Advice - Dairy

A downer cow's best chance of rejoining the herd lies in having a strict protocol for rapid diagnosis and treatment

The 2025 season might not have been the kindest for growing forage maize, but it has offered some potentially valuable lessons

Q fever is widespread in UK dairy herds and has a significant impact on health and production, presenting a risk to reproductive performance

Keep an eye out for dung consistency, cudding and body condition this winter when evaluating how diets are performing

Teamwork has been key for tackling Johne’s disease in Micheal Brown's dairy cattle at Coton Hall Farm in Staffordshire

Issues with starter feed, water and forage intakes can all contribute to poor rumen development which is a common cause of pot-bellied calves

From investigating fresh cow diseases to routine monitoring of cow health, metabolic profiling in the dry period can help uncover what might be holding your dry cows back

The resumption of grass growth in autumn could be a godsend for farmers facing forage shortages this winter, but this grass needs to be maximised

Silage quality has held up better than expected after a dry, difficult season – but with forage stocks running short, dairy farmers are being urged to calculate stocks and plan now to avoid winter feed gaps

Vet, Charlie Foster, points to a recent development that may have increased the risk of exceeding milk maximum residue levels and offers some tips on how to avoid financial penalties