News and Events

Dr Elizabeth Hart: IBERS, Aberystwyth University.

Take home messages:

• Precision livestock farming aims to increase animal productivity, improve animal welfare and health, whilst reducing environmental impact.
• The improvement of animal productivity is achieved using real time monitoring and management systems...

16 May 2018

Dr Elizabeth Hart: Farming Connect Knowledge Exchange Hub, IBERS, Aberystwyth University.

Take home messages:

• Current research aims to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, particularly enteric methane.
• Methane production comes from a community of microbes within the...

30 April 2018

Dr William Stiles: IBERS, Aberystwyth University.

Take home messages:

• Soil organisms are essential components of a healthy, functioning soil.
• Numerous soil processes are influenced by the size and diversity of soil organism communities.
• The activities...

25 January 2018

Take home messages:

• Soil compaction is major issue for modern agriculture.
• This can influence soil physical and chemical characteristics and can affect soil-based processes.
• Compacted soil is economically damaging to farm business efficiency, as it results...

Take home messages:

• Increasing the amount of species in UK grasslands can offer benefits in terms of production, whilst reducing environmental impact.
• Diverse grassland swards can enhance agro-ecosystem biodiversity and increase soil health and function.
• This approach could reduce necessary...

Dr William Stiles: IBERS, Aberystwyth University.

Take home messages:

• Tillage creates significant disturbance to soil, which can have a negative influence on soil biology and soil organic matter levels.
• This can adversely affect soil health and function.
• Adopting no-till systems...

Poultry manure management

Take home messages:

• Poultry manure is rich in nutrients making it an effective fertiliser.
• Initial composting can improve the nutrient composition of this material.
• Guidance should be sought from the APHA before moving it between farms...

Take home messages:

• Increasing the presence of trees in crop or grass systems can offer multiple benefits in terms of agricultural production.
• Agroforestry practices are simple to instigate and can make farmland production more stable in the long term.
• This...

Dr Ruth Wonfor: IBERS, Aberystwyth University  

Take home messages:

• A feed efficient animal will eat less whilst maintaining production and health and emitting less methane.
• Feed efficiency in ruminants is linked to the microbial population in the rumen...

Take home messages:

• Climate change offers an enormous challenge to UK agricultural systems
• Agriculture is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, but could also offer opportunities to reduce the impact of climate change.
• Modifying current agricultural practice to mitigate...