Sci-Tech has moved its potable water analysis services for the livestock industry exclusively to its Craven Arms laboratory, greatly improving efficiency and turnaround times.
‘Demand for potable water sampling is growing,’ said David Petrie-Dolphin, Business Development Manager at Sci-Tech. ‘It’s important that these samples are tested as soon as they arrive at the laboratory as they have very specific stability times. Any delay in testing may affect the results of even make the sample unfit for analysis. Our greater capacity at our Craven Arms laboratory means we can test waters Monday to Friday, allowing us to better assist our customers with their analysis requirements.
‘This not only increases efficiency on our end, but it also improves turnaround times so that our customers can get their results faster. This helps them make crucial decisions quickly so that they can treat drinking water if they need to before it affects livestock health and productivity.’
The quality and supply of water to livestock has a substantial effect on the health and performance of the animal. Poor water quality leads to livestock diseases that result in performance losses. Livestock farmers are also subject to regulations that are in place to ensure animal products are safe for consumption and to protect the welfare of the animals. Potable water analysis is vitally important to help uphold animal productivity and performance, to safeguard health and animal welfare, and to help farmers maintain compliance.
‘We are always looking for innovative and valuable ways to improve our services for our customers,’ said Julian Salazar, Managing Director of Cawood Agriculture. ‘Streamlining our services to improve efficiency and turnaround times means that we can meet customer requirements whilst continuing to cement our position as the UK’s leading agricultural diagnostics group.’
For more details on our potable water analysis, contact us.
Farmers Weekly has named Jamie Leslie, of Scholland Farm, Shetland, as the 2022 Mixed Farmer of the Year. Sponsored by Cawood, the award celebrates the successful integration of two or more complementary businesses to create a sustainable farming enterprise.
The awards, which took place on Thursday 6th October in London, are the most prestigious and biggest in UK farming. The very best of British agriculture is showcased every year through the recognition of hard working and innovative farmers across the industry. Awards are presented across a variety of categories, including Livestock Advisor, Arable Farmer, Farm Innovator, Environmental Champion, Grassland Manager, Young Farmer, Lifetime Achievement, and Farmer of the Year.
‘On behalf of everyone at Cawood, I would like to congratulate Jamie,’ said Sean Stevenson, Managing Director of Cawood Agriculture. ‘We are proud to sponsor this award as we have three business units that serve British farming with agronomic analysis services. These services, including soil, plant tissue, and grain testing, animal feeds and pet foods analysis, and animal health and veterinary diagnostics analysis, provide farmers with the data they need to help them measure progress and improve performance. As we support arable and livestock farmers and advisors, as well as farmers with diverse offerings, we are very happy to be involved in highlighting the achievements of mixed farmers.’
Jamie runs complementary beef, sheep, pigs and arable enterprises with a real focus on grassland management. His achievements include effectively using foliar nutrition sprays to improve crop health and drive yield in an extreme environment, which sees soils with up to 76% sand content. An example of a farmer successfully dealing with unique challenges in an extreme environment, Jamie drives his business forward and improves productivity while actively cutting back on inputs. The marketability of farm produce is always at the forefront of his mind.
‘It was a pleasure to present Jamie with his award and attend the ceremony once more this year with our customers and colleagues,’ continued Sean. ‘Seeing the winners and runners up of all the categories first hand was a fantastic reminder of the agricultural industry’s achievements. We are proud to support sustainable food production as well as farmers and their advisors across the country by helping them meet their goals.’
For more information on our agricultural services, click here to read our Cawood Agriculture brochure. To learn more about Jamie, the awards, and the other winners and runners up, visit the Farmers Weekly Awards website.
Marchwood has invested in a state-of-the-art stacks laboratory to house its new range of accredited tests for stack emissions. These services enable companies to demonstrate compliance with the limits and regulations in place to reduce pollution, safeguard public health, and support a safer, healthier planet.
‘Our new laboratory, developed from existing space at our Manchester site, has helped us extend our capacity and capability,’ said Jenny Wraith, Business Development Manager at Marchwood. ‘Regulatory monitoring is a legal requirement for all industrial and power generation facilities. All organisations are provided with an environmental permit that outlines the substances that need to be monitored and the limits that must be adhered to. If they do not remain compliant with these requirements, sanctions may be implemented by the governing body.
‘Essentially, we can now provide one convenient and comprehensive service for occupational hygiene and stack emissions services, helping these facilities easily demonstrate compliance with the latest accurate and reliable analytical services.’
Marchwood has invested in this high-end instrumentation to provide an industry-leading 7 working day turnaround, including ICP/MS, two Ion Chromatographs, CVAFS, 5 d.p. analytical balances, and a water scrubbed fume cupboard for handling hydrofluoric acid. We have also brought new microwave technology to the UK, with a system comprising of twelve independent magnetrons for superior temperature-controlled digestion.
‘We have analysed occupational hygiene and other environmental air samples for many years. Our services have grown in both capability and capacity thanks to investment from our parent company, Cawood, and our culture of continuous improvement,’ continued Jenny. ‘Our new extensive range of stacks analysis complement the well-established dioxin, PCB, and PAH analytical services that are already offered by Marchwood. We are also the first lab in the UK to test for brominated dioxins at our Southampton site. Following a rigorous accreditation campaign, we are MCERTS accredited for a number of key parameters. We will continue to add to this scope of accreditation over the next year.’
Air pollution has a devastating impact on people all around the world, resulting in ill health and even death. A key source of air pollution is emissions from stack chimneys or flues. Substances emitted from stacks can exist in gaseous or particulate phases and, in many cases, are released simultaneously. The chosen monitoring method must be able to capture both phases for organic pollutants including dioxins and furans as well as inorganic pollutants such as mercury.
‘The team has worked exceptionally hard over the last few months to set up the lab and develop these new tests to give us a comprehensive stacks analysis service for our customers,’ said Simon Parrington, Group Chief Executive Officer of Cawood. ‘We are focussed on providing reliable and accurate analytical services to help our customers meet and maintain compliance whilst supporting a safer, healthier planet. These new services have also further cemented our position as market leaders in occupational hygiene and environmental analysis in the UK.’
The tests that Marchwood are currently MCERTS accredited for include:
| Determinant | Method |
| Poly Chlorinated Dibenzo-p-Dioxins (PCDD) Poly Chlorinated Dibenzo Furans (PCDF) | BS EN 1948-2:2006 and BS EN 1948-3:2006 |
| Poly Chlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) | BS EN 1948-4:2010 |
| Poly Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) | BS ISO 11338-2:2003 |
| Speciated VOCs | In house method by GC-MS (solvent desorption) based on PD CEN/TS 1369:2014 & BS ISO 16200-1:2001 |
| Ammonia | BS EN ISO 21877:2019 using IC |
| Chlorine/Bromine | US EPA Method 26 using IC |
| Hydrogen Fluoride | PC CEN/TS 17430:2020 using IC |
| Hydrogen Chloride | BS EN 1911-3:2010 using IC |
| Particulate | BS EN 13284-1:2017 |
| Metals | BS EN 14385:2004 using HF digestion and ICP-MS |
| Mercury | BS EN 13211:2001 using HF digestion and CVAFS |
Marchwood provides a UKAS analytical service on a range of other parameters. For more information, contact us.
Sciantec has invested in new NIR instrumentation for its quality forage analysis services to improve the accuracy, reproducibility, and robustness of results for customers.
Sciantec’s new equipment has an updated configured sample interface and a wider wavelength range, enabling scanning of a greater area and better reproducibility over non-homogenous samples including forage. Options include nutritional analysis by NIR for fresh grass, silage, haylage, and whole crop, dietary minerals analysis for macro minerals, micro minerals, and antagonists, and VFA and lactic acid analysis by wet chemistry.
‘This investment in our instrumentation is part of our commitment to continuous improvement for our customers,’ said Mike Whitfield, Business Development Manager at Sciantec. ‘This season, customers can get even more accurate, robust, and reliable results that are produced using our brand new, state-of-the-art instrumentation. Many of our results are also extremely quick — results for nutritional analysis will be available on the day of receipt, whilst hay, haylage, and whole crop analysis takes only 48 hours. This is very important for our customers, who often require rapid turnaround of results to help them diagnose problems on-farm, such as a reduction in milk output, so they can adjust rations accordingly to increase productivity.’
Most livestock farmers have forage available for summer grazing or winter silage. This low-cost supply of animal feed is an easy source of supplementary nutrition — if it is of high quality. Forage analysis helps customers determine the nutritional quality of forage to allow herd nutrition, crop nutrition, and fertiliser programmes to be tailored for improved animal welfare, productivity, and profitability.
‘The team has worked incredibly hard to install this new equipment and improve the business’ forage analysis services,’ said Simon Parrington, Group Chief Executive Officer of Cawood. ‘At Cawood, we are dedicated to supporting our customers with accurate and robust services to help them meet their goals whilst supporting a safer, healthier planet. By installing this new instrumentation, Sciantec has continued to cement itself as one of the UK’s largest providers of specialist forage and animal feed analysis.’
Sciantec’s forage analysis options include:
- Nutritional analysis by NIR for fresh grass, grass silage, maize silage, hay/haylage, whole crop, and lucerne silage
- Dietary minerals analysis for macro minerals, micro minerals, and antagonists
- VFA and lactic acid analysis by wet chemistry.
For more information or to order your prepaid envelopes, sample bags, and submission forms, which are available for free as part of the package, contact us today.
NRM was recently involved in a rewilding project for elephants returning to Kenya. The Aspinall Foundation, an internationally renowned conservation charity, commissioned testing of Kenyan water for its suitability as drinking water for elephants due to be rewilded. The results were compared with data generated from water they have been drinking in England. This will allow them to compare the two and make an informed decision on where the elephants could be safely sent, taking the Foundation a crucial step towards achieving its conservation effort.
‘The process of rewilding a herd of 13 elephants more than 7,000 kilometres across the world to their ancestral home in Kenya has many stages. Assessing drinking water suitability is just one of them,’ said Rebecca Wilkinson, Customer Operations Manager at NRM. ‘Their analysis results will allow the Foundation to decide whether the water in Kenya will be too saline for their elephants. We are delighted to be a part of this fantastic conservation effort.’
The Aspinall Foundation is based in Kent and has protected endangered animals all over the world since 1984. Working alongside The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust and the Kenya Wildlife Service, the Foundation is considering two different sites in the south of Kenya. The elephants are currently housed in an 8-acre enclosure at Howletts Wild Animal Park, where the herd comprises two interrelated families, including 3 calves. This will be the first time a herd of elephants has been returned to Africa from Europe.
Elephants in captivity do not live as long and do not breed as well as their cousins in the wild. The Foundation believes that no elephants belong in captivity, and so is taking great steps to rewild them safely and successfully. While both Kenyan sites seem to provide the perfect natural conditions for their herd, for this project to be successful, they needed to be certain.
‘NRM offers a variety of services for optimal farming and horticultural production throughout the UK,’ said Simon Parrington, Chief Executive Officer of Cawood. ‘The division’s expertise means they regularly develop innovative tests to meet specific needs. Taking part in important conservation endeavours like this also means we can continue to support a safer, healthier planet.’
The Aspinall Foundation are looking for people to support them in their Back to the Wild Campaign. By adopting any of their elephants, benefactors are supporting the campaign and will receive adoption packs so they can learn all about their chosen animal. There are also plenty of other ways to give, from fundraising events to donations. For more information, visit their website.
For more details on our services, click here.
Marchwood is the first UK laboratory to add brominated dioxins testing to its comprehensive range of analytical services for stack emissions. This test conforms with upcoming legislation to aid companies in obtaining permits for commercial incineration, and helps to safeguard public health and protect the environment.
‘Brominated and chlorinated dioxins are accidental by-products of the combustion process of household waste,’ said Rob Potts, Laboratory Manager at Marchwood. ‘The toxicity of dioxins has been highly publicised ever since Agent Orange was used in the Vietnam War. They are also persistent organic pollutants (POPs), which means they stay in the environment for a long time, resisting degradation and potentially contaminating our food, water, and air. There has also been a huge surge in customer demand because of recent changes to waste incinerator permits in England. All of this is why we at Marchwood have worked to become the first lab in the UK to test for brominated dioxins from stationary source emissions.’
Brominated dioxins are produced when substances that contain brominated flame retardants are incinerated, from domestic furniture to carpets, mattresses, household plastics, and toys. They can stay in the environment for many years, moving through soils and bypassing wastewater filtration systems without breaking down. They are highly toxic to humans and high levels in our environment could cause reproductive and developmental problems, interfere with hormones, increase the risk of cancer, and damage the immune system.
The widespread nature of brominated flame retardants has led to the Environment Agency’s decision to require all plants that burn municipal solid waste to carry out brominated dioxin monitoring.
‘No-one else in the UK is undertaking this sort of analysis, but our customers have expressed an urgent need for the service, particularly in light of the new legislation. We are solving that problem for them,’ continued Rob. ‘From 1st January 2023, plants will have to test twice a year to remain compliant. The challenge is that there isn’t an accepted accredited method for this analysis yet as no standards have been written. We already offer an MCERTS accredited service for chlorinated dioxins and PCBs using High Resolution Isotope Dilution GC/MS methodology. Our expertise in this area has helped us create a brand-new test for brominated dioxins to satisfy legislative requirements.’
‘Cawood is focused on providing innovative solutions for new and evolving customer needs,’ said Simon Parrington, Group Chief Executive Officer of Cawood. ‘By offering new services that they cannot get anywhere else, we are helping our customers meet new challenges and establish compliance whilst continuing to cement our position as the UK’s leading scientific group. By testing for these toxic substances, we are also taking an active role in supporting a safer, healthier planet.’
Marchwood provides a comprehensive analysis service for stack emissions. For more information, contact us.
Independent Analytical Supplies (IAS), leading Irish agricultural and environmental testing laboratory, has a solution for farmers wanting to increase efficiency in response to soaring fertiliser and supplement prices. IAS Laboratories has a proud tradition helping Irish farmers overcome these issues for more than a quarter of a century.
‘Accurate, reliable data is essential in driving efficient farming practices, particularly in light of recent challenges livestock farmers are facing,’ said Michael Hogan, Technical Advisor ‘Fertiliser prices have soared to €1,200 per tonne, making it far more expensive to grow nutritious grass for forage. Both Brexit and the conflict in Ukraine have also resulted in soaring prices for imported supplements. While these issues are worldwide, Irish farmers are also feeling the pressure due to rising costs and declining farm incomes.
‘To obtain the insight needed to help cut costs, ensure farmers only supply the fertilisers and supplements that are needed, and optimise crop growth and livestock production, farmers need to regularly test the nutritional value of fresh grass.’
Grass and milk analysis are essential tools in diagnosing and quantifying the background mineral levels on dairy farms and in monitoring the effectiveness of livestock nutrition programmes. IAS’ full mineral analysis on milk and grass identifies any deficiencies and imbalances that result from a poor diet. These imbalances can affect herd productivity through lower fertility, reduced milk production, and reduced thrive and immunity. They can also sometimes cause skin, eye, and hoof problems.
‘With the breeding season just around the corner, now is the perfect time to think about taking samples for mineral analysis,’ continued Michael. ‘Minerals play an integral role in a successful breeding cycle. Going into breeding, we want a cow with a healthy immune system that displays a strong heat. This immunity is supported by trace minerals including copper, iodine, zinc, and vitamin E, and silent heats are linked to deficiencies in copper and iodine in particular.
‘Analysing now means you can adjust nutrition plans before deficiencies become yield limiting. It also helps farmers avoid having to buy expensive supplements and fertiliser to make corrections last minute.’
IAS’ full scan includes all major and trace minerals, giving you a clear indication of your herd’s mineral profile. This allows farmers and advisors to make calculated adjustments to crop and livestock nutrition programmes for optimal productivity and profitability.
‘In times like these where fertiliser and supplement prices have skyrocketed and markets are less predictable, our value-added services and extensive expertise allow us to support farmers and their advisors in their decision-making,’ said Simon Parrington, Chief Executive Officer of Cawood. ‘Part of our commitment to our customers is to provide them with effective solutions to their problems. Services like these help farmers be more efficient and profitable while remaining resilient in turbulent times.’
For more details on our full mineral analysis services, contact us:
059 972 1022
sales@iaslabs.ie
To order your test kit, visit https://iaslabs.ie/ias-labs-tests/.
NRM has launched N-Check, a new Soil Mineral Nitrogen (SMN) package designed to help farmers save on rising fertiliser costs and optimise crop production.
‘Assessing how much nitrogen is left in the soil after the winter is more important than ever on the back of recent price hikes in fertilisers,’ said Rory Geldard, Business Development Manager at NRM. ‘Our N-Check service helps customers use these values to calculate how much additional nitrogen they need—and therefore how much fertiliser they need to apply—to meet crop nutritional requirements for desired yield.’
As the UK’s leading provider of soil analysis, NRM has offered its long established Min-N service to arable farm businesses for the last 15 years. The new service is available as two options: N-Check and N-Check Plus. N-Check builds upon Min-N by adding a total value for the combined sample depth. N-Check Plus offers a complete solution for growers looking to assess their Soil Nitrogen Supply (SNS), and includes the standard N-Check service, organic matter to estimate mineralisable nitrogen, Spring crop N to determine the SNS, and SNS index based on RB209 guidelines.
‘Our customers have long been asking for SNS determination based on their soil mineral nitrogen analysis results,’ continued Rory. ‘Providing this data helps farmers and their advisors make the right nitrogen decisions that meet productivity, profitability, and environmental objectives. Our new N-Check and N-Check Plus services allow us to meet this growing demand, offering a complete solution to give customers both the amount of soil nitrogen supply in kg/ha and the SNS index.’
N-Check comes with an updated analysis request form, a supporting document on collecting samples and submitting to NRM, and technical details explaining the results.
‘Innovative developments such as N-Check allow us to further support sustainable food production and a safer, healthier planet—a core focus of Cawood,’ said Simon Parrington, Chief Executive Officer of Cawood. ‘In a changing world, we know we must be ready to tackle any challenges that arise. We are pleased to be continuously improving and building on our services to help farmers meet their goals.’
For more details on our N-Check services, contact us.