Publications

This insight explores how blood profiling can help you identify problems with the cows and the ration they are being fed – if interpreted correctly. Interpreting the results from blood profiling is complex and requires professional input. This note provides an overview of what's involved, allowing you to have a more informed discussion with your vet or nutritionist.

Restrictions on winter slurry spreading to prevent pollution and the greater need to make more efficient use of farm nutrients because of rising fertiliser costs means all dairy farmers should be thinking about whether their slurry storage is optimised. The fact grants for six months' worth of covered storage should become available later this year also means it's an area well worth considering. This dairy insight is designed to be read alongside Slurry Storage – Covers.

Restrictions on winter slurry spreading to prevent pollution and the greater need to make more efficient use of farm nutrients because of rising fertiliser costs means all dairy farmers should be thinking about whether their slurry storage is optimised. The fact grants for six months' worth of covered storage should become available later this year also means it's an area well worth considering. This dairy insight is designed to be read alongside Slurry Storage – Covers.

The use of acidification or pH reduction systems to lower the pH of slurry is increasingly being talked about by Government as a means of hitting ammonia and methane reduction targets. In fact, acidification equipment was listed as one of the big budget items eligible for the Improving Farm Productivity Grant released at the start of the year. Slurry acidification boosts the available nutrient value of slurry, whilst also potentially removing the need to cover slurry stores. However, this high-cost system comes with technical challenges, health and safety risks and needs careful consideration.

Water not only accounts for approximately 87% of milk but will account for between 60 and 70% of a cows' body composition. With this in mind we can understand why water is such an important part of the cow's diet. This DAIRY insight explores why a plentiful, high quality and accessible water supply is fundamental to optimising milk production and animal health.

Having spent time assessing how well the cows use your cubicles (see Cubicles – what do your cows want?) it is vital to adjust them to suit your cows. This DAIRY insight explores how making small adjustments, which cost very little will make a huge difference to how cows use your cubicles, resulting in cleaner and healthier cows. Low -cost solutions to high-cost problems!

Happy cows are productive cows! The key is to ensure every aspect of management and cow environment is set up to make the most of the cow's natural behaviour. Closely monitoring your cows and their behaviour will 'tell' you whether your facilities could be modified to further meet their needs. This DAIRY insight explores what you need to look out for in order to establish what works for your cows and where changes can be made to your cubicle sheds to improve cow comfort, welfare, production and ultimately profitability.

Cameras are no longer just seen as a security tool; they now have multiple uses on farms from monitoring cows during calving to staff training. Nonetheless, there are key legal obligations to abide by when installing such equipment. This DAIRY insight will look at potential uses, price ranges, camera features and legal requirements

Achieving good, natural cow flow in and out of the parlour will reduce frustrations in the pit and minimise cow stress. Less requirement to push cows in for milking will also reduce pressure on the feet and help foot health. The key is to ensure every aspect of management and cow environment is set up to make the most of the cow's natural behaviour. This DAIRY insight explores practical changes that you can make on your farm to improve cow flow at milking time.

As environmental awareness is coming more prominent and rules and regulations are being created for farmers to reduce their environmental impact, lowering concentration of protein fed to cattle is worth considering to decrease environmental impact, but also increase protein efficiency in dairy cows. 75% of all nitrogen consumed by cattle is excreted as urine or faeces and responsible for environmental damage from production of ammonia gases and nitrous oxide. Soya also creates another issue, soya being a key protein source for dairy cattle but being linked to deforestation of rain forest, suggest another reason to reduce protein concentration. This DAIRY insight publication explores how low can you go in protein concentration, discusses the new NRC recommendations set to come out later this year, as well as looking into how microbial proteins provide the most balanced form of amino acids for a dairy cow.

Lameness is a costly disease in dairy herds with each case estimated to cost £196 – for treatment costs, labour, loss of milk production, loss of fertility and culling. It is thought average lameness levels have increased slightly to around 40 cases for every 100 cows. However, in the top 25% of dairy herds lameness levels are down at 21 cases per 100 cows saving £3,724 for every 100 cows (Dairy Costings Focus Report 2019). This RESEARCH insight explores some of the latest lameness studies and looks at how the findings can influence on-farm performance.

Good building ventilation is vital to remove the huge amounts of heat and moisture produced by cows every day. Failure to get it right can lead to heat stress and higher levels of disease due to the build-up of pathogens. Where every step has been taken to improve shed ventilation naturally, the use of mechanical ventilation can help cool cows and improve ventilation.