News &
Insights

Soil sampling of arable soils during August and September is ideal as the crops have been harvested, it has been several months since nutrients have been applied and the fertility of the soil can be assessed prior to planting the next crop. Until the end of September Fane Valley are offering a 10% discount on…

Reseeding is a significant investment of both money and time and therefore it is important that the right decisions are made to maximise its potential. 1. Get the soil right. Address any issues with the soil wither that is fertility or drainage. Assess the field for any spots which may require drainage and correct the…

July 2021 has been a hot and dry month, but this has now come to an end with heavy and persistent showers in most parts of the province. Looking back at previous years, a dry spell of weather followed by rain has resulted in disease due to lungworm (hoose or husk) for two reasons: –…

With the easing of Covid restrictions, Fane Valley are happy to announce a series of farm walks next week, by kind invitation of the host farmers. These events will focus on forage, highlighting how farmers can improve their forage production and utilisation through management, soil nutrition, plant varieties and the use of silage additives.  …

This week has seen record temperatures throughout Northern Ireland and therefore, the risk of heat stress in cattle is at its highest. What is Heat Stress? Heat stress is when cattle fail to control their body temperature and it starts to rise. A cow’s body temperature needs to remain a constant 38.8 oC (± 0.5…

Many of the on farm Anaerobic Digestion plants in N.Ireland are utilising silage within the plant to produce biogas, using both grass and whole crop silage as the main feedstock. The Agronomy and Forage team at Fane Valley work with Plant operators, through the supply of products and knowledge, from seed selection, agronomy, nutrient recommendations,…

Dr Stephen Bell from Markethill, Co. Armagh has been appointed to the Agronomy and Forage Services business at Fane Valley as Technical Support Manager.  A graduate in Agriculture from Queen’s University Belfast, Stephen completed a PhD on potato pathology and physiology based at the Plant Testing Station Crossnacreevy. On completion of his doctorate, Stephen worked…

Winter cereal crops are now fast approaching the stage suitable for cutting for wholecrop. Feeding wholecrop cereal silage alongside grass silage can significantly increase the animals dry matter intake and help maximise rumen function. For these reasons wholecrop is becoming an increasingly popular feed on livestock farms. Cereals crops such as wheat, barley, oats and…

Worm control and the development of an effective worm control plan for sheep farms comes down to understanding of what is happening on individual farms throughout the year, that includes the farm structure, stocking density, management facilities available, and being aware of potential anthelmintic resistance issues. Understanding what is happening on each individual farm helps…