Farm Contractor & Large Scale Farmer
    Twitter LinkedIn
    • FREE Email Newsletters
    • About Us
    • Advertise
    • Subscribe
    • Contact Us
    Twitter LinkedIn
    Podcast
    Farm Contractor & Large Scale Farmer
    • News
      • Arable & Agronomy
      • Dealership News
      • Environmental Land Management Scheme/Policy
      • Event News
      • Health & Safety
      • Machinery
      • People
      • World News
    • Farm Machinery
      • Amenity & Maintenance
      • Cultivations
      • Drilling
      • Grassland Equipment
      • Harvesting
      • Muck & Slurry
      • Sprayers
      • Telehandlers
      • Tractors
      • Tractor of the Year
      • Tyres & Tracks
      • Whatever happened to?
    • Precision Farming
    • Markets & Policy
    • Profiles
      • National Arable and Grassland Awards
      • Company Profiles
      • Reader Profiles
    • Livestock
      • Beef
      • Dairy
      • Sheep
    • Magazines
      1. June 2025 issue
      2. Cereals event guide 2025
      3. May 2025 issue
      4. April 2025 issue
      5. March 2025 issue
      6. 2025 Tyre Developments supplement
      7. February 2025 issue
      8. National Arable and Grassland Awards supplement
      9. January 2025 issue
      10. December 2024 issue
      11. November 2024 issue
      12. October 2024 issue
      13. September 2024 issue
      14. August 2024 Issue
      15. 2024 Drills and Seeds supplement
      16. July 2024 Issue
      17. Cereals Supplement
      18. June 2024 Issue
      19. May 2024 Issue
      20. April 2024 Issue
      21. Tyres and Tracks Supplement
      22. March 2024 Issue
      23. National Arable & Grassland Award – Meet the Finalists
      24. February 2024 Issue
      25. January 2024 Issue
      26. December 2023
      27. Agritechnica Preview Supplement
      28. November 2023
      29. October 2023
      Featured

      Cereals event guide 2025 available now

      By Matthew TiltJune 20, 2025
      Recent

      Cereals event guide 2025 available now

      June 20, 2025

      June 2025 issue available now

      June 2, 2025

      May 2025 issue available now

      May 1, 2025
    • Events
    • Podcast
    Farm Contractor & Large Scale Farmer
    Beef

    Livestock farmers face unprecedented threat to their livelihood

    chrislyddonBy chrislyddonFebruary 17, 20142 Mins Read
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email

    Livestock farmers throughout Scotland and Northern England are facing an unprecedented threat to their livelihood due to the extremely mild winter says one industry expert.

    Mhairi Dawson, Regional Manager for Scotland with leading seed producer Barenbrug, says the unseasonal weather has led to very high levels of damaging activity throughout the winter by leatherjackets.

    They are the soil living larvae of Crane-flies, with a thick tough wrinkled skin that can cause considerable damage to the roots and stems of grass, and other crops, particularly of young plants – new sowings or reseeded leys may be completely destroyed.

    “Normally during the winter months the leatherjackets go deeper in the soil because of the cold and are therefore far less destructive; but that has not been the case up until now and there is no sign of the weather getting significantly colder,” said Mhairi Dawson.

    “If livestock farmers do not take immediate action and try and control the leatherjackets now by spraying with an approved formulation of Chlorpyrifos then they could be looking at major problems with fodder later in the year.

    “It is vital that farmers get rid of leatherjackets before they start any reseeding or overseeding activity. They need to make sure the soil is in excellent condition before sowing to enable the grass to germinate and establish rapidly.

    “Looking ahead, summer ploughing can destroy up to 50 per cent of leatherjackets and also expose them to predatory birds. Also when conditions allow using a heavy roller can restrict leatherjackets movements.

    “At Barenbrug we recommend farmers keep pastures tightly grazed, or cut, between July and September to reduce the chances of adults laying eggs and they can monitor leatherjacket populations using the ADAS monitoring scheme.”

    Added Cameron Ferguson, an agronomist with Ayrshire based firm Hutchinsons, “I am checking fields daily and finding unprecedented levels of leatherjackets everywhere I look. Worryingly the larvae have grown bigger this year and are therefore eating more crops.

    “Farmers really must get out onto their fields and spray at the earliest opportunity, which I know can be difficult because of the wet weather. But this really must be done before they can think about overseeeding or reseeding.”

    Tweet
    Share
    Share
    Pin
    Share. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email
    Previous ArticleImprove profits through better manure management
    Next Article UK sheep meat exports highest in over a decade
    chrislyddon

    Read Similar Stories

    Hi-Spec to introduce new diet feeder at Royal Highland

    June 16, 2025

    Livestock ban from Hungary and Slovakia after confirmed foot and mouth case

    March 10, 2025

    Campaign launched to battle against bluetongue

    March 5, 2025
    Most Read Stories

    Pressure builds to reverse inheritance tax plans

    June 30, 2025

    Defra doubles funding to tackle agricultural pollution

    June 30, 2025

    Agrovista acquires Zantra Holdings Ltd

    June 30, 2025
    Farm Contractor & Large Scale Farmer

    The UK's leading agricultural machinery journal

    Twitter LinkedIn
    © 2024 MA Agriculture Ltd, a Mark Allen Group company

    Privacy Policy | Cookies Policy | Terms & Conditions

    • Farmers Weekly
    • AA Farmer
    • Poultry News
    • Pig World

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.