An anaerobic digestion (AD) plant, matched in size to a farm’s needs, can allow Welsh poultry units to take control of their energy costs and benefit manure management.

Wales has seen a big expansion in poultry production in recent...

A Farming Connect project focussing on better use of home produced fertilisers shows how managing manure applications and testing soils nutrient status can improve productivity and profitability on Welsh soils.

The project, located at Lower Eyton Farm near Wrexham, focussed...

Below is the 11th issue of Farming Connect’s technical publication for farmers and foresters in Wales.

Published bi-monthly, it includes easy to digest facts and figures about a range of technical matters, along with the latest information and research from...

Dr Ruth Wonfor: IBERS, Aberystwyth University

Take home messages:

• Injurious pecking is a behaviour that affects hen welfare in many free range systems, the current common control strategy is the use of beak trimming.
• Management strategies to improve foraging...

European law sets out minimum requirements that must be met for laying hens in order to market eggs as free range. The rules are strict and are enforceable by Egg Marketing Inspectors if egg producers keep 350 or more birds...

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...