The Farmers Journal team of farmer writes journalists from Ireland, New Zealand, the UK and beyond are dedicated to providing local farming news, comment and opinion across the dairy, beef & tillage sectors.

LATEST ARTICLES
News
Farmer Writes: a battle with front loader
Karen McCabe
Karen McCabe walked slap bang into the edge of the scoop on the front loader where she learned that head wounds do indeed bleed rather profusely.
Farmer Writes: a battle with front loader
Hedging my bets with dairy-bred bullocks
18 December 2024 Farmer Writes
Hedging my bets with dairy-bred bullocks
TB has had an impact on my dairy heifer-rearing enterprise, writes Derek Robinson.
Little doubt that dogs are our best friends
18 December 2024 Farmer Writes
Little doubt that dogs are our best friends
As it’s Christmas, I thought we’d have a little crazy fun and let Billy the Jack Russell have his view on the year that was.
Farmer Writes: disappointing empty rates
It seems to have been an extra hard year on heifers as I hear empty rates are a lot higher than normal on most farms, writes Padraig Callanan.
11 December 2024 Farmer Writes
Pros outweigh the cons of three-way cross
Thoughts have turned again to breeding of our autumn-calving herd, writes Castlederg dairy farmer, Jessica Pollock
11 December 2024 Northern Ireland
Farmer Writes: economics and entertainment, a dangerous combination
Rising beef prices and a good general mood at farm level are to be welcomed, according to Tommy Moyles, but the shadow of Mercosur means there's less chance to relax.
11 December 2024 Farmer Writes
Farmer Writes: repairs in wake of storm Darragh
James Strain accounts his experience of last weekend's storm Darragh, which has left him with a bit of work to do on the farm.
9 December 2024 Farmer Writes
Farmer Writes: inheritance tax drives farmers to the streets
The injustice of the inheritance tax measures has put many feet on the street in the UK, writes Joe Collingborn.
8 December 2024 Farmer Writes
Struggles with two year-old calving
Getting heifers back into calf is more difficult in an autumn-calving herd, writes John Egerton.
4 December 2024 Farmer Writes
Farmer Writes: shiny new machinery a slippery slope
The Quartermaster is no poseur wagon like a lot of 4X4s today where going off-road means just parking on the footpath.
4 December 2024 Farmer Writes
Farmer Writes: cattle and supermodels
The young weanlings left in the shed have started to thrive since the older calves were sold.
4 December 2024 Farmer Writes
Farmer Writes: a trip to Brussels and cows dried off
The farmer we visited told us Belgium has been TB free for 10 years, why can’t our Government learn from this and other countries who have become TB free and maintained it.
27 November 2024 Farmer Writes