Before turnout it’s crucial to make a parasite control plan to protect your cattle over the coming grazing season.
Most maize crops were harvested successfully in 2023, but some growers were caught out by the sudden arrival of heavy rain in October. For those growers whose crops were not harvested before the wet weather arrived, harvesting was hampered by waterlogged conditions and, in the very worst cases, a small area of crops went unharvested.
To assess the health and fertility of high yielding dairy cows and accurately and reliably spot heats in cows and heifers, the SenseHub herd monitoring system
Farming on heavy clay land at 550 feet means James Wooldridge of Crosspark Farm, North Devon, is constantly fighting against time and the weather to get his arable and maize crops drilled and harvested successfully, with appropriate variety selection critical to his crops’ performance.
While cattle are housed over winter, it is a good time to review your plans for parasite control next year. The main species to focus on are gutworms, lungworm and liver fluke
Following Brexit, the future of UK maize crops has been in jeopardy due to an impending change in law which would make it illegal to use any seed treatments not registered in the UK. However, an industry-wide political campaign – spearheaded by Limagrain – has secured the availability of three vital bird repellent, fungicide and insecticide treatments.
Trace minerals are integral to immune function, whether that be enabling an effective response to natural disease challenges or to vaccination. Deficiencies in trace minerals can limit the immune system’s ability to respond to vaccination.
The SenseHub herd monitoring system from MSD Animal Health can be tailored to meet the needs of every size and type of dairy farm, with the system’s Premium application plan enabling herd managers to closely monitor their cattle on a group-by-group basis.
Removing production-limiting worms from cattle at housing can support healthy growth rates in youngstock, and improve milk production in heifers due to calve over winter.
Adjusting robot access times for cows across the herd has helped to drive milk yields, particularly from early lactation cows, for Lancashire producers Steven and Tracey Holden.