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Know How / Dairy / Husbandry

Good animal husbandry is a crucial part of dairy herd management and profitability. In this section, you can find extensive guides and best practice advice on the care of animals when it comes to techniques such as dehorning calves, calving, drying off cows, foot-trimming and much more.

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FEED AND NUTRITION

How low-K silage has improved cow health at transition

Feeding low-potassium silage to autumn-calving cows during the transition period has helped a Carmarthenshire dairy farmer cut the incidence of milk fever to 5% from a peak of 20%. Iwan…

LIVESTOCK

Collaborative calf-rearing venture brings multiple benefits

A joint calf-rearing enterprise between two neighbouring farms in the Midlands is bringing benefits to both parties. The new profit-sharing agreement has brought extra income to beef and sheep farming…

HOUSING AND HANDLING

How one dairy farm installed robots to cut down milking time

Since robots were installed at Argoed Farm, average milk yield in the Holstein herd has increased by 2,000 litres a year, to 9,000 litres, an immediate payback from investing in…

HOUSING AND HANDLING

Two autumn calvers compare calf housing options

Block-calving dairy farmers need sufficient accommodation to house large number of calves in a short number of weeks, with their options ranging from temporary structures such as polytunnels to purpose-built…

HEALTH AND WELFARE

How a farmer is using minimal antibiotics in his dairy herd

Tim Downes has been farming with minimal antibiotics for the past six years at his two dairy farms in Shrewsbury, Shropshire. Having been in organic production for 20 years, Mr…

YOUNGSTOCK MANAGEMENT

Video: How a large dairy is keeping youngstock mortality low

A large US dairy is achieving exceptionally low mortality rates of 1% in its pre-weaned calves, and hitting daily growth rates of 800g up to weaning. About 1,800 calves will…

Practical advice

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HEALTH AND WELFARE

How to stop calf pneumonia reducing heifer longevity

Calf pneumonia has stayed in the top 10 of the most frequent diagnoses from carcass submissions* in Great Britain for almost a decade. And while heifers can recover and eventually…

DAIRY

How to help heifers join the milking herd and reduce stress

Training heifers to the parlour, keeping them with their peers, or managing them as a separate milking group can help reduce stress levels when replacements join the milking herd. But…

DAIRY

Advice on getting extra help for autumn block-calving

An intense workload at calving, combined with a winter routine, often creates a temporary labour gap in an autumn block-calving herd. One extra person – sometimes only a half –…

HEALTH AND WELFARE

Advice on how to maintain a tight calving block

Achieving a tight calving block is key to the success of a block-calving system. Typically, farms will aim for a calving period of nine to 12 weeks, with 75-80% of…

HUSBANDRY

5 ways to improve udder health with dry period management

The dry period is crucial for udder health and provides an opportunity to cure chronic infections. However, it also presents some unique challenges that may increase the risk of new…

LIVESTOCK

Advice on hosting vet students on your dairy farm

Sophie and Tom Gregory hosted 15 vet students at Home Farm, Chard, last year and they are already fully booked with student placements for 2023. The Gregorys calve 360 cows…

Insights

HEALTH AND WELFARE

How scanning can detect early pneumonia in calves

Subclinical pneumonia, where there are no obvious signs of the disease, in young calves is going undetected on farms, a Scottish study has found. Calves are more likely to succumb…

FEED AND NUTRITION

Study shows how calcium can affect dry cow fertility

Increasing calcium in pre-calving diets can improve postpartum uterine health and fertility, a recent study has revealed. The study, which took place at the University of Illinois, examined feeding dry…