The agri-food business, ABP, is getting ready for the 2024 Balmoral Show with a new-look stand to showcase the partnerships on which the group’s 70-year long heritage has been built. In line with its commitment to supporting communities where it operates, ABP is also sponsoring the Royal Ulster Agricultural Society (RUAS) and will present several prizes in the pedigree beef and sheep rings throughout the show which takes place from May 15-18. ABP provides beef and lamb products to supermarkets and food service customers. Last year the company replaced its traditional marquee at Balmoral Show ..read more

The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) has said cattle prices are being supported by “robust interest” for barbecue-related items ahead of warmer weather. AHDB’s senior red meat analyst, Hannah Clarke, said Great British deadweight prime cattle prices generally held in the week ending April 27, as slaughter rates were largely stable. “From a demand perspective, wholesale market reports suggest that demand for BBQ-type items including processing product and steaks are positive,” she said. “Indeed, Kantar retail data up to the April 14 shows positive movements in demand for ..read more

The New Zealand/EU free trade agreement (FTA) is “unlikely to pose a threat” to UK exports, the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) has said. The FTA, which came into force yesterday (Wednesday, May 1), improves access for New Zealand sheep meat, beef and dairy to the EU.  Analysis from AHDB revealed that, although the FTA will allow for increased volume of New Zealand sheep meat to the EU, it is “unlikely to displace UK exports to the region”. The EU is the UK’s largest market for sheep meat, with 79,700t of fresh and frozen product shipped in 2023 valued at £524 milli ..read more

A dog attack in Buxton, Derbyshire, has left a farmer with almost £2,000 in damages, Derbyshire rural crime team has said. The attack occurred two weeks ago on the farmer’s land at Hardy Barn Lane, Buxton. Four ewes had been killed by a dog or dogs. The dead ewes cost around £1,200 plus £40 each for disposal, Derbyshire rural crime team said. “The ewes had six lambs between them, one of which has now also died and the others are having to be hand reared on milk formula at a cost of £50 per week per lamb,” the team said. “A total of almost £2000 damages to this farmer not considering his time ..read more

The Texel Sheep Society has said a key part of its 50th anniversary celebrations this year will be the Textravaganza National Show in July. The Textravaganza National Texel Show will take place on Saturday, July 6, 2024, at Borderway Mart, Carlisle. Preceded by the society’s Club Champions Day and the Summer Sizzler barbeque, this will be only the second staging of a Texel national show in the society’s history, with the first having taken place in 2021. The event will feature 10 classes as well as young handlers’ competitions. Two judges will be placing the main classes. Splitting the duties ..read more

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has launched an action-oriented, country-focused initiative to reduce the need for antimicrobials on farms. It comes amid the growing threat posed by antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in the food and agriculture sector, impacting animal health, plants and the environment and causing significant economic losses to farmers across the globe. FAO director-general QU Dongyu said: “The persistent use of antimicrobials in livestock production is concerning for human health, animal welfare, and environmental sustainability. “We must explor ..read more

The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) has said that its sheep post-mortem evening will focus on worm control. The sheep post-mortem event will take place from 6:00p.m-9:00p.m on Tuesday (April 30) at Sedgemoor Auction Centre, North Petherton, Bridgwater, Somerset. Vet Ben Strugnell will conduct the sheep post-mortems with the aim of allowing attendees to see the impact of parasites on sheep first hand. The focus of the event will be on best practice for controlling worms and the why, when and how of post-mortems. Strugnell, of Farm Post Mortems Ltd, will discuss the benefi ..read more

A greater proportion of ewe lambs are expected to be slaughtered rather than being kept for further breeding next season in the United Kingdom (UK). This is according to the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB), which has updated its predictions for 2024. The female breeding flock has fallen from a previous AHDB estimate, as the number of ewe replacements coming through has reduced. Breeding flock The size of the female breeding flock in the UK in December 2023 totalled 13.8 million head. This is a decline of 4.3% (615,000 head) from the same time in 2022 and r ..read more

The Springtime Sparklers Sale is set to return to Omagh, Co. Tyrone next week for what is a important date in the calendar of pedigree sheep breeders on the island. The sale will take place at Beatties Pedigree Centre, Omagh on Friday, April 26 at 7:00p.m. This year’s event will feature over 70 lots comprising Dutch Spotted, Blue Texel, Beltex, Badger Face, Suffolk, Charollais, Texel breeds and a selection of Chartex and Suftex hybrids. All stock will be eligible for immediate export to the Republic of Ireland (ROI) and the mainland United Kingdom (UK). There will be a range of pedigree ewes ..read more

Wayne Smith, a sheep farmer has said that he has had to ask one of his neighbours to dig a pit “large enough” to fit over 3,000 sheep, as he can no longer provide for the animals. Smith, a director and manager for Caluka Farms, has taken to social media to show the public the “hard times” that livestock farmers are facing in the Western Australia. He added that he “can not cope” with the thought of shooting them, but, no one will buy them and he has “no other option”. The farmer can no longer afford to buy feed for the sheep, as no other farmer will buy the sheep off him. There is also an insu ..read more