The benefits of keeping cows happy and improving their health and comfort will be stressed to local farmers at a free event to help them cut their carbon footprint.

The Cow Health and Comfort in your Shed workshop - which will help highlight practical ways to increase milk yield and therefore boost farm efficiency and profitability - is being organised by consultants from Scotland's Rural College.

The meeting will feature a presentation by expert Jamie Robertson from Livestock Management Systems which will focus on a range of measures that can be taken to improve the overall health and comfort in existing cattle sheds - without the need for a huge investment.

Robert Ramsay of SAC Consulting in Ayr said: "Although we've seen significant investment in dairy infrastructure over the past 10 years - there are still a large number of herds housed in older-fashioned accommodation where light levels, ventilation and dimensions are not ideal for modern dairy cows.

"However, small investments in key areas within these sheds can have massive benefits on cow comfort, welfare and performance.

"In many cases improving cow comfort can result in an increased milk yield - this invariably boosts the efficiency and profitability of the farm."

The meeting is being held on Tuesday 28 February at Muirhouse Farm, Crosshouse, near Kilmarnock, which is one of the group participants in the Woodhead Focus Farm Group. Woodhead, at nearby Newmilns, is one of nine volunteer Climate Change Focus Farms across Scotland.

The workshop is being held by kind permission of Alistair Love and family who run around 100 cows on a mixed farm growing grass and spring barley.

The farm has made lots of good improvements to cow cubicles within the existing cow shed - and is now focusing on further changes to lighting and ventilation.

Rebecca Audsley, Climate Change Manager with SAC Consulting , said: "Keeping cows happy and healthy is another way we can support productivity and reduce greenhouse gas emissions per litre of milk produced."

The meeting starts at 11.00am and finishes at 2.00pm. A free lunch will be provided and anyone wishing to attend should register with SAC Consulting Ayr on 01291 525252 or email fbsayr@sac.co.uk.

Market round-up

C&D Auction Marts Ltd sold 5631 prime hoggs in Longtown on Thursday to a top of £107 per head and 264p per kg to average 170p (-3.8p on the week).

The firm also had 4732 cast sheep forward when heavy ewes sold to £148 for Texels and averaged £74.77 (-£4.53), while light ewes peaked at £62 for Lleyns and levelled at £43.18 (-£3.97). Rams sold to £118 for a Texel and averaged £75.45.