Livestock Videos

Cheshire Dairy Monitor Farm improves milk margin by £30,000

In this second video from the Cheshire Dairy Monitor Farm, Phil Asbury, with the help of Agricultural Economist Dr Kay Carson, explains how attention to detail and closely monitoring costs and inputs has improved performance at Clive Hall, giving farmer Phil control over all his processes to make better informed decisions.

This "Lean Management" approach has moved a margin from 7p to 10p on a million litres of milk - which is an extra £30,000!

Filmed Spring 2012

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Improving herd lameness on Cheshire Beef and Sheep Monitor Farm

In the second video from Langford Farm beef and sheep farmer John Gate and his vet Darrell Irwin explain what is being done to combat herd lameness on the farm by implementing a footbath routine that has seen positive results in a short space of time.

Filmed Spring 2012

Cumbria Monitor Farm moves towards suckler replacements goal

Wigton farmer Ken Pears has moved towards a more cost-effective approach of rearing his own heifers in a bid to keep costs down and improve biosecurity. With the help of beef specialist Rhidian Jones from SAC he explains here why he's doing it and what his targets are for the future.

Filmed Spring 2012

Cumbria Dairy Monitor Farm sees results following expansion

Doubling herd size in six months has been a smoother ride than Cumbria dairy monitor farmer Matt Bland had expected thanks to taking a co-ordinated approach to his expansion plan and doing everything in sequence. Here, with the help of SAC specialist Jimmy Goldie, he explains how his bulk tank is now twice as full as it was 12 months ago without too many headaches.

Filmed Spring 2012

Balancing inputs and outputs on Lancs Dairy Monitor Farm

In this video Bashall Eaves dairy farmer Ben Hartley and vet Rob Howe address acidosis and loose muck in the dairy cattle caused by increased energy from the improvements made to the silage, before looking with Promar advisor Andy Taylor at how the right fertiliser and nutrient management plan has made financial and environmental improvements.

Filmed Spring 2012

Grassland improvements reap rewards on Lancs Monitor Farm

Looking at grassland improvements made at Lower Highfield Farm, Malcolm Sanderson explains how, with the help of British Seed House's Helen Mathieu, he has produced up to three tonnes per acre more grass across the farm, pushed up ewe numbers saved on feed costs as a result.

Grass harrowing, aerating, overseeding / reseeding and strategic applications of lime has helped to provide 90% of the farm's nutritional requirement from grass.

Filmed Spring 2012

Animal Health and Welfare Beef Case Study with Andy Gibbon

Outdated cattle handling facilities were adding extra time and risk to the daily routine of Cheshire beef and sheep farmer Andy Gibbon.

Now improved effiency and a safer working environment means he is weighing animals more regularly, paying closer attention to growth rates and correctly worming / treating cattle as soon as they arrive on the farm.

Introduction: What are Monitor Farms?

This short video explains what monitor farms are, how the six farms in the North West (Cumbria, Lancashire and Cheshire) were chosen and the aim of the four year project to get discussion going between farmers, demonstrate efficiency changes and improve profitabilty for all the farms, and farmers attending farm meetings, involved.

Find out more about what your local beef and sheep monitor farm or dairy monitor farm is doing by viewing the other videos on this page

(If you have any difficulty seeing the videos on the website due to poor broadband connection please let us know by emailing livestocknw@myerscough.ac.uk

(Filmed Autumn 2011)

Mason House Farm: Lancashire Dairy Monitor Farm

Father and son John and Ben Hartley explain what being a monitor farm has done for their business since 2009 in the first of a series of progress videos from the dairy farm.

Milking 140 holsteins through robots they've seen yields improve from management, soil, grassland and slurry improvements. Free advice from consultants and a massive input from farmers visiting the farm's meetings has helped generate ideas and areas to improve on.

(Filmed Autumn 2011)

Lower Highfield Farm: Lancashire Beef and Sheep Monitor Farm

Malcolm and Judith Sanderson explain what being a monitor farm has done for their business since 2009 in the first of a series of progress videos from the farm. That the monitor farm has been a way of getting involved with modern, better ways of farming and putting it into practice for others to see.

Use of EID weighing equipment and improved grassland production has seen lambs sold sooner, egg count testing has been used to alter worming policy and saved £300, EBV tups have been tried and a trace element trial has been carried out.

(Filmed Autumn 2011)

Hesket Farm: Cumbria Dairy Monitor Farm

Cumbria dairy farmers Matt and Sue Bland explain what being a monitor farm has done for their business since 2009 in the first of what will be a series of progress videos from the farm. The farm is going through a period of expansion (140 to 300 cows), Matt has made the most out of his grassland than he has ever done before and is closely monitoring disease management.

(Filmed Autumn 2011)

Fellside House Farm: Cumbria Beef and Sheep Monitor Farm

Father and son Ken and Chris Pears explain what being a monitor farm has done for their business since 2009 in the first of what will be a series of progress videos from the farm. How the sharing of good ideas, best practice and encouraging dialogue between farmers at relevant meetings can only be a good thing for the industry.

(Filmed Autumn 2011)

Clive Hall Farm: Cheshire Dairy Monitor Farm

Farmer Phil Asbury explains what being a monitor farm has done for him, the low input, low output, Fletcher and Co dairy farm he manages in the first of what will be a series of progress videos from the farm. How the experience has identified the farms weaknesses, strong points and areas to improve on. These KPIs (key performance indicators) are fertility, calf rearing, improved grass growth and labour

(Filmed Autumn 2011)

Langford Farm: Cheshire Beef and Sheep Monitor Farm

Farmer John Gate explains what being a monitor farm has done for his business since 2009 in the first of what will be a series of progress videos from the farm. How fine tuning and attention to detail has identified such issues as resistance to flukicides and how detailed soil sampling has saved money on compound fertiliser.

(Filmed Autumn 2011)

Herd Health: Are your buildings fit for purpose?

Dr Jamie Robertson, of Livestock Management Systems based at the University of Aberdeen, states that moisture management, fresh air and air speed are the three critical factors in controlling disease and viruses in livestock buildings.

Here he gives tips on how to adapt your buildings for the health of your herd.

Herd Expansion: The experience of the Cumbria Monitor Farm

SAC dairy specialist Jimmy Goldie highlighted what producers should be aware of when expanding their dairy herd and the action taken by Matt and Sue Bland at Hesket Farm Dacre - the Livestock Programme's Cumbria dairy monitor farm.

(Conference organised by Cumbria Farmer Network September 2011)

Energy Savings on Farm: LIGHTING

Farm energy advisor Jim Allen discussed on-farm electricity savings with farmers at this RDPE Northwest Livestock Programme resource efficiency demo event. Held on a Lancashire dairy farm, this short video covers lighting and energy efficient light fittings - just one of the topics covered on the day

(Demo Event organised by Myerscough College November 2010)

Grassland Improvement: Aerator Demonstration

Aerator Demonstration at an RDPE Northwest Livestock Programme grassland improvement demo event. Removing compaction, reducing surface run off and improving nutrient uptake in soils to improve grassland production, featuring independent grassland specialist Charlie Morgan.

(Demo Event organised by Myerscough College June 2010)

The Practical and Financial Benefits of Using EID

"Data collection is accurate and fast, therefore it's cheaper... once you've used EID you'll never go back to paper. To me its more valuable than the quad bike" Sheep farmer Peter Baber explains how the use of EID has saved him £1,500 - 2,000 per year on time saved and he's getting better sheep as a result.

(Demo Event organised by Myerscough College 16th of December 2009)

Using EID as a Management Tool

Sheep farmer Peter Baber explains how the use of EID has revolutionised his business, simplified his routine and made performance recording much easier.

(Demo Event organised by Myerscough College 16th of December 2009)

EID Demo Event - Legislation

The new individual identification and recording of sheep legislation came in to force on December 31st 2009. This event, organised by Myerscough College and held at Lancaster Auction in December 2009, helped explain EID (electronic identification) in terms of legistlation and its practical uses.

Hilary Stevens from Shearwell Farm Data explained in simple terms the rules and basic requirements farmers need to follow.

Animal Health and Welfare Pig Case Study with David Goodier

It was evident to Lancashire pig farmer David Goodier that better housing was the solution to reducing pre-weaning piglet mortality on his farm.

Now he's seeing on average an extra piglet per sow surviving.

Animal Health and Welfare Dairy Case Study with John Waller

Plenty of milk and plenty of problems. That seems to sum up the situation that John Waller faced 12 months ago with his herd of 110 dairy cows.

Nutrient Management Case Study with Richard Close

Big savings for Morecambe Bay dairy farmer.

"Through more tailored fertiliser application and by making better use of slurry I reckon we’ve saved about £4,000 this year alone."

Resource Efficiency Case Study with Ed Friend

Energy costs reduced on Cheshire dairy farm.

Read how Resource Efficiency and Performance Grants helped improve performance for Ed Friend by reading the full case study.