Scotland's Farm Advisory Service Podcast

In this podcast we hear from Dr Simon Turner of SRUC Dr Turner did a roadshow on cattle handling systems on Common Grazings in Lewis, Uist and Skye. Listen to Janette Sutherland interview him about his experiences and give top tips. Dr Turner mentions a paper on cow hair whorls and temperament here is more information We measured temperament on 76 steers and heifers using restlessness in the crush...

Farmers should look carefully at their farm to find small areas where they can engage with agri-environment management to provide a greater benefit to the wildlife and fauna in their area is the message from Professor Davy McCracken, Head of Hill & Mountain Research Centre as he chats with Upland Ecologist, Dr John Holland, at SRUC’s Kirkton and Auchtertyre research farms. The farm has engaged...

The Aberdeenshire Soil & Nutrient Network farm for 2018-19 is Kincraigie Farm at Lumphanan, which is farmed by the Marshall Family. The business is run by father and son partnership, Robert and Robert Jnr. Kincragie is a mixed arable and grassland unit focusing on a herd of 550 suckler cows. All progeny from the suckler herd is kept and finished on the farm. All the farmyard manure (FYM) and s...

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) – and more particularly, antibiotic resistance – is one of the greatest threats to human health globally.  Food producing animals account for 37% of antibiotic use in the UK so farmers have a big role to play in reducing their use.  In this podcast, we talk to vet Heather Stevenson of SAC Consulting Veterinary Services about this and what steps can be taken to cut th...

In this podcast, we hear from Agricultural Consultant Seamus Donnelly.  Seamus chats with Seamus Murphy about what exactly is involved in the planning and construction of slurry lagoons.  The Scottish Government's SRDP Agri-Environment Climate Scheme programme offers funding to farmers who need to improve or increase their slurry storage.  Funding is limited to targeted areas, but further informat...

With lambing approaching, we spoke to Vet Heather Stevenson, who is based in Dumfries with SAC Consulting Veterinary Services.  Here she talks about the importance of thinking about strategy when it comes to worming and how you can use certain tactics to reduce your use of wormers.  This can not only help to reduce the chance of the worms developing resistance but also will save you money in the l...

Agricultural Consultant, Chris McDonald, and Tweed Forum's Collaborative Action Co-ordinator, Hugh Chalmers discuss Natural Flood Management with particular reference to the Eddleston Water Catchment.   Hear more about a range of management options that farmers can undertake which can benefit the farm business whilst also reducing the flooding risk for areas further downstream.  Hugh puts the acti...

The popularity of fodder beet is growing across Scotland for those wintering ewes in a cost-effective manner while also meeting their nutritional needs. In this podcast, Sheep and Beef specialist, Kirsten Williams and Sheep specialist, Poppy Frater, both of SAC Consulting, talk to John Scott of Fearn Farm about his experience using fodder beet.

The aim of this guide is to help farmers to evaluate more accurately the potential nutrient value supplied to crops from organic fertilisers such as livestock slurries and manures. This guide has been compiled as part of the delivery programme for the Dumfriesshire Soil & Nutrient Network. You can view presentation slides to accompany this presentation at https://youtu.be/beF8Wa1dLuc Technical...

Niall Jeffrey and family farm at Bielgrange which is our Soil & Nutrient Network host farm in the East Lothian region. Niall gives us an introduction to the farm and chats with agricultural consultant Donald Dunbar about what he hopes to learn from being part of the network.

In this podcast, we hear from our Moray Soil & Nutrient Network host farmer, James Milne who farms at 'Balnellan'.  James chats with soil & drainage expert, Gavin Elrick & grassland specialist Dr. Paul Hargreaves.   James has been applying distillery by-product/digestate at Balnellan for about a year and has an interesting discussion with Paul & Gavin about the pros and cons of the...

In this final episode of our Alternative Watering series, we hear from agricultural consultant Donald Dunbar and farmer John Anderson. John explains that cattle had previously been drinking from water from springs and ditches and burns. This caused poaching and health problems e.g. fluke and lungworm. Having limited alternative watering options available for the farm animals, John decided to insta...

John Prentice a livestock farmer in the Scottish Border's chats to agricultural consultant Donald Dunbar about his alternative watering systems.  John installed both a solar-powered pump and a cluster of pasture pumps a number of years ago.  Farming in a diffuse pollution priority catchment, John wanted to ensure that he was able to provide livestock drinking facilities beyond the minimum 5m f...

Agricultural consultant Donald Dunbar visits Paul Adams, who farms at Monashee Farm in the Scottish Borders.  About four years ago Paul installed a Papa pump as part of an alternative watering project for his livestock.  Hear directly from Paul about the installation process and how the Papa pump has performed in his system. The links for the Technical Notes referred to in the podcast are: Technic...

We talk to Bridget England of the RSPB about Corncrake populations in Scotland and what can be down by farmers and crofters to boost their numbers.

Sheep Specialist Poppy Frater and Nutritionist Karen Stewart, both of SAC Consulting, talk finishing lambs in the challenging situation many farmers find themselves as we head towards the end of the 2018.

Donald Dunbar from SAC Consulting talks to farmer John Prentice who's land lies on the Eye Water River which is part of the Eye Water and Pease Bay Priority Catchment area.

The weather from late 2017 through to the recent drought has left many Scottish farmers struggling for forage going in to the winter of 2018.  This podcast features Davy McCracken of SRUC's Mountain Research Centre, Kev Bevan, a senior agricultural economist and Andrew Taylor, an agricultural consultant and dairy and beef farmer talking about what can be done to maximise your grassland output in t...

Woodland Specialist from SAC Consulting, Douglas Priest talks to Donny Chisholm from the Woodland Trust. This podcast will give you the why, where, what and how of starting woodland on your croft. 

Did you know that FAS is Gaelic for growth?  Well that's the theme of our first ever podtcast as we look at how to support crofts and smallholders.