EXCLUDING heifers with smaller pelvic sizes prior to breeding can help avoid traumatic deliveries, increased vet costs and, in severe cases, cow and/or calf mortality, as well as the often-hidden interruption to cow fertility. This can all ultimately improve the productivity and profitability of beef farms. Difficult calvings bring layers of economic loss for beef farmers and genetics play an important part in calving ease. Pelvic size in cattle is a highly heritable trait and selecting heifers that have a larger pelvic area can rapidly reduce calving problems and the associated costs by £6.50 per head. While most farmers would expect the biggest, heaviest heifers to have the largest pelvic areas, these animals can in fact have smaller pelvises compared to smaller heifers in the herd.
Hunt begins to find most innovative butchers shop in Scotland
The competition is open for entries until May 23.
A new competition has launched to find the most innovative independent butchers shop in Scotland.
The contest is being run by Quality Meat Scotland’s (QMS) Scotch Butchers Club – a network of independent butchers across Great Britain who are approved stockists of Scotch Beef, Scotch Lamb and Specially Selected Pork.
Entrants will be asked to construct a counter display of the three Scotch red meat products to showcase their business’ innovation and flair.
A panel of international judges – including butchers from England, Wales, Northern Ireland, Ireland, New Zealand and Holland – will assess entries for technical skill, product innovation, creativity and presentation. They will also assess health and safety.
A new competition for butchery businesses to showcase the craftmanship and innovation of the trade across Scotland has been launched by the Scotch Butchers Club, which is managed by Quality Meat Scotland (QMS). Judged by an esteemed panel of international leaders in the industry, members of the Scotch Butchers Club who enter will be tasked to construct a counter display of Scotch Beef PGI, Scotch Lamb PGI and Specially Selected Pork showcasing their business’s innovation and flair. Gordon Newlands, QMS Brand Development Manager, said: “Although there are already great butchery competitions in Scotland, they focus solely on individual skills and we wanted to launch something that challenges businesses as a whole, and celebrates their important place in our communities.