Technical advice line: 03000 200 301 | Email: advice@farmingadviceservice.org.uk

Livestock

The Farming Advice Service supports livestock farmers in staying up to date with industry requirements and signposts support and guidance available through government and industry services.

Cattle lying down in field

On this page you will find FAS content related to livestock including:

  • Animal housing and handling
  • Animal nutrition
  • Animal health and welfare
  • Record keeping 
  • Available Government support and grants 

Newsletters

  • November 2025 Front Page

    Issue 127

    • Key dates to be aware of
    • Upcoming Events
    • Sustainable Farming Incentive 2026 (SFI26) Window 2 budget fully allocated following strong farmer demand
    • Bluetongue: how the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway can support farmers
    • Young Farmers Week 2026
    • Two Part Tariff (TPT) second part charges for year 2025/2026 
    • Nutrient Management Planning Tool update – understand the value of your manure!
    • Efforts to prevent England remaining in drought by next spring
    • Environment Secretary Speech on Back British Farming Day
    • Farmer Collaboration Fund
    • Updates from the Forestry Commission
      • Getting ready for tree planting season
      • From bare field to thriving woodland: the next chapter at Breach Park Farm
      • Planning to planting virtual events
      • National Forestry Conference, 7 October
      • Dry Weather Information
    • Updates from the Defra Farming blog and industry announcements
      • £225 million Capital Grants successfully allocated 
      • £13 million to turn farming’s best ideas into real-world tools 
      • Making Tax Digital for Income Tax - published guidance on HMRC sign-ups and exemptions 
      • Remote monitoring to support environmental land management agreements 
    • Rural Payments Agency: Updates and Guidance
      • An update on how the RPA use remote monitoring to support environmental land management agreements
      • Sheep and goat tagging for keepers in England
    • How can we help you?
    • Stay up to date with us
  • FAS Newsletter August 2025

    Issue 126

    • Key dates to be aware of
    • Upcoming Events
    • Temporary adjustments to ELM agreements and new drought funding for farmers
    • How Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier can work for farmers and land managers
    • Woodland creation webinar: helping new trees survive and thrive
    • Wildfire training available
    • Help test the Forestry Commission’s new felling licence service
    • Annual Charge Invoices for Chargeable Abstraction Licence Holders
    • How an EA inspection helped a dairy farm transition to a more sustainable business model
    • Updates from the Defra Farming blog and industry announcements
    • Rural Payments Agency: Updates and Guidance
    • How can we help you?
    • Stay up to date with us
  • FAS June 2026

    Issue 125

    • Key dates to be aware of
    • Upcoming Events
    • Capital Grants 2026 offer now open
    • Farm Safety Week
    • Register your interest in Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (CSHT) agreement for agroforestry or woodland improvement.
    • Farmer Collaboration Fund is launching soon
    • Tripling funding for farmer welfare support
    • Annual Charge Invoices for Chargeable Abstraction Licence Holders
    • Woodland creation webinar: helping new trees survive and thrive
    • Help test the Forestry Commission’s new felling licence service
    • Water licensing availability survey
    • Modernising time limited licence renewal reminders
    • Updates from the Defra Farming blog and industry announcements
    • Rural Payments Agency: Updates and Guidance
    • How can we help you?
    • Stay up to date with us
  • FAS June 2026

    Issue 124

    • Key dates to be aware of
    • FAS Webinar Recording - The Sustainable Farming Incentive Offer 2026
    • Upcoming Events
    • Window 1 of the Sustainable Farming Incentive 2026 (SFI26) is now open
    • New Funding Available for Lowland Peat Soils
    • Government publishes Farming Roadmap 2050: Growing England's Future
    • Managing Your Reservoir In Dry Weather
    • New Pig Sector Survey
    • A Reminder of the Hedgerow Regulations
    • Making Tax Digital for Income Tax: First Quarterly Update deadline
    • How Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier helped a Dorset farmer become more sustainable
    • Trees on Farm: The Rise of Agroforestry across England
    • How to apply for consent for Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) actions on Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs)
    • Updates from the Environment Agency’s Water Resources team
    • Updates from the Defra Farming blog and industry announcements
    • Rural Payments Agency: Updates and Guidance
    • How can we help you?
    • Stay up to date with us

Podcast

  • FAS podcast logo

    podcast

    Episode 4

    Livestock movement and ID, with Laura Harpham and Ian Cairns

    25 mins
  • FAS podcast logo

    podcast

    Episode 1

    Reducing ammonia emissions on farm, with Keesje Avis and John Morgan of Creedy Associates

    24 mins

Upcoming Events

  • CSF

    The Dairy Show - Talk to CSF and Defra

    Meet your local CSF advisers on the Defra Group stand.

    7th Oct 2026
    08:30 - 17:00 (BST)
    Bath & West Showground, Somerset BA4 6QN

    Find details of the event here

  • CSF

    LAMMA 2027 - Talk to CSF, Natural England and Defra

    Meet your local Natural England and CSF advisers on the Defra Group stand.

    20th - 21st Jan 2027
    08:00 - 16:30 (GMT)
    NEC, Birmingham B40 1NT

    Find details of the event here

  • CSF

    DairyTech - Talk to CSF and Defra

    Meet your local CSF advisers on the Defra Group stand.

    3rd Feb 2027
    08:30 - 17:00 (GMT)
    Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire, CV8 2LH

    Find details of the event here

Webinar Recordings

  • FAS

    Sustainable Farming Incentive 2026

    View the recording of the June 2026 FAS webinar on the Sustainable Farming Incentive 2026 (SFI26) offer. This webinar was delivered in partnership with Defra, the Rural Payments Agency and Catchment Sensitive Farming.
  • FAS

    Nutrient Management Planning – what’s new for 2026

    Following the launch of the new Defra funded online Nutrient Management Planning Tool in February, we speak to expert farm consultant and FACTS & BASIS qualified advisor Mel Holloway about approaches to nutrient management planning for the new planting year. With an update from CSF on support available from their teams.
  • FAS

    Livestock farming update with the RPA and CSF

    Join the Farming Advice Service team, colleagues from the Rural Payments Agency and Catchment Sensitive Farming for an online update on systems and support for livestock farmers

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