Publications

This publication explores the key behavioural traits of cattle, how their senses can trigger distress when mishandled and offers practical techniques and safety tips to help minimise accidents and promote a safer working environment.

This Dairy Insight explores the eight most common Cattle Emergencies on UK farms and provides guidance on how to address them promptly and effectively.

This publication explores the link between proper feeding practices and improved fertility in cows, highlighting individual nutritional needs of heifers, fresh cows, and dry cows. Learn how tailored feeding strategies can optimise your herd's reproductive performance.

This Dairy Insight explores the critical role of the dry period and how managing it effectively can significantly impact herd health. Consider when and where to use medicines and vaccines to reduce associated risks of mastitis, in consultation with your vet.

As our climate continues to change, the UK is experiencing more frequent and intense periods of warm weather, a trend that is increasing the risk of heat stress in dairy cows. Shifts in seasonal patterns, higher average temperatures, and prolonged dry spells are becoming a more frequent reality for British dairy farmers.In this Dairy Insight we take a closer look at what causes heat stress in cows, how it affects their health and productivity, and most importantly, what practical steps you can take on your farm to reduce the impact and protect your herd.

There are several vitamins which are essential for dairy cows. The requirements vary according to the stage of lactation and, because cattle do not synthesise these vitamins in sufficient quantities, we must ensure that the ration provides them; this often means that supplementation will be necessary.

Healthy, fertile cows are the cornerstone to any efficient, productive dairy business. As such, fertility key performance indicators (KPIs) are an essential tool to track herd performance, identify areas for improvement and inform actions. This Dairy Insight explores the costs of infertility and offers some suggested KPIs for both all year round and block calving herds.

When evaluating milk production from forage for housed cows, several cow-related factors come into play. Understanding these factors is crucial for optimising forage-based feeding strategies, improving milk yields, and ensuring sustainable dairy farming practices in housed systems or during the housing period. This Dairy Insight is the fourth in the series of publications exploring milk from forage. It is dedicated to the cow aspects of maximising milk from forage whilst housed.

Increased milking frequency, whether through a parlour or robots, is often considered as a means of maximising herd genetic potential and income. However, before making any changes it's essential to weigh up the pros and cons of different milking systems and calculate the impact on the milk cheque, staffing and long-term sustainability.

Over the last decade the UK dairy industry has seen a phase shift, with a growing contingent of commercial farmers recognising the role of genomics in driving rapid genetic progress as part of everyday breeding programmes. Over 100,000 new females will be genotyped this year alone, with around 70% of Holstein semen used also by genomic young sires. AHDB Dairy highlights a widening gulf between those who buy-in to genomics and those that don't – equating to over £19,000 in lost value for the average herd. Check out this technology to see if it fits your needs.

When it comes to maximising milk from forage there is always a lot of information around the grass plant itself and the infrastructure required to maximise grazing, or how to maximise conserved forages. However, the cow also plays a vital role, this Dairy Insight is therefore dedicated to the cow aspects of maximising milk from forage whilst grazing. This is the 2nd in a series of publications 'Achieving Milk From Forage'

The rumen is a complex fermentation vat which, through muscular contractions and a careful balance of microorganisms, breaks down the plant cell walls into volatile fatty acids and then passes the semi-digested feed on to the rest of the digestive tract. This Dairy Insight explores the importance of monitoring rumen function with particular reference to acidosis and highlights how and early corrective treatment can improve overall herd performance.