Animal Health and Welfare [DA.AHW]
Too Much of a Good Thing? Copper Oversupply in Dairy Herds
Trace minerals are essential for reproductive performance, immunity, and productivity in dairy herds. They play a key role in maintaining enzyme systems and immune defences. Traditionally, mineral supplementation strategies have focused on preventing deficiencies whilst accounting for interactions that may reduce absorption. However, this approach alongside…
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The Dairy Labour Crisis – Who will Milk the Cows Tomorrow?
Across the dairy sector, margins are under increasing pressure. Following the recent milk price drops and ongoing market volatility, rising input costs and heightened environmental regulations often dominate headlines. For many producers, labour is no longer just…
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Heat Lamps for Neonate Calves
Rearing strong calves is key to business efficiency and profitability. Neonatal, low birth weight, or sick calves have a reduced capacity for thermoregulation. Heat lamps can be used to mitigate…
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How to Assess and Improve Cow Cleanliness
Keeping cows clean when housed can often be a challenge but is an important part of ensuring good udder health and prevention of environmental mastitis. If the udder and legs…
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Calf Milk Replacer Guide – What to Use and Why
There are many benefits of feeding a calf milk replacer (CMR) over whole milk, including: Reduced risk of disease transfer (particularly Johne’s) High bacterial load Antibiotic residues Consistency However, there…
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Is Subclinical Ketosis Draining Your Profits?
Clinical ketosis is easily identifiable, with affected cows showing rapid condition loss, a significant drop in milk yield and reduced appetite. These cows will also have an acetone odour in…
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Be on the Lookout for Summer Mastitis
With the exceptional weather so far this spring and early summer, we need to be vigilant for cases of summer mastitis. This disease is normally seen in the warmer summer…
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Uterine Prolapse in Dairy Cattle
Uterine prolapses are more serious than vaginal or rectal prolapses, and almost always occur within 24 hours of calving. They are easily distinguished from vaginal prolapses, which tend to occur…
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MMN November 2024 – Waterbeds – the Ultimate in Cow Comfort?
Ensuring good cow comfort is critical to welfare and productivity and a new type of lying surface is gaining momentum – waterbeds! First developed in Europe over 15 years ago,…
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MMN November 2024 – A Recap on Winter Lameness Management: Prevention is Better than Cure
The estimated average cost of a case of lameness in dairy cows is £180. Whilst we are all aware of the risks and costs of cattle lameness, it can sometimes…
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