Welcome to Stock Talk, bringing you all the latest news and advice for livestock producers. Each month, livestock specialists will discuss current issues, opportunities and options for producers. Scotland’s Farm Advisory Service is funded by the Scottish Government. Our podcast covers a range of topics which help support your farm or croft to be more profitable and sustainable.
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45 recent
May 29, 202656 min
The Use Of AI In Poultry
Welcome to Stock Talk. In this episode James is joined by David Speller from OptiFarm. David is a poultry farmer who had lots of data and not enough time to analyse it. David will tell us about the AI tool he developed to help him make better informed decisions, which attracted the eyes of investors leading to his company OptiFarm. David explains how the tool works and the benefits of using AI in livestock systems including the use of real-time data to be proactive in terms of livestock management and welfare, and how this can improve livestock performance and profitability. Resourceshttps://www.fas.scot/livestock/poultry/ Website address: optifarm.co.uk Optifarm email: info@optifarm.co.uk For more information, visit www.FAS.scotFacebook: @FASScotNational Advice HubPhone: 0300 323 0161Email: advice@fas.scot
February 27, 202631 min
James Orr – Stock Talk Handover
Welcome to Stock Talk. On today’s episode we hear from James Orr who will be taking over from Kirsten Williams’s role as the host on Stock Talk. James talks about his career highlights as an agricultural consultant at SAC Consulting, his key areas of expertise and Kirsten reflects of some of her favourite projects from the past 20 years. James looks to continue Stock Talk with more interesting farming stories as well as discussing more technical aspects. ResourcesLivestock Resources -https://www.fas.scot/livestock/Poultry Resources -https://www.fas.scot/livestock/poultry/FAS Connect - https://www.fas.scot/connect/For more information, visit www.FAS.scot Facebook: @FASScot National Advice Hub Phone: 0300 323 0161 Email: advice@fas.scot
January 30, 202652 min
Gordon Whiteford - Lower Mill of Tynet Farm
Welcome to Stock Talk. On today’s episode Kirsten is joined by Gordon Whiteford who farms at Lower Mill of Tynet in Banffshire. In 2012, Gordon and June Whiteford began Lower Mill of Tynet Farm. They built an egg business, then a micro-dairy in 2020, selling milk and now ice cream directly from their 24-hour farm shop. They have brought together traditional farming practices with innovative direct-to-consumer strategies and are proud to have won Sustainable Farm of the Year 2024.Timestamps 01.10 How it all started for Gordon10.23 Organic hens and starting out with poultry13.14 Lower Mill of Tynet15.40 Nuffield Scholarship – Organic22.16 Brown vs white hens31.49 Micro dairy – milk and ice cream48.46 What’s next for GordonRelated FAS ResourcesOrganics in Scotland - Lower Mill of Tynet Case Study | Helping farmers in ScotlandGetting Started with Organic Farming – How to Convert to Organic | Helping farmers in ScotlandManaging Grassland Under Organic Systems | Helping farmers in ScotlandGetting Started Growing and Grazing with Organics | Helping farmers in ScotlandOther Related ResourcesLower Mill Of Tynet.co.ukDirect Retailing from a Poultry, Dairy, Beef, Sheep & Arable farm – Lower Mill of Tynet - FAS VideoFor more information, visit www.FAS.scotFacebook: @FASScotNational Advice HubPhone: 0300 323 0161Email: advice@fas.scot
December 26, 202540 min
Basil Lowman – 55 years of Driving the Beef Industry Forward and Pioneering New Ideas
Welcome to Stock Talk hosted by Kirsten Williams. On today’s episode Kirsten is joined by Dr Basil Lowman who has been a beef specialist with SAC Consulting for 55 years. Kirsten describes Basil as a legend in the beef industry. We hear about Basil’s varied career, his passion for the industry, how he thrives on challenge and is a pioneer of new ideas. Episode Timestamps 01.37 Let’s go back in time 09.13 Body condition scoring of cattle 16.38 The development of silage and straw-based rations 24.24 The Green Shed 29.43 Beef farming in 10 years’ time Related FAS Resources Cattle resources for farmers from Farm Advisory Service | FAS Body Condition Scoring - Maintaining condition (FAS) Other Related ResourcesThe Benefits of Cow Condition Scoring - Part 1 (QMS) The Benefits of Cow Condition Scoring - Part 2 Greenshed Graphic - SRUC GreenShed video - SRUC - YouTube For more information, visit www.FAS.scot Facebook: @FASScot National Advice Hub Phone: 0300 323 0161 Email: advice@fas.scot
November 28, 20251 hr 0 min
Robert Gilchrist & Gavin Hill
Welcome to Stock Talk hosted by Kirsten Williams. On today’s episode Kirsten is joined by two industry experts to discuss the beef industry. It’s a lively discussion covering many topics, including: replacement strategies, where the market is it at just now, sustainability and the future of the Scottish herd. Gavin Hill is a Senior Beef Specialist with SAC Consulting and Robet Gilchrist is Chief Executive of the Aberdeen-Angus Society. Episode Timestamps 02.30 Cattle replacement strategies 10.03 Where should the end price be? 13.26 Changing eating behaviours and changes in the industry 17.05 Future of the Scottish herd 27.45 Cow of the future 43.08 Matching the sire 50.07 What will the Scottish beef industry look like in the next 10-20 years Resources Livestock resources for farmers from Farm Advisory Service Cattle resources for farmers from Farm Advisory Service | FAS Sustainable Beef Systems | Helping farmers in Scotland For more information, visit www.FAS.scot Facebook: @FASScot National Advice Hub Phone: 0300 323 0161 Email: advice@fas.scot
October 31, 202546 min
Innovation and Technology in the Livestock Industry
Welcome to Stock Talk hosted by Kirsten Williams. On today’s episode, Kirsten is joined by Ross Robertson, a Farm Technology Specialist at the UK Agri-Tech Centre. Ross collaborates with a network of farms to create practical solutions and demonstrate use of technology on farm to increase productivity. Ross draws on his practical farming experience and knowledge gained through visiting systems in other countries to bring about innovative change at a farm level here in the UK. Episode Timestamps 00.20 Introducing Ross Robertson, Farm Technology specialist and sheep farmer 04.34 Sector technology: dairy, arable robotics and precision farming, pig and chicken technology and animal health 09.00 Return on investment 10.36 Understanding how to handle and understand the data – the importance of training 13.32 Applying dairy technology to the beef sector 15.41 Main driver for introducing technology: labour, cost saving, health monitoring, increasing productivity 19.11 Ross’s background 24.28 Biodiversity sensors 27.42 LoRaWAN – Long Range Wide Area Network 30.15 Connectivity - a barrier to the uptake of technology? 32.01 ONE AgriTech survey – broadband, apps and expert help 43.30 What motivates Ross Resources The UK Agri-Tech Centre | farming & food innovation Ross Robertson contact: 07858309293, ross.robertson@ukagritechcentre.com Opportunity North East (ONE) The University of Edinburgh - The Power of Data in Farm Animal Practice For more information, visit www.FAS.scot Facebook: @FASScot National Advice Hub Phone: 0300 323 0161 Email: advice@fas.scot
September 26, 202538 min
Herd Monitoring with Jilly Duncan Grant
Welcome to Stock Talk hosted by Kirsten Williams. On today’s episode Kirsten is joined by Jilly Duncan Grant, Founder & CEO of Herd Advance Ltd. Jilly has a real love for agriculture and her varied career led to a focus on data driven decision making and developing Herd Advance with her husband to improve herd performance, profitability and wellbeing. Episode Timestamps 00.42 Introducing Jilly Duncan Grant – a Jill of all trades! 09.18 What is Herd Advance? 23.49 The family farm – managing ‘boom and bust’ fluctuation in the marketplace 27.55 QMS board member role 31.03 What motivates Jilly to keep pushing forward FAS Resources Data Driven Decision Making for Finishing Cattle | Helping farmers in Scotland Data Driven Decision Making for Suckler Herds | Helping farmers in Scotland FFBC_Case_Study_Improving_weight_data_capture_Glenkilrie_ Other Resources Herd Advance For more information, visit www.FAS.scot Facebook: @FASScot National Advice Hub Phone: 0300 323 0161 Email: advice@fas.scot
August 28, 202553 min
Bred to be Wild!
Welcome to Stock Talk hosted by Kirsten Williams. On today’s episode Kirsten is joined by Turkey Farmer Paul Kelly. In 1971, Paul’s parents started the family business, known today as ‘Kelly Turkeys’ and ‘Farmgate Hatcheries’. The cycle starts with eggs going into incubators in April for 28 days. When they hatch, they go into brooding sheds, then by 5 weeks of age they are ready to go to the woodland where they roam freely. At Kelly Turkeys they have complete control over the whole production cycle, making them very unique in the industry and one of a kind in the UK. The business has developed resilience to deal with issues like Brexit, labour, marketing and work by the motto ‘change is the name of the game’. Episode Timestamps 00.31 Introducing Paul and the turkey cycle 02.41 Inseminating vs running with stags 03.24 Genetics and breeding lines 09.43 Hatchery business: 1.8 million chicks a year 12.48 Kelly turkeys: 100,000 turkeys reared through to Christmas 18.38 Split between whole turkeys, crowns and butterflies 27.36 Bringing resilience into the business 33.32 Avian influenza (bird flu) 37.44 Markets, trends and online sales 39.09 Weighing turkeys, sources of protein (acorns!) and organic 44.36 Succession 46.50 Marketing and celebrity chefs! FAS Resources Poultry | Helping farmers in Scotland Other Resources Kelly Bronze Turkeys Farmgate Hatcheries New GB avian influenza wildlife interactive map and data dashboard launched | SRUC Avian influenza (bird flu): how to spot and report the disease - gov.scot For more information, visit www.FAS.scot Facebook: @FASScot National Advice Hub Phone: 0300 323 0161 Email: advice@fas.scot
July 25, 202546 min
Livestock Health - Laying it All Out
Welcome to Stock Talk hosted by Principal Consultant Kirsten Williams. On today’s episode Kirsten is joined by Colin Mason (Veterinary Centre Manager, SRUC). This episode focuses on livestock health and covers BVD eradication, show biosecurity, dairy beef calves, TB, Bluetongue and Schmallenberg virus. Episode Timestamps 00.44 BVD eradication (phase 6) 10.08 Top tips for biosecurity of show animals 16.20 Health of dairy beef calves 18.23 Colostrum management 20.45 Blood tests for calves 25.05 Weight for age and average DLWG 27.29 Lung scanning 28.53 Tuberculosis (TB) 31.42 Bluetongue 35.36 Schmallenberg 40.23 Managing calf groups to reduce disease risk FAS Resources BVD Eradication Scheme Update (YouTube.com)Other Resources BVD Guidance | ScotEID GOV.scot - bovine viral diarrhoea - bvd Dairy beef booklet - SAC Consulting GOV.uk - bluetongue information and guidance for livestock keepers Bluetongue Virus Hub - Ruminant Health & Welfare Schmallenberg virus - GOV.UK ibTB - Mapping bovine TB (bTB) in England and Wales For more information, visit www.FAS.scot Facebook: @FASScot National Advice Hub Phone: 0300 323 0161 Email: advice@fas.scot
June 27, 202550 min
The 5-Mile Pig!
Welcome to Stock Talk hosted by Principal Consultant Kirsten Williams. On today’s episode Kirsten is joined by farmers Ben and Harriet Lowe. HB Farms in Aberdeenshire consists of Newseat of Dumbreck, an arable farm on tenancy and Pitmillan Farm which is home to 450 breeding sows and a finishing unit. In addition to grass, forestry and land for environmental schemes, they grow 397ha of crops, with the grain used as feed for the pigs whilst manure is recycled back onto the fields. Soil health, circular agriculture and long-term biodiversity are priorities for HB Farms. Episode Timestamps 01:05 Introducing Ben and Harriet Lowe 05:38 Farm stats 06:38 Pigs, from breeding to finishing and managing a weekly system 09:15 Knowledgeable staff 10:46 Creating a circular farm 11:36 Saving on inputs due to pig FYM 14:04 Ration changes throughout the cycle 15:53 Data driven decision making 19:19 Genetics and feed conversion 21:14 Target carcase weight and spec 23:36 Processing pig meat 26:13 Managing cashflow 27:31 Protein in the pig diet33:18 Nuffield: closing the loop in pig production: the 5-mile pig 39:30 LEAF demonstration farm 41:09 Resilience in the business 47:35 Advice for New Entrants FAS Resources FAS Case Studies - Gaining A Tenancy As A New Entrant Other Resources Instagram - HB Farms Nuffield scholar - Ben Lowe Leaf demonstration farms - HB Farms For more information, visit www.FAS.scot Facebook: @FASScot National Advice Hub Phone: 0300 323 0161 Email: advice@fas.scot
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