Dairy: Animal Health & Welfare
Find information about the welfare of dairy cattle, herd health planning and disease management
MMN September 2024 – The Benefits of Metabolic Profiling
Metabolic profiling is a useful management tool to assess the nutritional status of the dairy herd. Blood samples are collected at key times during the production cycle and analysed for…
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MMN November 2024 – Waterbeds – the Ultimate in Cow Comfort?
November 7, 2024Ensuring good cow comfort is critical to welfare and productivity and a new type of lying surface is gaining momentum – waterbeds! First developed in...
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MMN November 2024 – A Recap on Winter Lameness Management: Prevention is Better than Cure
November 7, 2024The estimated average cost of a case of lameness in dairy cows is £180. Whilst we are all aware of the risks and costs of...
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MMN July 2024 – Contagious Mastitis: Tackling High SCC’s
July 15, 2024Being above the standard litre target for somatic cell count (SCC) can have a significant impact on your milk cheque. High levels of contagious mastitis...
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Managing Johne’s Disease Within Your Herd
June 5, 2024Johne’s disease is a chronic, contagious bacterial disease of the intestinal tract mainly seen in ruminant species, particularly dairy cattle. It is caused by the...
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MMN May 2024 – Reducing White Line Disease in Dairy Cows
May 9, 2024White line disease (WLD) is the second most common cause of claw disease in dairy cows, with an average of 5.5 cases per 100 cows...
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MMN May 2024 – Colostrum Beyond Antibodies: What is New?
May 9, 2024Project: Identifying critical control points for colostrum contamination and Mycoplasma bovis prevalence in first milking colostrum from Scottish dairy herds. When colostrum quality is discussed,...
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MMN January 2024 – What is the Cost Benefit of Whole-Herd Routine Foot Trimming?
January 12, 2024As 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
November 10, 2023Every year we hear reports of winter dysentery outbreaks in dairy herds. The clinical signs of the disease can be dramatic, with a significant reduction...
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Cattle Mineral Supplementation
November 1, 2023Throughout 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?
September 11, 2023We 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
July 11, 2023Mastitis 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
June 20, 2023Milk 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!
May 10, 2023Farm staff should be trained how to spot the early signs of health issues in dairy cows, be that metabolic disorders or disease. Many farms...
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Milk Manager News November 2022 – Downer Cow Syndrome
November 14, 2022Downer Cow Syndrome The definition of Downer Cow Syndrome is a cow that has not been able to get up for more than 24 hours....
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Dry Cow Management for a Successful Transition into the Milking Herd
September 15, 2022This 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...
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Are You At Risk Of Long Bone Deformity?
November 3, 2021Long 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
August 24, 2021Disbudding 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
July 8, 2021Johne’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
June 26, 2021Cryptosporidia 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
May 19, 2021Many 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
April 28, 2021Improving 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
March 26, 2021Welcome to the March 2021 episode of our livestock monthly podcasts episodes hosted by Beef Specialist Robert Ramsay of SAC Consulting, in this episode we...
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Antibiotic Usage Tool
February 19, 2021Antibiotics 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 >
Selective dry cow therapy
March 28, 2020There 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 >Caesarean Section In Cattle
October 8, 2019The 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 November 2024 – Waterbeds – the Ultimate in Cow Comfort?
November 7, 2024Ensuring good cow comfort is critical to welfare and productivity and a new type of lying surface is gaining momentum – waterbeds! First developed in...
Read more >
MMN November 2024 – A Recap on Winter Lameness Management: Prevention is Better than Cure
November 7, 2024The estimated average cost of a case of lameness in dairy cows is £180. Whilst we are all aware of the risks and costs of...
Read more >
MMN July 2024 – Contagious Mastitis: Tackling High SCC’s
July 15, 2024Being above the standard litre target for somatic cell count (SCC) can have a significant impact on your milk cheque. High levels of contagious mastitis...
Read more >
Managing Johne’s Disease Within Your Herd
June 5, 2024Johne’s disease is a chronic, contagious bacterial disease of the intestinal tract mainly seen in ruminant species, particularly dairy cattle. It is caused by the...
Read more >
MMN May 2024 – Reducing White Line Disease in Dairy Cows
May 9, 2024White line disease (WLD) is the second most common cause of claw disease in dairy cows, with an average of 5.5 cases per 100 cows...
Read more >
MMN May 2024 – Colostrum Beyond Antibodies: What is New?
May 9, 2024Project: Identifying critical control points for colostrum contamination and Mycoplasma bovis prevalence in first milking colostrum from Scottish dairy herds. When colostrum quality is discussed,...
Read more >
MMN January 2024 – What is the Cost Benefit of Whole-Herd Routine Foot Trimming?
January 12, 2024As 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
November 10, 2023Every 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
November 1, 2023Throughout 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?
September 11, 2023We 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
July 11, 2023Mastitis 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
June 20, 2023Milk 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!
May 10, 2023Farm 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
November 14, 2022Downer 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
September 15, 2022This 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?
November 3, 2021Long 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
August 24, 2021Disbudding 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
July 8, 2021Johne’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
June 26, 2021Cryptosporidia 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
May 19, 2021Many 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
April 28, 2021Improving 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
March 26, 2021Welcome 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
February 19, 2021Antibiotics 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 >
Selective dry cow therapy
March 28, 2020There 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 >Caesarean Section In Cattle
October 8, 2019The 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?