The world’s first floating dairy farm has accepted its first cows. Thirty-two animals recently arrived at the farm, based at the port at Rotterdam in The Netherlands. And what a luxury farm it is, with robotic milking, a slurry robot, spacious cubicles, automatic belt feeder and a rubber walkway. A nearby field offers the cows […] Read more
Stories by Chris McCullough
Southern Africa farmers remain optimistic
A visit to South Africa and Botswana finds producers taking steps to improve their operations and prepare for the future
Farm attacks in South Africa are reported almost on a daily basis. There is no denying they happen — the tragic results are plain to see. But what can be done about it? How does this affect how other farmers get on with life and their daily work? I’ve been fortunate enough to visit and […] Read more
Sark Island searching for new dairy farmer — and cows
An island off the coast of France is recruiting a dairy farmer to supply the islanders with fresh milk, but he or she must bring their own Guernsey cows. Sark Island is one of the Channel Islands measuring only 5.5 kilometres long and 2.5 km wide. It relies on tourism and agriculture to support its […] Read more
Kiwi smashes shearing world record
A New Zealand shearer has set a new world record for the highest number of merino sheep shorn in eight hours. Lou Brown, 31, sheared 497 sheep in eight hours, an average of one ewe every 58 seconds. Hundreds of fans came to Rockliffe farm near Kojonup, 250 kilometres south of Perth, Australia, to watch. […] Read more
Firm claims to keep milk fresh for 60 days
An Australian food technology company said it has developed the world’s first technology that can keep milk fresh for 60 days. Based in Coolum in Queens-land, Naturo said its new technology is a world first and the “biggest breakthrough in the global dairy industry since pasteurization in 1864.” Approved by Australia’s regulatory food safety authority, […] Read more
Pig behaviour study uncovers surprises
British researchers find that levels of play fighting in young pigs did not differ between the socialized and control groups
Research into pig behaviour carried out at Queen’s University in Belfast, Northern Ireland, has come out with some surprising findings. The research team at the Institute for Global Food Security (IGFS) at the university described the results as “intriguing” and “unpredicted.” It also found gender differences in the social-play behaviour of young pigs, with links […] Read more
African swine fever cancels World Pork Expo
The National Pork Producers Council in the United States has cancelled the World Pork Expo planned for June in Des Moines, Iowa, because of fears of spreading African swine fever. The council’s board of directors took the unprecedented move in recognition that ASF continues to spread in China and other parts of Asia, as well […] Read more
No-deal Brexit could open pork doors to U.K.
The EU supplies 60 percent of the U.K.’s pork needs, but greater tariffs would force it to look elsewhere, such as Canada
As the battle over the United Kingdom’s messy divorce from the European Union continues, Canada and the United States could emerge as major suppliers of pork to the U.K. in a no-deal Brexit scenario. While the EU supplies 60 percent of pork consumption in the U.K., greater tariffs imposed in a no-deal situation would force […] Read moreIndian tire maker searches for new rubber
Fears of a shortage of natural rubber to make tires has prompted Indian tire manufacturer BKT to boost its search for alternatives. The global demand for natural rubber is expected to reach 17 million tonnes by 2025. Natural rubber is obtained from the rubber tree, which originated in South America and grows only in equatorial […] Read more
Old ram sperm found to be as good as fresh
Ram sperm frozen for 50 years has been awakened to impregnate 34 ewes in Australia. Researchers from the University of Sydney have thus concluded that artificial insemination using the world’s oldest known viable semen has a successful impregnation rate in sheep equivalent to recently frozen samples. Associate professor Simon de Graaf and Jessica Rickard used […] Read more
