ukraine this summer!

Plus, David reveals which former Loose Women panellist is already a fan of the show. And find out why a Katie Perry song holds fond memories for Jack.

Anyway, back to the important stuff:

Q1 2024 Pork cost of production | AHDB

Pig to feed wheat price ratio | AHDB

Warmest May on record benefited UK crop growth: Grain market daily | AHDB

If you want to get in touch with the Agonomics team, please email: [email protected]

We bring you some of the highlights from the British Pig & Poultry Fair that took place at the NEC, where contingency planning for African Swine Fever (ASF) was among the topics of AHDB's theatre sessions.

Reporter Martin Winch catches up with our Head of Animal Health and Welfare, Dr Mandy Nevel, to talk more about ASF, as well as getting word from recently appointed Pork Sector Council Chair, Glen Nimmo, and Head of Education, Roz Reynolds.

Contingency planning in the face of African swine fever | AHDB

Education | AHDB

The British Pig & Poultry Fair (pigandpoultry.org.uk)

We'd love to know what you think of our podcasts. If you’d like to give your feedback, please complete our short questionnaire, which will help us to improve the podcast on an ongoing basis, or email us with your thoughts, comments and suggestions: [email protected] 

We have launched a multi-million-pound project to address the intense pressure faced by farmers to deliver on environmental targets by showcasing the importance of on-farm environmental baselining.

Joining Lisa Bray to talk about pilot that will help demonstrate the real environmental impact of British agricultural products is AHDB's CEO, Graham Wilkinson, and Livestock Science and Environment Director, Chris Gooderham.

Environment Baselining Pilot | AHDB

The environment: farming and agriculture | AHDB

Environmental Land Management Schemes | AHDB

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Johne's disease is a contagious bacterial infection that affects the intestinal tract of cattle and other ruminants and is most commonly acquired in young animals.

In this episode knowledge exchange manager James Hague is joined by Pete Orpin from the Action Group for Johne’s, Sarah Tomlinson, AHDB’s lead veterinary science expert, and farmer Caroline Williams to discuss the importance of detection and control of the disease.

Johne's Disease | AHDB

Managing and treating Johnes | AHDB

Quarterly screening helps control Johne’s disease | AHDB

We'd love to know what you think of our podcasts. If you’d like to give your feedback, please complete our short questionnaire, which will help us to improve the podcast on an ongoing basis, or email us with your thoughts, comments and suggestions: [email protected]

Lifting the lid on the world of dairy genomics is AHDB Knowledge Exchange Manager Alan McFadzean.

Alan's joined by strategic dairy farmer John Bailey and veterinary surgeon Dr Neil Eastham to find out what they have achieved by embracing tools like the Profitable Lifetime Index (PLI).

Dairy breeding and genetics | AHDB

Breeding indexes and traits | AHDB

Profitable Lifetime Index £PLI | AHDB

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Using genetics, rather than selecting animals purely on their visual characteristics, is likely to lead to a more productive and profitable suckler herd. So why do so few beef farmers use them?

AHDB's Beef and Lamb team caught up with our Lead Animal Genetics Expert, Harriet Bunning, and suckler farmer James Dixon to discuss what factors should be considered when choosing your best breeding animals.

Maternal Matters: Using EBVs and Indexes for selection in the suckler herd | AHDB

Choosing bulls for Better Returns | AHDB

National beef evaluations | AHDB

We'd love to know what you think of our podcasts. If you’d like to give your feedback, please complete our short questionnaire, which will help us to improve the podcast on an ongoing basis, or email us with your thoughts, comments and suggestions: [email protected] 

Using clover can give your farm an environmental boost, but where do you start?

AHDB's Senior Knowledge Exchange Manager, Stephen West, has been to see dairy farmer Wil Armitage who uses clover as part of his organic system at Keythorpe Lakes Farm in Leicestershire.

Curious about clover? | AHDB

Establishing and growing clover | AHDB

AHDB Food & Farming / Cultivating clover: Practical farming advice (audioboom.com)

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Work to find a vaccine for the BTV-3 strain of bluetongue continues after cases were confirmed in cows and sheep in England.

Veterinary vaccine consultant Professor Andy Peters, Dr Carrie Batten from The Pirbright Institute, and AHDB's Head of Animal Health and Welfare, Dr Mandy Nevel, join host John Bates to discuss how much progress has been made.

Bluetongue virus | AHDB

Bluetongue virus technical webinars | AHDB

The Pirbright Institute | Preventing and controlling viral diseases

We'd love to know what you think of our podcasts. If you’d like to give your feedback, please complete our short questionnaire, which will help us to improve the podcast on an ongoing basis, or email us with your thoughts, comments and suggestions: [email protected]