The
BULLETIN
THE NEWSLETTER FOR THE BETTER RETURNS PROGRAMME
Autumn 2017
Launch of Strategic Farms Page 3
Do your lambs arrive clean? Page 5
Using antibiotics responsibly Page 8
Industry supports Love Lamb Week Page 11
The building blocks to export opportunities Over the last 18 months, helping farmers, growers and the supply chain prepare for Brexit has been one of our key focuses. While nobody knows the finite details of what the agricultural industry will face after Britain leaves the EU, we’ve been encouraging producers to think to the future and plan for different scenarios. The future of exports has been a major area of interest for the beef and sheep sectors. While most of the commentary on agricultural trade has focused on the importance of maintaining existing EU markets, we should not ignore potential opportunities to grow red meat exports outside the EU. Those opportunities exist in many areas, such as continued expansion in markets that we already supply, as well as the potential business from opening up new markets.
Export growth, however, will not be achieved overnight. Production cycles for livestock are typically long and overcoming the technical challenges faced by the UK in developing non–EU markets is not a short process, particularly in the beef and sheep sectors where we have yet to gain access to many markets. In the long run, much will depend on the final nature of our relationship with the EU and the expediency of completing trade deals, as well as farming policy and future support mechanisms. While we will not know the final outcome for a few more years, livestock born this year will be slaughtered in a postBrexit world. There are a number of building blocks that the industry should be considering now in order to make the most of future export opportunities: ●●Having a firm grasp of our production costs and understanding whether we can compete is essential. Tools such as Farmbench allow producers to input either whole farm or enterprisespecific data to help manage resilience to risks and to cope with volatility
●● We have a great story to tell in the UK to back our exports. Promoting our products in relation to meat quality, food safety standards, authenticity, provenance and welfare can really help position and sell our products ●● Product needs, including carcase and product specifications, may be different overseas, so it’s essential that different markets and consumers are researched and fully understood ●● Getting the most from trade opportunities means developing a broad product portfolio and finding the best market for each product in order to maximise the price AHDB’s Horizon series delves into the issues surrounding Brexit. With 10 currently produced and more on the way, they are essential reading for those involved in the agri-food sector.
Phil Bicknell, Market Intelligence Director
For more information you can find the full Horizon publications online at www.ahdb.org.uk/brexit
2 News
Strategic Farms and Challenge Sheep AHDB Beef & Lamb’s increased focus on knowledge exchange (KE) is gaining momentum, with the organisation’s Strategic Farms now launched. The Strategic Farms, which are part of AHDB’s Farm Excellence Platform, aim to demonstrate clear advances in on-farm productivity by monitoring performance and implementing best practice. Each farm involved will be benchmarked using the AHDB whole-farm benchmarking service Farmbench and will have targets set to improve outputs and performance. Out of the 13 farms across the country, 10 units will focus on suckler beef and sheep, while three will focus primarily
on finishing cattle. Areas such as health, nutrition and genetics will be developed, in order to meet the overall objective of increasing the number of stock meeting target specification. New project farms have also been announced for Challenge Sheep, a new AHDB Beef & Lamb-funded project which aims to understand the consequences of the rearing phase on the lifetime performance of ewes. Covering both ewes bred as lambs and shearlings, the project will track over 5,000 replacements from a range of English sheep farms over seven years to understand how flock performance can be improved.
Challenge Sheep aims to generate new knowledge and highlight existing information on managing ewe replacements. Out of 53 applications, 13 farmers from across the country have now been chosen to take part and are in the first stage of meetings to find out more about what the project will offer. To find out more about the individual farms and to keep up to date with your nearest on-farm events visit beefandlamb.ahdb.org.uk/returns/ project-farms
Importance of correct vaccine storage temperatures Results of a study by MSD Animal Health and the University of Bristol have shown that producers are not storing vaccines at the correct temperatures and are therefore at risk of reducing the effectiveness of vaccination and compromising animal health. Focusing on 19 farms in the South West of England, three data loggers were placed on each farm, two inside the farm’s fridge and one in the room where the fridge is stored. Once in place, the loggers were set to record the temperature every 30 minutes. Animal vaccines generally state that storage temperatures are required to be between 2–8°C and that the vaccine should never be frozen. However, when data from the loggers was analysed, results showed temperatures of below 2°C and above 8°C being recorded on multiple occasions. With one data logger recording temperatures as high as 24°C, the
study also demonstrated a temperature increase between the months of May and August, suggesting that environmental temperature has an impact. At the other end of the scale, the study showed seven fridges where the temperature was at or below 0°C for at least 30 minutes, providing the opportunity for vaccine to freeze. The study highlights how important it is for producers to ensure vaccines are stored at the correct temperature via ongoing monitoring of fridges. In a significant number of cases, the fridges were at the wrong temperature for a long enough period of time to damage the vaccine; damaged vaccines will not work when used. Storage instructions for vaccines can be found on the back of the box or bottle. Making sure these instructions are followed will save producers money both in reduced medicine wastage and in improved animal health.
For more information about correct vaccine storage, download the BRP manual Using medicines correctly for Better Returns at beefandlamb.ahdb.org.uk/returns News 3
Beef finishing on a mixed farm We are tenants farming 180 acres at Mansergh Hall Farm near Kirkby Lonsdale. The farm is diverse with 200 milking ewes plus followers, 200 commercial ewes with all lambs sold deadweight, 600 finished pigs and between 60–75 finishing cattle a year. For 25 years we also ran a farm shop and a wholesale and retail meat business that was set up by my late father, Jim, a pioneer of the farm shop era.
We purchase store cattle, mainly sired by Angus, Hereford and Beef Shorthorn, at between 12–19 months of age between November and January. These come from two or three farms with a known health status. All are sired by a registered sire to open up the premium market for these breeds. I also give feedback to the farms based on killing out percentage as well as any historical liver damage so that, if required, they can alter their treatment regime for liver fluke.
It is from my background of farming, meat production and marketing, that I gained a keen interest in seeing animals go from farm to fork, constantly trying to meet demands of wholesale and retail customers. Our job was not finished once that animal was ready for slaughter, we then had to think of the consumer and the products that would fit in to their lifestyles.
Cattle are handled fortnightly in the winter and at least monthly in the summer, with cattle grouped based on weight rather than age. We aim to get as many cattle as possible away during the summer before the second housing period. Some cattle may be sold as stores if a second winter is required, as on our straw-bedded system this doesn’t normally stack up financially.
It has been interesting to see the difference between what we produced for customers previously and what the broader beef market is now looking for. The consumers of today do not want fatty products and so overfat carcases are heavily penalised. I found the AHDB live-to-dead events very useful to help me understand this.
The cattle are weighed every time they are handled to assess growth rates to check they will meet market specification. Many of the Angus cattle that are out of traditional Friesian cows are at the lighter end of the carcase weight range at round 250kg deadweight. When cattle are ready to go, they go – laying down excess fat is an expensive mistake to make.
Our new farming system is being geared up to fit with the demands of the postBrexit world and a likely reduction in farm support. Therefore, efficiency is key. The beef system must complement everything else we do on farm. 4 Selection
Those cattle that do not meet major retailer specifications are sold to local butchers who prefer heifers with a little more fat cover and slightly smaller animals. We also still sell the occasional animal to our original customers.
James Hadwin Mansergh Hall Farm We are a small producer, but as a wise man once said, “the person who buys a pound of mince a week will buy more than a customer who drops in once in a while”. In other words, a lot of small customer’s amount to a large part of the market and many small producers make up a large part of the supply chain. Therefore, as an industry it’s important that we are all producing what the consumer wants. As a meat producer I want to eat the best – and our customers are no different.
James is part of a team of selection specialists that have been recruited by AHDB Beef & Lamb to help get more stock in specification. Based across the country, the fully trained team is now available to give selection talks and demonstrations to beef and lamb producer and stakeholder groups. Find out more at beefandlamb.ahdb. org.uk/specification
Do your lambs arrive clean? The Clean Livestock Policy, set out by The Food Standard Agency, states that abattoirs are not allowed to slaughter dirty animals. It is therefore important for both the producer and the supply chain that animals are received clean. While producing clean lambs can be difficult due to wet weather conditions, research has shown that the dirtier the lamb fleece is, the greater the potential for carcase contamination and the higher the risk to human health. This is why it’s important that producers are aware of the steps involved to ensure they send animals clean, not only to reduce the risk to human health but also to make sure they are not getting penalised.
Best practice advice states that all lambs should be fasted for several hours before being moved so they do not defecate in transit. Also, in wet weather, where lambs are grazing on roots and forage crops, producers must make sure the land is free draining and provide hay at all times to avoid creating boggy areas that could leave the lambs dirty. A sufficient shelter and dry-lying area can also assist in keeping sheep dry. If precautions are not followed, additional costs may be charged for the inconvenience of cleaning the animals, as well as a charge for reducing slaughter-line speed. Complying with the regulations and ensuring stock are clean and hit specification can guarantee that producers will get the best returns from their livestock.
For more information about presenting clean animals, download the BRP manual Marketing prime lamb for Better Returns at beefandlamb.ahdb.org.uk/ returns
Consumers vote for tenderness Improvements in the tenderness of beef sirloin produced in Britain have been highlighted by the latest AHDB Beef & Lamb retail survey. The 196 samples tested were assessed using specialist equipment that measures the amount of force needed to cut or shear through a small sample of meat – this is known as the shear force. The lower the shear force required, the more tender the meat. Measuring tenderness objectively in this way allows the test to be repeated across many different samples, giving accurate and reliable results.
2.6kg for lamb from Britain. The test compared our old season lamb (typically more tough) with New Zealand new season lamb (considered to be more tender), therefore this is great news for the industry. Using shear force to gain reliable, repeatable results ensures that the data we collect is trustworthy and can be used to help improve beef and lamb eating quality across the industry. Find out more by watching The Shear Force of Meat Quality at www.youtube.com/ahdbbeefandlamb
Results of the study showed that the tenderness of sirloin steak had improved from an average of 4.9kg in 2011 to 3.1kg in 2016. The human jaw can detect a change in tenderness of just 0.5kg. As well as the improvement in tenderness, the shear force results also show that sirloin steak is more consistent now than it was five years ago, meaning consumers are less likely to buy a tough steak from one of the major retailers. In addition, shear force testing was used to compare British and New Zealand lamb loin on the shelves between February and April 2017. The results showed that the New Zealand product was only slightly more tender, with a measurement of 2.3kg versus
Selection 5
AI course gives farmer a kick-start Farming 130 hectares in Holsworthy, Devon, Rachel Tonkin has taken the first steps to using artificial insemination (AI) on her cattle by completing a course part funded by AHDB Beef & Lamb. Farming in partnership with her family, Rachel’s beef enterprise consists of a 70-strong herd of Charolais, Limousins and Simmentals. Having never worked with AI before, Rachel was keen to start the process in order to get access to top-class genetics without the huge investment in a bull and to tailor the breeding of her cows to get more valuable calves.
By being able to control AI herself, Rachel is looking to be able to adapt the timing of breeding to coincide with the time available on the farm, as well as timing inseminations to boost conception rates. “We currently breed our own replacements on farm and sell commercial beef however, after taking part in the course, we’re looking forward to selling pedigree animals. Our calves used to be sold as stores, but in future we wants to finish the calves ourselves,” she said. “I’ve wanted to introduce AI on to the farm for a while now and having the course 50 per cent funded has been a great way to
achieve this. Working with such a mix of cows on the course made it really realistic and I’m now prepared for the different scenarios I may face.” Along with support from her vet and with a good handling facility already in place, Rachel is now looking at purchasing the equipment required to be able to start the AI process. For more information about AI see BRP+ Artificial insemination (AI) and Oestrus synchronisation of beef cattle at beefandlamb.ahdb.org.uk
New approaches to assessing muscle and fat Within the combined breed analysis all carcase traits – muscle depth, fat depth, CT lean weight, CT fat weight and CT gigot muscularity - will be weight adjusted, rather than age adjusted. Commercial context
Samuel Boon, Breeding Manager Signet, AHDB The UK sheep industry pioneered the use of ultrasound scanning technology to assess muscle and fat levels across the loin. Historically, traits like muscle depth have been adjusted for age within the analysis to identify those lambs that will lay down the most muscle at a certain age, regardless of weight. Sheep with high muscle depth estimated breeding values (EBVs) might achieve them in one of two ways: ●● Being big, as genetically bigger sheep tend to have more muscle ●● Having a high muscle depth relative to their weight However, breeders can already select for growth rate using the scan weight EBV, therefore a better approach is needed to assess muscling independently from growth ie the ability to compare levels of muscling at a fixed weight, rather than a fixed age.
6 Breeding
The new approach is helpful for commercial producers as lambs tend to be selected according to finish and weight, not their age. Commercial producers want lambs with the right amount of muscle and finish when they are slaughtered and the new EBVs will to help achieve this.
Implications for Breeding Indexes Although the way that EBVs such as muscle and fat depth are expressed will change, it doesn’t mean the Terminal Sire Breeding Index to produce fast-growing, well-fleshed lambs has changed and so index weightings will be altered to ensure this objective is met. Find out more about using EBVs online at www.signetfbc.co.uk or contact Samuel Boon on
[email protected] Scan weight EBV
Age adjusted muscle depth EBV
Ram A
9kg
4.2mm
Ram B
5kg
3.8mm
Ram C
5kg
2.0mm
Scan weight EBV
Weight adjusted muscle depth EBV
Ram A
9kg
2.8mm
Ram B
5kg
3.3mm
Ram C
5kg
1.5mm
Implications for breeders AHDB Beef & Lamb-funded research by Janet Roden, Independent Geneticist, has shown that selecting for age-adjusted muscle depth has enhanced muscling at a fixed liveweight, but that the two ways of expressing the trait are not the same. Selecting sheep on weight-adjusted EBVs will select different sheep and the ranking of sheep according to these EBVs will change. Breeders will benefit from the fact that weight-adjusted traits tend to be more heritable than age-adjusted traits, however, they also tend to show less genetic variation and the scale of the new EBVs may be smaller as a result. When selecting for weight-adjusted traits, breeders should be aware that there can be a negative relationship between the amount of muscle and fat within the carcase. With weight-adjusted traits, the size of the animal is assumed to be ‘fixed’, so if it has more muscle, it tends to have less fat and vice versa. This explains why some of the gains made in the amount of muscle in the carcase in recent years have resulted in a reduction in the amount of fat in the carcase when expressed at a fixed weight.
Using age adjusted muscle depth EBVs, Ram A would be deemed to have the best muscled progeny at a fixed age. However, weight adjusted muscle depth EBVs indicate Ram B would have progeny with better muscling at a fixed weight (though the lower scan weight EBV indicates they may take longer to get there). Ram C has poorer genes for muscling regardless of the method of analysis.
Cattle needed for Beef Feed Efficiency Nearly 1,200 animals have so far been recorded through the Beef Feed Efficiency Programme, with the project now two thirds of the way through the initial recording phase. An additional funding partnership has meant a unit in Scotland has been set up and has already hosted its first batch of 136 animals. In addition to this and Andy Foot’s unit in Dorset, two new host units in England and Wales are joining the project this Autumn. The project team is currently sourcing Aberdeen Angus and Limousin-sired cattle for all units. Cattle can be from dairy or beef dams, must be steers, in groups of four to 16 from the same sire and aged between two weeks and eight months old. Market price will be paid for selected cattle, alternatively, cattle can be provided on a B&B arrangement. For more information, contact programme manager Natalie Cormack on 07866 934 563 or email
[email protected]
Importance of understanding silage quality Early analysis of an AHDB Beef & Lamb-funded project assessing silage clamps on over 20 beef and sheep farms in England has shown a significant amount of variation in the quality of silage produced, with most farms showing a two to three-fold difference in silage density and major differences in dry matter across each feed-out face. The project aims to help the industry gain a better understanding of parameters affecting silage quality on English farms, estimate silage dry matter (DM) losses and understand the variability both within a clamp and between farms. A number of attributes were examined at each farm, including a detailed assessment of nine sampling points
across the clamp face. At each point, a number of analyses were conducted, including temperature at three depths, silage density and silage chemical and nutritional analysis. Since collecting the data, the variation in the percentage of dry matter within the silage (used as a single simple indicator of quality) in each clamp has raised questions as to whether producers are checking silage before feeding. This variation may result in cattle being under fed if they are simply fed according to the number of silage blocks. If, for example, on one day the silage is wet with a low density, then the cattle will physically be fed less dry matter than on other days when the silage is drier with a higher density. Farmers are advised to make sure they have a rough idea of the density and percentage of dry matter in different regions of their clamp face so that they can feed more consistent silage quantities day-to-day. If the silage is being eaten quickly, there is often an assumption that it must be good quality, however it’s more likely that on those days there just wasn’t as much in the block the cattle were fed. It’s for these reasons farmers are advised to sample silage regularly so they are able to monitor livestock intake more closely.
Dave Davis, Director at Silage Solutions
More information about making good clamp silage can be found in the BRP manual Making grass silage for Better Returns, available online at beefandlamb. ahdb.org.uk/returns
Nutrition 7
Using antibiotics responsibly Responsible use of medicines is about using ‘as little as possible but as much as necessary’. With the Government aiming for a 20% reduction in antibiotic use across agriculture between 2014 and 2018, livestock producers are being called upon to use antibiotics responsibly in order to guard against antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Antibiotics are essential to keep animals and humans healthy, however the risk of over-prescribing antibiotics is that antibiotic-resistant bacteria develop that endanger health. Antibiotic resistance is a natural phenomenon, with resistant bacteria found both on and in animals and in the environment. Antibiotic resistance spreads as bacteria move from place to place via human and animal contact, through contaminated materials and in water, food and via particles carried by the wind. The strength of the bacteria means they can survive treatment and multiply quickly. To reduce the use of antibiotics on farm, producers are advised to review 8 Health
management and biosecurity strategies to prevent disease issues that normally require treatment using antibiotics. Health plans should also be discussed with your vets to ensure they are fit-for purpose. It’s important to remember that resistant bacteria are all around us and the cause of AMR is not from more intensive or productive farming. Strict biosecurity, vaccination and careful livestock management are important ways to avoid bacterial infections in your livestock. All livestock sectors are expected to play their part in reducing resistance. The Responsible Use of Medicines in Agriculture Alliance (RUMA) will be developing sector-specific commitments to reducing antibiotic use by the end of 2017. For more information visit www.ruma.org.uk or see the BRP manual Using medicines correctly for Better Returns, available at beefandlamb.ahdb.org.uk/returns
Main uses of antibiotics on farms Beef ●● Treatment of calf health problems, eg pneumonia, scours or navel ill ●● Treatment of lameness ●● Calving problems and caesareans Sheep ●● Across-flock treatment for infectious causes of lameness, such as footrot and contagious ovine digital dermatitis ●● Across flock treatment to prevent enzootic abortion in unvaccinated ewes ●● Treatment of neonatal lambs to prevent watery mouth and joint ill
Preventing pneumonia in cattle Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) or pneumonia is one of the most significant diseases affecting English beef production, costing the UK cattle industry an estimated £50 million a year. It is the most common reason for deaths and poor performance in young cattle from weaning to ten months of age. Studies have shown that while 30 per cent of cattle in a group may show signs of respiratory disease, a further 40 per cent can exhibit lung damage at slaughter. So it is likely that many cases go unnoticed, yet cause significant performance loss. BRD is complex and is not caused simply by the introduction of a specific infectious agent. Often, infection results from the calf becoming infected with a primary agent first, usually a virus, then the resulting lung damage allows a secondary bacterial infection to develop. The aim should be to have strategies in place to reduce the risk of pneumonia, targeting improving cattle
immunity and reducing stress, as well as treating any existing disease present. Key to implementing effective control strategies is an understanding of the animal-pathogen-environment interactions. BRD occurs when the challenge of infection from pathogens overwhelms the immune defences of the animal. Many factors influence this including many non-specific stressors, such as: Nutrition ●● Colostrum intake at birth ●● Trace element status, especially vitamin E/selenium Stress ●● At weaning ●● During castration/disbudding ●● During transport Exposure to disease ●● Mixing/changing groups ●● High stocking rates
Environment ●● Inadequate environment, eg poor air quality, wet bedding, draughts at animal level ●● Temperature variation and extremes Existing disease ●● Such as bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD), coccidiosis and heavy parasite burdens (fluke and worms) There are no anti-viral treatments available for use in cattle, so treatment relies on antibiotics for secondary bacterial infections and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to reduce fever and relieve pain. More information can be found in the BRP+ document Better management of bovine respiratory disease at beefandlamb.ahdb.org. uk/returns
ANIMAL
ENVIRONMENT
PATHOGEN
Managing the animal-environmentpathogen interaction is key to preventing and controlling BRD.
Project to help keep liver fluke at bay AHDB has been involved in a project, with The University of Liverpool, aiming to improve diagnosis of fluke infection in cattle and validate rapid, inexpensive ways of identifying infected herds.
Liver fluke is a parasite which can cause serious disease and in some cases, death. Infection is common and even low levels can lead to serious production losses, reducing daily liveweight gain and extending time to slaughter. Livestock become infected by eating grass contaminated with cysts which are shed by the fluke’s intermediate host, the mud snail, which in turn is found in damp, marshy areas of pasture.
It involves the collection of dung samples from ten individuals within a group which are then sent to a lab. There, 10g from each sample is taken to form a 100g composite sample which is analysed. If the count is positive, this indicates the herd is infected. If the count is negative, a second count at least three months later is recommended. Two negative counts will indicate with 95 per cent certainty that the herd is negative for fluke.
With resistance to flukicides on the rise, reliance on worming treatment is unsustainable, so management of exposure and treatment informed by diagnosis is crucial for disease control.
A pen-side serum antibody test that producers can use themselves to identify animals with recent infection is also being developed. This will mean samples do not have to be sent to the lab, reducing costs and also speeding up diagnosis, allowing targeted treatment.
A method of composite faecal egg counting has been developed that enables herds to be screened for infection.
Health 9
Taking the mystery out of accounts As a former Bank Manager, I can confirm that accounts are important! However, audited accounts often only tell half the story and are much better used in conjunction with management accounts. Whether using one set of accounts or both, it is understanding the information that is important. So what do you need to know? Firstly, how do you define profitability and are you generating enough income? This is in essence ‘viability’, which I define as generating enough cash to cover business expenses, capital repayments on loans and machinery, private drawings and tax. Hopefully, after these costs are covered, there is still some spare for a ‘rainy-day fund’ or more reinvestment. Ultimately, ‘cash is king’! Do you know your true profit/cash requirement? It may sound basic, but when looking at headline profit figures, it’s important to remember the business structure in place. You’ll need to consider if it is a partnership or a company, and where private drawings sit after profit. This may be the directors’ fees or dividends in a company. Do you have these documents in place? While talking business structures, do you have partnership agreements and wills? Companies should already have articles of association. These documents can save on complications and hassle in times of strife and death. 10 Costings
Do you have a management balance sheet? Another key document is the balance sheet. A lot of information can be gleaned from this including how highly geared and solvent the business is. Every set of accounts will have one, but the tax accounts balance sheet is often not a true market picture. I would thoroughly recommend a management balance sheet be prepared annually, at a similar time of year and compared with the previous year. The trends in net worth (assets less liabilities) will show whether the business is heading in the right direction after all the demands on profit. Do you have this document? Sometimes the accounts can show good profit, but it doesn’t feel like it in terms of what you have been able to spend or vice versa. Not all tax accounts have them, but a ‘Funds Flow Statement’ or ‘Source and Application of Funds’ is highly revealing about what is happening to the cash in a business. One of the mysteries of accounts and cash is depreciation. When you purchase equipment, you have exchanged money and received a machine to help you run your business. The value of your business is still the same, but it is now contained within a machine that will help you make more money. The trouble is that machine will start to lose value through age, wear and tear and obsolescence.
Philip Dolbear, AHDB Knowledge Exchange Manager Depreciation is a cost to the business and cannot be ignored. Putting this fixed cost against the business means you get a more accurate idea of the business profitability. Every machine on the farm needs to earn its keep and if it can’t, other ways of getting the work done should be employed. This is a simple overview of the key elements of accounts analysis. Applying these skills to your farm business will be key to ensuring a more businessorientated approach to farming as we get our industry ready for a post-Brexit world. AHDB’s Farmbench helps you to understand and compare your full costs of production at both enterprise and whole-farm level. Find out more about how Farmbench is helping other producers at farmbench.ahdb.org.uk
Industry supports Love Lamb Week A campaign looking to raise the profile of lamb with the younger generation has seen a wealth of support right along the supply chain from producers to retailers, all aiming to get lamb back on to consumers’ dinner plates. Over the past 15 years, fewer people have been regularly eating the very British meat and, with those aged 55 years and over making up the lion’s share of the market, time is ticking for lamb. Love Lamb Week took place from 1–7 September and saw industry members and the wider public share their love for lamb through social media and a host of media and PR activity. Backed by AHDB Beef & Lamb and The National Sheep Association (NSA), the third year of the campaign was its biggest yet with TV coverage on BBC’s Saturday Kitchen, a morning dedicated to lamb on Radio Gloucester, as well as a heavy stream of social media sharing.
During the week, 12 young sheep farmers and shepherds came together as ‘Lambassadors’, looking to inspire consumers and demonstrate how tasty, healthy and easy the meat is to cook with. While they championed lamb on in their areas, the campaign extended its reach by partnering up with parenting advice website, Mumsnet.
become more competitive and resilient, as part of its 2017–2020 strategy Inspiring Success. To find out more about the latest promotional activity visit www.simplybeefandlamb.co.uk
Nick White, Head of Beef & Lamb Domestic Marketing for AHDB, said: “Teaming up with Mumsnet allowed us to share quick and easy recipes for lamb leg steaks that could be cooked in less than 10 minutes. We understand that families buy the same ingredients every week as the thought of trying something different, when money and time is tight can often be daunting.” Love Lamb Week is one of the initiatives within AHDB’s commitment to inspire British agriculture and horticulture to
Marketing 11
News from across AHDB BETTERRETURNSPROGRAMME
Marketing prime beef cattle for Better Returns
Optimal Dairy Systems announced AHDB Dairy recently revealed its Optimal Dairy Systems which will focus future work around production systems. Inspiring dairy farmers to understand what system is best for them and their market and giving them the tools to operate that system to the best of their ability. dairy.ahdb.org.uk
Automation in horticulture AHDB Horticulture has conducted a survey to establish the current level of use of automation and robotics in horticulture and identify where future investment in technologies could be made to help address concerns about labour availability and costs. horticulture.ahdb.org.uk
Cereal quality survey The annual survey of cereal quality carried out by AHDB Cereals & Oilseeds gives a clear picture of the year’s harvest, showing for example the proportion of nabim Group 1 varieties hitting milling specification. Results can be found on the website. cereals.ahdb.org.uk/surveyresults
Seed to shopping trolley The potato industry’s largest event returns on the 22 and 23 November at Harrogate. AHDB will provide the seminar programme. Delegates can expect to hear useful information on every element of the potato process, from seed selection to shopping habits. www.bp2017.co.uk
Soil management plan AHDB Pork has updated its soil management plan, designed to help outdoor pig producers assess the risk of soil erosion or damage on land occupied by pigs and identify suitable measures to prevent it. pork.ahdb.org.uk
Beef Manual 2
Latest BRP resources BRP produces a range of practical guides to help English beef and sheep producers improve the productivity and competiveness of their enterprises.
Here’s an overview of the latest additions to the BRP library. Worm control in sheep for Better Returns
Effective worm strategy is not just about anthelmintic products. Livestock and grassland management are essential tools in parasitic worm management. This guide offers practical suggestions and follows guidelines set out by the Sustainable Control of Parasites (SCOPS) industry group. Calf rearing notebook
Do you know how well your calves are performing and your costs of production? Collecting records and then analysing them is the best way to understand your livestock and therefore your business performance. This notebook allows you to keep a record of calves, documenting signs of ill health, cases of disease and losses. Marketing prime beef cattle for Better Returns
In order to maximise financial returns, beef producers need to produce and sell the type of finished cattle markets really wants and are willing to pay the most money for. This manual helps producers to achieve Better Returns by ensuring they are hitting target specifications. Better returns from calf rearing
Successful cattle management starts with a bright and healthy calf that has been well looked after from the moment it is born. The advice in this manual will help ensure calves enter the next stage of their lives in the best possible condition and continue to grow to their expected targets.
Beef production from the dairy herd
Over half of all beef in England is a product of the dairy herd. Improving the quality of these cattle can bring economic benefits to all those involved in the beef supply chain. This manual helps producers achieve Better Returns, whether they are dairy farmers wanting to grow and finish their own calves, or beef producers purchasing dairy-bred calves. These publications and more can be downloaded from beefandlamb.ahdb.org.uk/returns or call 024 7647 8834 for a copy.
This newsletter is brought to you by AHDB For more information contact: Better Returns Programme AHDB Beef & Lamb Stoneleigh Park Kenilworth Warwickshire CV8 2TL T: 024 7647 8834 E:
[email protected] W: beefandlamb.ahdb.org.uk @AHDB_BeefLamb
While the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board seeks to ensure that the information contained within this document is accurate at the time of printing, no warranty is given in respect thereof and, to the maximum extent permitted by law the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board accepts no liability for loss, damage or injury howsoever caused (including that caused by negligence) or suffered directly or indirectly in relation to information and opinions contained in or omitted from this document. AHDB Beef & Lamb is part of the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB). © Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board 2017. All rights reserved.
