Agricology Blog

A pioneering on-farm conference focusing on soil health is gearing up for its launch on a Cumbrian farm this summer (June 25th-26th). Carbon Calling is a knowledge exchange initiative created by farmers to promote discussion among livestock and food producers, and help them address climate, biodiversity, societal and food security issues.

A survey of over 220 livestock farms (80% commercial) in the UK and Ireland has reported up to 69% reduction in antibiotic use, up to 70% reduction in vet costs, significant reduction in disease frequency and severity, and 84% overall improvement in livestock health through the use of Complementary and Alternative Methods (CAMs).

For organic pig and poultry farmers, living up to the ideal of feeding 100% regional and organic feed is difficult and especially for protein that fulfils amino acid requirements (cysteine, lysine and methionine most notably). Balanced diets are important, not just for healthy growth and production, but also for animal welfare where, for example, an imbalance can lead to feather pecking and cannibalism in poultry.

Tim Field provides and update vlog discussing how the planting of 800 trees into an area with existing chicken ranges has impacted chicken behaviour, weed control, tree growth and biodiversity

In this short vlog (filmed on the 16th of March), Tim Field discusses using a Woodland Trust grant to plant 800 trees on a 30 acre field which currently comprises of established chicken ranges at Daylesford Organic Farm.

In this month's vlog, Richard Smith, Farm Manager at Daylesford Organic Farm, discusses raising organic, free range turkeys from 6 week old poults; including how they are housed, their ranging behaviour and habits, and how he feeds them home grown oats to get some fat on them for Christmas!

Would you eat an endangered species? For most people the answer would be a horrified “no!” but in my work with the UK’s endangered farm livestock that’s exactly what I spend my time encouraging people to do.