At KWS’ recent Business Briefing, Sajjad Awan, Soil and Crop Nutrition Agronomist at NRM, told over 100 agricultural professionals that the best way to improve crop resilience and nutrient use efficiency is to focus on their own production data and move away from using standard industry figures.
‘Farming by averages is no longer enough,’ he said. ‘We’re dealing with much more on-farm variability than previously realised. A look at the key metrics from NRM’s analysis of crop nutrition data shows we need to be more granular in our crop management approach to build resilience in farming practices. Using analysis to check carbon levels in the soil, for example, helps maintain soil health for greater resilience, whilst analysing nitrogen levels helps avoid excessive applications of fertiliser, which will not only help you save money but will also prevent harm to the environment.’
The conference theme, “Building resilience into rotations” is highly topical given the extent to which climate unpredictability is affecting crop production. Dr Kirsty Richards, KWS’ Cereals Product Manager, James Webster, The Andersons Centre’s Senior Analyst, and Olivia Potter, KWS’ Technical Specialist, discussed how to choose the most suitable crops, focusing on incremental gains rather than one large change with varietal choice.
‘Building greater resilience in agriculture is crucial,’ said Sajjad. ‘Routine testing is one way growers can improve farm management, whether it be analysis of soil organic matter, soil nutrient status, or nitrogen offtake in harvested crops. Understanding the data will not only improve production across individual farms, but improve performance across the industry as a whole.’
NRM analyses over half a million soil samples across all farm types every year. Our various analysis services, including CarbonCheck for soil carbon analysis, CropCheck for plant tissue testing, GrainCheck for grain analysis, and N-Check for soil nitrogen analysis, help customers check they are on course throughout the season. These tools help farmers increase performance and profitability whilst committing to sustainable, resilient practices to help them stay productive.
For more information on our soil analysis services, contact us.
At MSD’s recent Respiratory Health Conference, David Petrie-Dolphin, Business Development Manager at Sci-Tech, told livestock farmers and veterinary professionals that robust laboratory analysis is the best way to diagnose and screen porcine diseases for optimal health and production.
‘Carrying out analysis for veterinary diagnostics is key to verifying the disease status of the herd, to confirm suspected illness after clinical observations have taken place, and to provide an independent evidence source,’ David said. ‘Serology and PCR screening allow rapid detection of specific antibodies or antibody-like substances that appear in association with certain diseases. Results can be used by vets and producers to diagnose the disease, determine animal vaccination status, prevent further spread of pathogens, and apply for transportation or export certificates.
‘Ultimately, the best thing livestock producers can do is to set a baseline for their farm with regular, UKAS accredited analysis. This will allow them to trend their farm’s performance based on certain disease characteristics over time and effectively improve productivity and profitability.’
The conference educated producers and vets on recent vaccination and animal health developments for the porcine industry. It was held on 26th & 27th April 2023 in at MSD’s UK headquarters in Milton Keynes. David spoke alongside other specialists and experts in the animal health fields, including Monika Ptaszynska-Sutton, Specialist Immunologist at MSD, who discussed antibody mechanisms and responses in animals. David’s lecture followed on perfectly, talking about how to detect these responses through the laboratory diagnostics services undertaken by Sci-Tech’s site in Dungannon.
‘Helping our customers better understand the best ways to take and submit samples, as well as the role of veterinary diagnostics analysis as a whole, is vital,’ said David. ‘Many vets and producers are interested in how best to supply samples, the best types to submit, and in sample stability. Getting a chance to talk to current and potential customers directly about how sample handling for different analysis can influence the results achieved was a great opportunity. This gives a better understanding and will help improve the precision and reliability of results. We are happy to discuss the sampling requirements and the aims of the customer to enable them to get the best solution for their needs. This will help customers accurately diagnose diseases and take action quickly, helping to improve animal health and productivity overall.’
Sci-Tech has decades of experience in specialist diagnostics analysis. The business’ UKAS accredited services include Salmonella screening, mineral and potable water screening, PCR screening, serology, and digestate and compost testing. These help vets and livestock farmers monitor their animals and take decisive action before any disease impacts the flock or herd, potentially affecting animal welfare and public health as well as productivity and profitability.
For more information, contact us.