Publications

Holding regular team meetings to discuss and review business aims and objectives are a must for any modern dairy farm. Routinely involving the whole farm team in meetings helps morale and ensures every member of staff is clear on how the business is performing and where it's going. This helps improve clarity of objectives among […]

The UK does not often experience the hot temperatures currently being faced, and the duration of the heat is almost unprecedented. So what additional considerations need to be taken into account due to these conditions?

The optimal dry period length between lactations in dairy cows has been debated for many years. Traditionally, an 8-week dry period was considered the ideal duration – balancing a rest period, allowing the udder and milk tissues to regenerate, with preparation for calving and milk production. This recommendation was established during the 1940s, and was […]

With the latest Kingshay Dairy Focus Report putting the cost of mastitis at £290 per case, anything that can be done to prevent infection on farm is a must. Teat disinfection plays an important role in maintaining good udder health and is a vital component of any mastitis prevention plan. However, with a vast array […]

This is the second issue of our new publication, RESEARCH insight. The aim of the publication is to translate relevant scientific research into useful information for your farm. This issue looks at the impact of heat stress on UK milk production and greenhouse gas emissions.

Cow brushes not only help to fulfil the cow's natural desire to scratch, but could also lead to a 1-litre a cow a day uplift in milk yield, along with less disease and reduced damage to farm buildings. Such enrichment is already part of some farm assurance requirements, but is likely to become increasingly important […]

Wastage in silage making is inevitable – but careful management can reduce losses significantly, resulting in considerable cost savings and markedly improved silage quality. This issue of DAIRY insight we look at how farmers can go about reducing silage wastage this season.

Bovine TB (bTB) continues to be a major problem with approximately 11% of herds in England affected by bTB in 2017. The latest DEFRA statistics show there were 3,824 new herd incidents in herds that were officially TB free, during 2017, compared to 3,762 in 2016. This DAIRY insight publication is the first of two covering TB. It gives an overview of the current bTB situation and the Twenty-five Year bTB Strategy to achieve Officially TB Free status.

New data protection rules are coming into force on 25th May 2018, which are likely to affect almost all farming businesses to some extent or another. In this issue of business insight, we cover the key points to help you comply. The new General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) are designed to ensure businesses take proper […]

There are very few truly 'closed' herds in the UK, as farmers purchase stock for various reasons including replacements for culls, expanding the herd size, sweeper bulls or even for improving the herd genetics.

To achieve high levels of milk from forage, grass quality and good ley management are vital. There can be a large variation in the performance of paddocks. Accurate measuring and recording of grass yields identifies underperforming fields, highlighting areas for reseeding. This issue of DAIRY insight considers the various aspects of reseeding.

Slurries and farm yard manures represent a hugely valuable and often under- utilised resource on many dairy farms. Understanding their nutrient values could help reduce reliance on bought in fertiliser and save money. For example, a typical 200 cow dairy herd produces muck containing about 1,750kg of nitrogen, 1,200kg of phosphate and 4,400kg of potash […]