Optimising Livestock Performance

To ensure efficient management of livestock and poultry and their manures - this can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve farm profitability.

• Draw up and regularly review animal health plans for all your livestock
• Increase longevity of breeding stock; look for a high output per breeding unit
• Improve efficiency of feed conversion; achieve optimum daily liveweight gains
• Increase efficiency gains in livestock fertility
• Where possible cover and aerate slurry and manure while stored
• Consider on-farm anaerobic digestion of manures and slurries from all livestock

For example:

By making good quality silage and knowing feed value, Ross Paton at Torr Farm was able to reduce 1kg concentrates per dairy cow per day over the housed period. Over a typical winter this saved 32 tonnes of concentrates which would have cost the business £10,355 and reduced the farm carbon footprint.

A free nutrient management programme tailored to Scottish Conditions is available through PLANET Scotland.

Advice on soils, fertilisers and manures is available through the FAS helpline www.fas.scot/advice-grants

For advice on making the best use of fertilisers, protecting soils and to see what other farmers have done, see our range of Practical Guides,  Farmer Case Studies and notes from Climate Change Focus Farm meetings.  Farming and Water Scotland and the Soil Nutrient Network and also provide useful information.