Callum Lindsay, 31, who farms sheep on the Isle of Arran, is working with the Farm Safety Foundation/Yellow Wellies to raise awareness of ATV safety after an accident that saw him fracture his C1 and C2 vertebrae.

Callum, who farms 4,500 acres of tenanted hill farms, as well as the 170-acre home farm, went out in heavy rain to move sheep to a place of safety – but his ATV hit a stone concealed by bracken. Despite not travelling fast, he was projected over the handlebars and his face went into the front rack, knocking him unconscious.

He came round lying in front of the bike, and found the dogs had moved the sheep to a safe place – but with no phone signal in the area he had to get back on the bike before he could call for help.

“I was unaware of the extent of the injuries that I’d done to myself at that given point in time,” he added.

X-rays revealed he had fractured the top two vertebrae in his neck and also fractured around his nose socket. He had to be airlifted to the hospital on the mainland, where he remained for some time.

Ten days after returning home, the cartilage detached from the inside of his nose, prompting a return to hospital for reconstructive surgery and a blood transfusion. 

Safety campaign

Since the accident, Callum has worked with RSABI and Yellow Wellies to raise awareness of the importance of wearing a helmet.

“I’m not saying that wearing a helmet would have eliminated me from having any injury, but it would have reduced the amount of injury that I sustained, and it would definitely have reduced my recovery period.

“Accidents are still going to happen,” he added. “But by putting all the safety things in place, it’s reducing them and encouraging people to reduce the volume of accidents or the potential for an accident on their farm is what I feel I can return to the industry.”

Callum fortunately made a full recovery, though it took more than a year, and he has been able to return to farming. 

He believes those who have survived these types of accidents have an important role to play in helping the industry to change.

No farmer sets out to have an accident

Commenting on the stories shared during Farm Safety Week, he said: “They’ve got lots of very sad and tragic stories and people that have survived and had severe implications.

“It’s seeing and hearing those stories that are going to reduce it because you can relate to it. Everybody’s jumped over a PTO shaft, everybody’s gone on a bike without a helmet. To me, that is what is going to reduce that figures that HSE are producing.”

He added: “There are too many deaths, there’s too many accidents on farms, but no farmer sets off to have an accident. I didn’t set off to come off that bike that day, but it’s doing things just that wee bit differently that gets you there.

“It might take five minutes longer, but what’s five minutes longer compared to being set up for six months?”

He wants to see wearing a helmet becoming the norm and part of a daily routine, and observed that during his time in New Zealand shearing over four seasons, helmets have been embraced there more readily than in the UK – even being a legal requirement in some cases.

“I don’t go on a bike without a helmet now. I feel more comfortable on a bike with a helmet. But to start with, I didn’t, you’re always forgetting it, but once you’ve got into the habit it just becomes normal and you don’t think about it.”

READ MORE: Fatal injuries on farms remain stubbornly high
READ MORE: How to farm safely near buried pipelines

Farmers under pressure

It’s often said that recklessness in the industry is the root cause of its poor safety record, but Callum pointed out that farmers are also facing time and financial pressures.

“A lot of people are working on their own […]. It’s not that they’re cutting corners, they’re just trying to save money. There’s that little money left in the industry that not everybody can have fancy lifting baskets and pay the electrician to come and change a bulb.” 

He added: “If you look at the industry from where it was, say, 50 years ago, there were far more people in the agricultural industry, and now one man is trying to do what three people were doing. There’s only so much that one person can physically do become before they become tired. […]

“The reality is that farmers have got so much to do – they’re the accountant, the cleaner, the plumber, they’re trying to do everything.”

However, little things can make a difference, and Callum believes time is the biggest safety factor.

“Doing things just a wee bit differently could reduce the risk they face on a day-to-day basis. After I had my accident, I evaluate things a lot differently. I might take an extra five minutes and check things a lot more.”

Focusing on mental wellbeing

With a wife and two young children, one thing that spoke to Callum about the Yellow Wellies campaign was the slogan ‘Who would fill your boots?’

Since his accident and work with the campaign, he’s noticed that many of the local farmers are now wearing helmets – and his local ATV dealer has also reported an increase in helmet sales.

This Farm Safety Week, Callum said he also wants people to give more thought to their mental wellbeing.

“If they thought a wee bit more about their mental wellbeing, they would be in a more positive mental mindset to change towards safety and accept looking at things for two or three minutes longer, or take four seconds to put their helmet on.”

He added: “It’s hard to explain to somebody to change that mindset until they’ve had an accident. Until I had my accident, I thought, it’s never gonna happen – just charge on, it will be absolutely fine.

“Once you’ve had an accident, you take a whole different outlook to things, and it’s trying to change that outlook to people before they have an accident.

“That would be a life goal ticked off if I can change the way that people look at things before they have an accident, especially young people.”

Read more farm safety news.

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NFU Scotland welcomed the news of Müller’s investment, which also includes contractual changes for the Scottish dairy farmers who supply the former Yew Tree site. 

Negotiations by Yew Tree producer representatives will see the new contract take effect from 1st November 2025, rather than 1st January 2026.  

Supplying farmers will have the option to either receive a Müller Direct Skelmersdale price, calculated using a combination of the existing Müller Direct liquid and ingredients price – which uses published global indices – or a Müller ingredients price.

However, although the contract marks an improvement for most producers, it will still leave them receiving a price that is likely to be significantly below the national average, NFU Scotland said.   

Müller said the investment will enhance its liquid milk production capacity, capability and quality, and create a flagship facility for milk drying.

With the capacity to produce 30% more powdered milk, the business will become a major producer and exporter of powdered milk products made in Britain, with milk from British farms, Müller claims.

It will also recruit 40 new staff from control room technicians and forklift drivers to engineers, and management and support.

Stark inequality 

Scottish dairy farmers on Yew Tree contracts have endured some of the lowest milk prices in the industry. 

The Scottish farming union said it has repeatedly raised the alarm about the unsustainable pricing model and the pressures it places on farm viability and farmer wellbeing. 

NFU Scotland milk committee chair Bruce Mackie said: 

“At a time when many milk producers in Scotland have experienced welcome price and market stability, those supplying under Yew Tree contracts have been left behind, struggling to survive on a milk price that is both unprofitable and unsustainable. 

“The average milk price in Scotland hides a stark inequality.”

The gap between the highest and lowest-paid producers is over 16p per litre, and Yew Tree suppliers are persistently anchored at the bottom. 

“This is unacceptable and has pushed several businesses to the brink, both financially and mentally,” he added.

Although the latest announcement is a step in the right direction, the timeline means there will be little immediate relief to farmers who are under immense strain, prompting the union to call for urgent interim price increases.

Disappointing silence 

NFU Scotland president Andrew Connon, who wrote directly to Müller’s UK CEO in June seeking a meeting on this matter, commented: 

“We’ve made it clear to Müller that change is needed, not only to support Scottish Yew Tree suppliers but to provide clarity on the company’s future commitment to its Scottish milk field.”

The union has so far received no reply to its letter or request for a conversation.

“That silence is disappointing,” Mr Connon added. 

“Yew Tree suppliers are family farming businesses currently on the bottom rung that deserve to hear vision and ambition from Müller UK & Ireland on their route to a profitable milk price. 

“It is in all our interests that all producer suppliers are confident of a future in milking cows and I would wish to discuss with Müller UK & Ireland its plans to engage constructively and work with the sector to build a sustainable future for Scottish dairy. 

“Scottish farms offer processors like Müller UK & Ireland strategic advantages in climate resilience and biosecurity, especially during prolonged drought and climate instability. 

“These contributions to national food security must be recognised more directly in the milk cheque.” 

With the new Fair Dealing legislation on milk contracts now in place, NFUS is also calling on major processors like Müller to show industry leadership by offering fair contracts across all their farmer suppliers. 

What Müller has said

Commenting on the latest announcement, Rob Hutchison, CEO of Müller Milk & Ingredients said:

“Since we acquired Yew Tree Dairy, the teams have been working day and night, not just internally, but closely with its customers and suppliers to integrate the Skelmersdale operation into the wider Müller business.

“At the time of the acquisition, we said we wanted to go even further and invest significantly in this location.

“And that’s exactly what we’re doing, we are enhancing our liquid milk production capacity, capability and quality, and creating a flagship facility for milk drying – one of the biggest and most flexible milk balancing sites in the UK.

“With significant investment in the Skelmersdale site, its people and supplying farms, we are creating exciting new opportunities for the whole supply chain, which in turns helps us on our journey to build a better future for British dairy sector.”

Müller reached an agreement to acquire Yew Tree Dairy, based in Skelmersdale, West Lancashire, in June last year. 

The dairy business came under fire again in April this year after Müller asked some farmers to ‘responsibly dispose’ of milk after operational issues at the Skelmersdale plant. 

Read more dairy news.

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The driver of the Mercedes failed a roadside drug test after the accident, which caused a tractor towing a slurry tanker to veer off the road.

Matthew Cumpsty appeared at Chester Crown Court on Tuesday 15th July, where he was handed a 12-month community order, including 200 hours community service. 

He was also ordered to pay £85 costs and £114 surcharge.

The 52-year-old, of Oldfield Drive, Great Boughton, had earlier pleaded guilty to drug driving and dangerous driving.

The court heard that at around 6.30am on Tuesday 1st April, Cumpsty was driving a silver Mercedes E-Class on Green Lane in Chester.

As he approached the junction with the A51, Vicars Cross Road, he drove straight through a red light, into the path of a JCB tractor, which had been travelling out of Chester.

The impact of the collision caused the tractor to veer off path and crash into homes at the side of the road.

Watch the video:

Emergency services attended the scene and on arrival found that two properties had suffered serious structural damage. Thankfully, there were no reports of any injuries as a result of the incident.

Cumpsty was arrested at the scene after failing a roadside drugs swipe. A toxicology report later reveal that he was over the limit for benzoylecgonine (cocaine) with 65 micrograms per litre of blood, over the limit of 50 micrograms per litre.

CCTV footage recovered from the scene showed him clearly driving through the red light.

READ MORE: Tractor “fully alight” within two minutes in Staffordshire blaze 
READ MORE: Dorset police plea for information after crops were damaged

Life-changing impact

Following the sentencing, police constable Richard Phillips, said:

“While Cumpsty has shown remorse for his actions, the impact of his actions that day were lifechanging and it was pure chance that nobody suffered any serious injuries.

“As a result of one bad decision to get behind the wheel while under the influence, several families were left homeless and commuters travelling into Chester were left with serious disruption for several weeks while repair work was undertaken.

“In addition, Cumpsty is facing a lengthy driving ban, I hope that this ban will give him time to reflect on his actions that day.”

Read more rural news.

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Testing suggests Haemonchus contortus, or Barber’s pole worm, is becoming more prevalent in the UK as weather patterns change, vets have warned.

The Sustainable Control of Parasites in Sheep (SCOPS) group said recent testing suggests an increase in cases of Haemonchus infection, with the parasite appearing further north.

Farmers are being encouraged to familiarise themselves with signs of infection and regularly check their sheep.

Vet Gina Rigby from Cross Counties Farm Vets in Northamptonshire, part of the VetPartners group, said:

“Historically, if we had very cold, harsh winters, a lot of the Haemonchus larvae would be killed off, but now we’re finding that they’re overwintering – both on pasture and in the ewes – which means we’re seeing infection earlier in the year than we were before.”

What are the symptoms? 

Haemonchus is different from other gastrointestinal worms and, as such, it causes different symptoms.

“Haemonchus is a blood-sucking worm which can cause anaemia, and unless a sheep has a mixed infection with other gastrointestinal worms, it doesn’t cause scour,” Gina adds.

“This means sheep farmers are often caught out by it because they’re not seeing the classic signs of worms, like mucky back-ends, on their sheep.”

Symptoms of infection depend on whether the sheep is suffering from acute, sub-acute, or chronic infection.

“Acute infection is caused by an animal ingesting a lot of infective larvae in a very short period of time, and the signs include sudden death, rapid breathing, and pale mucus membranes which can be seen by looking at the inside of the lower eyelid,” she explains.

“Sub-acute infection isn’t always as obvious, and often farmers get this confused with liver fluke, because it causes bottle jaw (swelling under the jaw), while chronic infection presents as more of a failure to thrive with weight loss, poor body condition, and lethargy – along with the signs of anaemia.”

READ MORE: Sheep farmers face grazing pressures due to hot and dry weather
READ MORE: Huw Jones breaks record after shearing 663 ewes in 8 hours

Monitoring for Haemonchus

To monitor for Haemonchus, Gina recommends looking out for clinical signs of infection, FAMACHA scoring, worm egg counting, and carrying out a post-mortem examination on any dead animals.

“FAMACHA scoring is a colour chart to compare with the colour of the membranes of the lower eyelid to assess for anaemia caused by Haemonchus; it’s relatively easy to do when you’re already running animals through the race for other reasons,” she adds.

“Worm egg counts are also useful to identify the presence of worms, however ‘in house’ counts can’t easily differentiate Haemonchus from other worm species, so if you suspect you’ve got a problem, you can send a sample off to the lab for worm species identification.”

If Haemonchus is identified, speak to your vet to discuss an appropriate treatment plan.

“Finding Haemonchus in a sample doesn’t necessarily mean clinical disease is present on your farm,” she adds.

“Speak to your vet about treatment – both in terms of product choice and which animals need it, or whether vaccination might be an option on your farm.”

Perfect storm for worms

A SCOPS update also warned that the combination of earlier dry conditions and recent rainfall could create a perfect storm for increased worm challenges on pasture.

Nerys Wright, technical adviser for SCOPS, urged farmers to be extra vigilant in monitoring parasite burdens and lamb performance, including carrying out regular faecal egg counts (FECs).

However, she stresses that FECs should be interpreted alongside lamb condition and performance. 

After a prolonged dry spell, large numbers of immature worms may be present and cause clinical disease before a high FEC is detected. 

This makes visual assessment and consideration of nutritional status equally important in decision-making.

Poor grass growth

The earlier dry weather also limited grass growth on many farms, adding nutritional stress to lambs. 

“A lamb’s immune system is closely linked to its nutritional status,” explains Nerys. “Lambs under nutritional stress are less able to withstand a parasite challenge.”

Rebecca Mearns, parasitology vet lead at the APHA, adds that while some areas are now seeing high FECs following the rain, others remain low – highlighting the importance of testing and monitoring rather than assuming worms are the cause of poor performance.

“It’s essential to consider other factors like grass quality and availability,” says Rebecca. “Not all poor performance is due to worms, and blanket treatments can do more harm than good in the long term.

Funded testing 

SCOPS is also reminding farmers in England to take advantage of the DEFRA-funded Worming Treatment Check (WTC) scheme, available through the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway Review. 

In Scotland, a similar scheme supports farmers in preparing for sustainable farming, while Wales currently does not have a comparable programme.To benefit from funded testing, worm egg counts must be high enough to justify treatment. 

“The key message remains: check your FECs before undertaking the WTC to ensure the timing is right and the results are meaningful,” concludes Rebecca.

Read more sheep news.

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Firefighters in Staffordshire were called out to Rugeley on Thursday evening (10^th July) after a tractor caught fire while being driven back to Cowley Hill Farm. 

Farmer Will Roobottom said his brother was driving back from tedding when a small fire started on the right-hand side of the bonnet. Within two minutes of pulling over on Pipe Ridware Road, about a mile from the farm, the tractor was fully ablaze.

Two fire engines from Litchfield and Abbots Bromley attended the scene, taking about 20-30 minutes to bring the fire under control. 

The cause of the fire is not known. 

The farm shared photos and a video of the tractor fully alight, before being tackled by firefighters and the shell of the vehicle eventually being towed away. 

Watch the video:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Will From Cowley Hill (@cowleyhillfarm)

Cowley Hill Farm’s social media confirmed no one was hurt: 

‘Massive thank you to everyone that came and helped yesterday evening. 

‘Where would we be without the fire service and the community around us to pull together to avoid the fire turning into a bigger problem. 

‘Metal can be replaced and luckily everyone is safe and sound. Thank you for all of the support from everyone.’

The sheep farm, which also produces hay and haylage for horses, is now in the process of looking for a replacement tractor.

“The big thing for us it was our only loader tractor on the farm – we do a lot of delivering haylage and hay to people and it’s our main tractor so it’s a bit of a pain that we haven’t got it,” Will told Farmers Guide.

“We’re borrowing a neighbour’s tractor on and off but we can’t have it 24/7.”

Read more rural news.

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Having run farm shops, a pub, and most recently an eco lodge and online meat business, Ben Aveling is a realist about diversification – but remains a “sucker for a new idea”.

Radmore Farm in Towcester, Northamptonshire, was originally a large pig farm and they began selling their own pig meat and other produce in a farm shop in Cambridge city centre around 20 years ago – with their own on-farm butchery.

The farm shop was originally set up to give Ben’s wife and sister, whose parents own the farm, a foothold in the farming business.

From there, they bought a local pub, with the experience having much in common with Jeremy Clarkson’s purchase of The Farmer’s Dog, which features in the latest series of Clarkson’s Farm. 

“We’ve been watching Clarkson’s Farm and it’s been quite funny because he’s following a very similar thing to what we did 10-15 years ago or more. Our local pub come up for sale and it was an absolute wreck, a bit like in the TV show,” Ben told the Farmers Guide Podcast.

“We tried to get it off the ground and over time opened a restaurant and sold our own produce through that.”

Listen to Ben’s insights on diversification:

Visit our podcast page to hear the full interview.

“We had to move on from the shop”

With livestock having fallen to quite a low level on the farm by 2018, their success with the farm shop allowed them to invest back into the farm, in the infrastructure for glamping, and building the livestock numbers back up. 

Having moved premises, the farm shop closed when covid-19 restrictions eased and footfall dropped. They felt that glamping would help to spread their risk, with the first guest arriving at the eco lodge in June 2022.

“We got to the stage where we had to move on from the shop. So over time we managed to get through that and then about a year later I built a new website to try and plug the gap of the shop,” Ben explained.

“We deliver meats from our farm and buy some from local farms if we’re short. We now deliver it nationwide around the country and that’s actually going really well.”

Ben uses social media and YouTube to promote the online store, but doesn’t really ‘sell’.

“I don’t do that much pushing of products. I don’t really sell. I do the occasional advert maybe once a week or something just to tell people what’s on this week but actually what’s really interesting is by just being present and just doing farm videos I get far more orders than if I just did ‘order now’ videos.”

Deeply saddening profitability issues

Commenting on the profitability challenges facing farmers and the growing need to diversify, Ben said: “It’s deeply saddening first and foremost.

“I think the whole situation of farming is surrounded by a real narrative of doom and gloom and you’re told that you have to diversify and sometimes it’s true and sometimes it’s not.

“There’s a lot about diversification that I don’t like and that if I could change, I would. 

“I would say that if farmers are being told they should diversify, in my opinion, it probably is more often than not by someone who has never diversified before.”

Taking time away from farming jobs

Ben spoke frankly of the downsides of diversification, particularly the time taken away from the farming business, and towards non-farming tasks.

“Doing the glamping is not even close to farming. No farmer wants to change beds and clean toilets and wash out the fridge. 

“With the glamping it’s actually quite a lot of work and you’re welcoming people onto your farm who, not all the time but quite often, have no clue about the countryside and it can be quite stressful.”

He added: “One of the worst things about it is when you end up having to do the diversified job instead of a job that needs to be done on the farm and then you think to yourself, actually the farm’s suffering.”

Glamping has been the biggest culture shift, he explained, whereas the meat and farm shop businesses align more closely. 

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Investment challenges 

Start-up costs are another issue and a barrier for many farmers, he noted. “The revenue streams, in my case with some of the diversifications I’ve done, you’ve never really made anything because of the heavy start-up investment. 

“You can’t do anything without significant figures of money going into it in the first place and you’re lucky if you see your return in 10 years.”

He added: “If I could afford it, I’d diversify into most things. It’s just that it requires so much money. Most farmers aren’t in a position to actually do it. You’re told by the government, just set up a farm shop. Well, OK, how do you do that?”

“[…] You’ve really got to make sure that you can afford to do it in the first place, and ideally without having to borrow anything because that’s where it really kicks you in the teeth because obviously you’re paying money on money.”

There’s also a question mark over whether it’s best to invest that money into the farming business, or diversification – and there’s no easy answer. 

“We have this question a lot where my father-in-law and I chat and we’ll say back in 2005, 2006, we might have been better off if we’d have put anything close to what we invested in diversification into efficiencies and equipment and things like this on the farm, and just trying to grow an extra 1 tonne/acre of corn.

“It’s one of those things where we’ll never know the answer to that, but sometimes it feels like we know the answer and it’s quite sad,” Ben said.

“But again we need to make sure that we are covering our possible losses by doing different things. And in all fairness, I quite like variety, so I don’t mind.”

It will always take more time than you think

For those considering a new diversification, Ben emphasised that it will always take more time than you think, so really think about what value it will bring to your business.

“I might have someone call up saying there’s a problem. I was going to go and do the worming, but now the sheep will just have to wait and at harvest time or haymaking time you have a very real time pressure, but you have to get your orders out for a certain day because people have ordered them.

“So the irony is to try and make your farm survive, you’re putting it last.

“Over time you get used to it and we’ve got systems in place but especially at first it’s hard.”

Dealing with the public for the first time is also a steep learning curve. “People can be quite happy to complain; we have Airbnb and you can get negative reviews which can really impact your rating.”

Choosing a business you like is key, Ben added, and if you outsource tasks you don’t like, it comes at massive cost – and staff will never do it like you do.

“That was something that happened with the shop. I thought by replacing myself in our shop over time, it would stay the same, but actually you don’t realise in a face-to-face business, for example, like a shop on your farm, people are actually coming to see you. If you’re not there two or three times in a row, they might just stop coming.”

Future generations

Despite the challenges, Ben says he’s a sucker for a new idea. 

Asked what diversification he would do if money and logistics was no object he said: “I’d love to be able to personally sell just about everything that we produce.

“So if we produce oats, I’d love to sell packaged oats. If we produce milling wheat, I’d love to have a form of cracked wheat cereal. And if we do straw I’ll have little straw bales for garden centres. And the list goes on.”

Another goal is to move away from one-man band territory, and grow the business enough to outsource the less skilled work to staff.

But much of the farm’s diversifications are also led by the younger generations of the family. 

“My middle son, Leo, he’s obsessed with the farm and he’s got loads of ideas that he wants to do. He’s only nine, but it won’t be long, 10 years, before he’s old enough to be part of the working farm.

“So we’ve got 10 years to think about how he wants to do it. A lot of the diversification projects are geared towards that as well and we’ve got nieces and nephews who might be interested as well. 

“I’m always trying to think of the family, really.”

Read more diversification news.

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The project, which started in 2022, aimed to cut sheep flock lameness towards the 2% Farm Animal Welfare Committee (FAWC) target, while lowering antimicrobial use. 

It was a collaboration between Sainsbury’s, Dunbia and MSD Animal Health, and explored the benefit of vaccination against endemic diseases following the NOAH Category One Livestock Vaccination Guidelines.

It more than halved lameness levels across 10 Welsh sheep farms – saving an estimated £54,000 per year and slashing antibiotic use.

Five point plan

It involved just under 6,000 ewes across hill, upland and lowland systems. 

Over the project’s duration, average flock lameness fell from 6.3% to 2.7%, thanks to rigorous application of the Five Point Plan – treat, cull, avoid, quarantine, and vaccinate – and ongoing monitoring using MSD Animal Health’s sheep lameness control planner.

The plan provides a clear framework for tackling lameness and, when implemented properly, builds resilience, reduces infection pressure and improves immunity,” said Sonja van Dijk from the MSD Animal Health Market Access Team.

“All ten farms improved their lameness control scores by 94%, rising from 12 to 23 out of 25 – and that translated directly into healthier sheep and financial gains.”

Before the project began, lameness was estimated to be costing the 10 farms a collective £84,000 a year in lost productivity and medicine. By 2025, that had fallen to £30,000 – a £54,000 annual saving. 

The benefits of vaccination with Footvax also stood out. “Vaccination cost just £2.58* per ewe per year yet delivered savings of £11.42 per ewe per year – more than a fourfold return,” Ms van Dijk added.

This figure is based on three doses of vaccine in the first year (for replacement ewes) and one dose thereafter, and assumes a ewe replacement rate of 20% each year.

Transformative difference 

Gerwyn Evans and his family, who farm 950 Welsh and Welsh cross ewes plus 220 ewe lamb replacements on a 640-acre hill unit in Tregaron, Ceredigion, were involved in the project and saw lameness prevalence drop from 8.8% in 2022 to just 0.8% by the end of 2024.

“We’re delighted that lameness has fallen to such a manageable level, especially through some of the wettest weather we’ve ever had,” said Gerwyn.

“This has always been our biggest flock health challenge – and our daughters were spending hours catching and treating lame sheep. But being part of the project helped us really focus on the issue. The difference has been transformative.”

They are now much stricter on culling repeat offenders and quarantine all incoming rams for at least four weeks. Gerwyn added: “Vaccination has made a huge difference too – we started Footvax in 2023. It’s a no-brainer – vaccine is far cheaper than constant use of antibiotics, which we want to move away from anyway.”  

READ MORE: First minister faces backlash from Welsh farming community
READ MORE: Huw Jones breaks record after shearing 663 ewes in 8 hours

Wider value of being proactive

Leisia Tudor, agriculture manager at Dunbia, said the project demonstrates the wider value of tackling lameness proactively.

“When you see the impact the Five Point Plan has had, it’s clear this is about more than just treating lame sheep,” she said.

“The farmers who are part of this project are seeing fewer losses, spending less time on treatments, reducing their antibiotic usage, and improving overall efficiency – all of which contribute to a lower carbon footprint.

“This kind of proactive health management is one of the aspects that contributes towards sustainable livestock production, and we’re pleased to be supporting farmers on that journey.”

Read more sheep news.

The post Sheep farms halve lameness through project  appeared first on Farmers Guide.

Those who have seen the recently released F1 movie, starring Brad Pitt, could spot farmer Richard Heady as he makes a cameo appearance helping move cattle across a country road. 

Filming took place at his 1,000-acre farm, and a neighbouring farm, nearly two years ago and the film was released in late June, having been delayed by the actors’ strike over AI. Cattle were brought onto the mixed farm from Dorset for the scene.

Speaking to Farmers Guide, Richard, of WF Heady & Sons, said: “It was such a short scene but they had the road shut for about three days, they had catering units up there, car parks and makeup and all sorts going on, and the helicopter shots. It was really interesting to be involved with.”

Sharing one story from filming he recalled when producers wanted to take the car to the art department to add the appearance of mud. “My wife sent them up a farm track and said ‘there’s a puddle up there just go and drive through a few times.’”

Filming was taking place near to the Milton Keynes farm and the production company were looking for a country road, so they approached Richard via a neighbour.

“We were very lucky [filming] came in between harvesting the barley and starting on the wheat, so it was perfect timing and meant I had a day or two to spend up there with them.

“I did a lot of moving stuff around with a loader and provided hurdles for the cattle.”

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Good conversations about British farming

Commenting on meeting Brad Pitt, Richard said: “He was very cool. He wasn’t overly talkative, but he was very happy to have a brief chat.

“Being a farmer, I tried to explain to him about the field of beans that were surrounding him and what they were going to be used for, and he didn’t seem overly interested in that. But he did say he’d never worked with livestock before.

“His co-star Kerry Condon was really interested in the cattle. She came over between scenes and was asking about them.”

He added: “It’s nice to do something different, meet different people. There was a lot of people who didn’t know anything about farming and we had some really good conversations with them about British-grown food and how livestock actually have an important role in the countryside.”

He credited Just Farmers – a community interest company that offers media training to farmers and links them with journalists – for giving him the courage to “say yes to mad opportunities.”

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Innovative new lighting

A selection of new lighting from Sealey is on page 146, including the LED100PTR Telescopic Flexi Rechargeable Magnetic Pick-Up Tool Light and the LED142 Rechargeable Flexible Under-Bonnet Light. 

The LED142 10W COB LED Light delivers up to 1,600 lumens of wide, bright illumination, ideal for full work area coverage. 

Designed for versatility, it features a bendable light band with 150-degree rotation at both ends, interchangeable 360° rotating hooks, paintwork-safe silicone bands that stretch from 1.35–1.7m, and covered magnets on both sides for easy attachment to a bonnet without the additional fittings.

Safe, filtered and efficient carbon cleaning

The new VSWB30 Walnut Blaster features a large-capacity drum and built-in filter to safely clean carbon deposits, helping to maintain engine efficiency. 

The natural polishing properties of walnut media provide thorough cleaning of intake ports and valves without causing damage, while also avoiding the corrosion associated with chemical cleaners. 

A continuous injection and suction loop allows the walnut media to be sprayed and recovered simultaneously. 

Designed for versatility, the blaster comes with 23 vehicle inlet port adaptors, compactly stored on the back of the unit, for compatibility with most vehicle applications. Built for mobility, it features a telescopic handle and wheels for smooth movement across workshop floors.

Win a huge detailing bundle

One lucky winner will receive a heavy-duty 160 bar pressure washer with a powerful 2,200W motor, designed for extensive domestic and light commercial use. 

The prize package, valued at over £700 (list price), contains a comprehensive kit of cleaning equipment, including a mechanic’s detailing utility seat, a snow foam sprayer with snow foam, and TFR detergent. 

To enter the giveaway or explore all the new products and discounts, visit www.sealey.co.uk

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The post Sealey launches latest Tool Promotion  appeared first on Farmers Guide.

Weather conditions such as these can disrupt the natural availability of key trace elements, with serious implications for lamb growth and immunity before and after weaning.

Sarah Gallimore, technical associate at livestock health and husbandry specialist Nettex, said:

“Cobalt and selenium play vital roles in post-weaning lamb health. Low levels can impact immune function and growth at a time when lambs are already under stress from weaning and potentially facing parasite challenges. 

“Identifying the issue and finding a suitable drench or bolus can help prevent disease and improve post weaning weight.”

Deficiencies on farm

Research from Teagasc reinforces this concern:

• 73% of surveyed sheep farms had cobalt-deficient herbage
• Only 11% had herbage with sufficient levels of selenium.

The same research showed cobalt supplementation significantly boosted lamb performance post-weaning, resulting in higher carcass weights.

Selenium is key to supporting immunity and preventing white muscle disease, while cobalt is vital for vitamin B12 synthesis in the rumen, which is a crucial factor in energy metabolism and liveweight gain. 

As cobalt cannot be stored in the body, a steady supply throughout the grazing season is essential.

What are the signs?

Sarah said: “Deficiencies often go unnoticed until lamb performance starts to decline. Weaning is a vulnerable period, and any nutritional shortfall can cause a growth check or increased susceptibility to disease.”

Typical signs of cobalt deficiency include poor growth, dull fleece, loss of appetite, runny eyes, and increased worm burdens due to reduced immunity.

Top tips

Sarah recommends forage analysis as a first step. “Testing forage gives farmers clarity on what’s lacking and allows them to supplement effectively – whether via drenches, boluses, free access or in-feed options. 

“It’s about ensuring lambs continue to thrive, not just survive, after weaning.

“When choosing a supplementation product, it’s also important to consider how long those animals are on the farm for and what is in the products.”

She suggests lambs that are leaving the farm, but need supplementation, can benefit from a Nettex’s Cobalt, Selenium and B12 drench. 

Alternatively, a micro-bolus such as Cob-I-sel 60 can be used to deliver iodine, selenium and multi-vitamins over 60 days.  

“With rapidly changing grass quality and increasing demands on youngstock, it’s important farmers understand the trace element situation on their farm and act now to safeguard lamb health and performance,” she said.

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