Skip to content

Dairy: Animal Health & Welfare

Find information about the welfare of dairy cattle, herd health planning and disease management

MMN January 2024 – What is the Cost Benefit of Whole-Herd Routine Foot Trimming?

As many herds are now halfway through the housing period, the incidence of lameness may become more apparent. Prolonged exposure to damp/soiled passageways may have contributed towards additional foot infections…

Read article

Select by an area of interest

MMN January 2024 – What is the Cost Benefit of Whole-Herd Routine Foot Trimming?

As many herds are now halfway through the housing period, the incidence of lameness may become more apparent. Prolonged exposure to damp/soiled passageways may have...

Read more >

MMN November 2023 – The Low-Down on Winter Dysentery

Every year we hear reports of winter dysentery outbreaks in dairy herds. The clinical signs of the disease can be dramatic, with a significant reduction...

Read more >

Cattle Mineral Supplementation

Throughout the year and production cycle, the cow goes through different phases with varying nutritional requirements depending on her stage of production. Minerals are an...

Read more >

MMN September 2023 – Water Quality: is it up to scratch?

We all know the importance of water to a dairy cow. High yielding cows can consume over 200 litres a day and so fresh, palatable...

Read more >

MMN July 2023 – Keeping Mastitis Under Control in Summer

Mastitis is one of the biggest causes of economic loss in the dairy herd and can be even more prevalent during the grazing season. Exposure...

Read more >

Common Causes Of Milk Fever In Dairy Cattle

Milk fever is one of the most common mineral-related metabolic disorders affecting dairy cows at parturition as a result of low plasma calcium. Economically, milk...

Read more >

Milk Manager News May 2023 – Cows Off Colour? Know The Signs!

Farm staff should be trained how to spot the early signs of health issues in dairy cows, be that metabolic disorders or disease. Many farms...

Read more >

Milk Manager News November 2022 – Downer Cow Syndrome

Downer Cow Syndrome The definition of Downer Cow Syndrome is a cow that has not been able to get up for more than 24 hours....

Read more >

Dry Cow Management for a Successful Transition into the Milking Herd

This factsheet focuses on the non-nutritional factors that are important to help dry dairy cows achieve a trouble free-calving and successful transition into the milking...

Read more >

Are You At Risk Of Long Bone Deformity?

Long bone deformity appears to have a higher occurrence amongst beef suckler herds.  Calves are born with a dwarf like appearance as a result of...

Read more >

Disbudding Calves

Disbudding calves is a common management procedure on many beef and dairy farms.  Horns pose as a potential welfare issue to cattle as well as...

Read more >

Technical Note (TN 743): Johne’s Disease In Cattle

Johne’s disease (also known as paratuberculosis) is an infectious wasting condition of cattle and other ruminants. It results in progressive damage to the intestines of...

Read more >

Controlling Cryptosporidia in Calves

Cryptosporidia is a common cause of scour in dairy calves. Katrina Henderson of SRUC Veterinary Services discusses the main symptoms, how to diagnosis the disease...

Read more >

Health Considerations of Youngstock at Summer Grazing

Many producers are preparing to turn cattle out to rented summer grass.  Before doing so, it is important to consider the herd health implications when summering youngstock away from home. 

Read more >

Reducing Stress in Cows at Calving

Improving cow comfort and reducing cow stress is now seen as a given route to improving production as well as animal welfare.  One of the...

Read more >

Livestock Monthly: Dairy

Welcome to the March 2021 episode of our livestock monthly podcasts episodes hosted by Beef Specialist Robert Ramsay of SAC Consulting, in this episode we...

Read more >

Antibiotic Usage Tool

Antibiotics are vitally important when required on farms, but we must all play a part in ensuring they are available and can be used effectively...

Read more >

Animal Health Is Wealth

Your opportunity to listen back to our Animal Health is Wealth webinar. Veterinary health planning is widely recognised for its value in terms of improving...

Read more >

Selective dry cow therapy

There is increasing pressure to reduce antibiotic use in the dairy industry and selective dry cow therapy can help towards this. Using individual cell count...

Read more >

Dairy cow lameness

Lameness is a huge welfare issue in the dairy industry. One of the most common causes of lameness is digital dermatitis and effective footbathing is...

Read more >

Caesarean Section In Cattle

The legacy of a great year for grass is an increasing number of cows likely to require a caesarean section. While a natural birth is...

Read more >

More in FAS Problem Solver

Select by an area of interest

MMN January 2024 – What is the Cost Benefit of Whole-Herd Routine Foot Trimming?

As many herds are now halfway through the housing period, the incidence of lameness may become more apparent. Prolonged exposure to damp/soiled passageways may have...

Read more >

MMN November 2023 – The Low-Down on Winter Dysentery

Every year we hear reports of winter dysentery outbreaks in dairy herds. The clinical signs of the disease can be dramatic, with a significant reduction...

Read more >

Cattle Mineral Supplementation

Throughout the year and production cycle, the cow goes through different phases with varying nutritional requirements depending on her stage of production. Minerals are an...

Read more >

MMN September 2023 – Water Quality: is it up to scratch?

We all know the importance of water to a dairy cow. High yielding cows can consume over 200 litres a day and so fresh, palatable...

Read more >

MMN July 2023 – Keeping Mastitis Under Control in Summer

Mastitis is one of the biggest causes of economic loss in the dairy herd and can be even more prevalent during the grazing season. Exposure...

Read more >

Common Causes Of Milk Fever In Dairy Cattle

Milk fever is one of the most common mineral-related metabolic disorders affecting dairy cows at parturition as a result of low plasma calcium. Economically, milk...

Read more >

Milk Manager News May 2023 – Cows Off Colour? Know The Signs!

Farm staff should be trained how to spot the early signs of health issues in dairy cows, be that metabolic disorders or disease. Many farms...

Read more >

Milk Manager News November 2022 – Downer Cow Syndrome

Downer Cow Syndrome The definition of Downer Cow Syndrome is a cow that has not been able to get up for more than 24 hours....

Read more >

Dry Cow Management for a Successful Transition into the Milking Herd

This factsheet focuses on the non-nutritional factors that are important to help dry dairy cows achieve a trouble free-calving and successful transition into the milking...

Read more >

Are You At Risk Of Long Bone Deformity?

Long bone deformity appears to have a higher occurrence amongst beef suckler herds.  Calves are born with a dwarf like appearance as a result of...

Read more >

Disbudding Calves

Disbudding calves is a common management procedure on many beef and dairy farms.  Horns pose as a potential welfare issue to cattle as well as...

Read more >

Technical Note (TN 743): Johne’s Disease In Cattle

Johne’s disease (also known as paratuberculosis) is an infectious wasting condition of cattle and other ruminants. It results in progressive damage to the intestines of...

Read more >

Controlling Cryptosporidia in Calves

Cryptosporidia is a common cause of scour in dairy calves. Katrina Henderson of SRUC Veterinary Services discusses the main symptoms, how to diagnosis the disease...

Read more >

Health Considerations of Youngstock at Summer Grazing

Many producers are preparing to turn cattle out to rented summer grass.  Before doing so, it is important to consider the herd health implications when summering youngstock away from home. 

Read more >

Reducing Stress in Cows at Calving

Improving cow comfort and reducing cow stress is now seen as a given route to improving production as well as animal welfare.  One of the...

Read more >

Livestock Monthly: Dairy

Welcome to the March 2021 episode of our livestock monthly podcasts episodes hosted by Beef Specialist Robert Ramsay of SAC Consulting, in this episode we...

Read more >

Antibiotic Usage Tool

Antibiotics are vitally important when required on farms, but we must all play a part in ensuring they are available and can be used effectively...

Read more >

Animal Health Is Wealth

Your opportunity to listen back to our Animal Health is Wealth webinar. Veterinary health planning is widely recognised for its value in terms of improving...

Read more >

Selective dry cow therapy

There is increasing pressure to reduce antibiotic use in the dairy industry and selective dry cow therapy can help towards this. Using individual cell count...

Read more >

Dairy cow lameness

Lameness is a huge welfare issue in the dairy industry. One of the most common causes of lameness is digital dermatitis and effective footbathing is...

Read more >

Caesarean Section In Cattle

The legacy of a great year for grass is an increasing number of cows likely to require a caesarean section. While a natural birth is...

Read more >

Something else on your mind?