Dairy
Dairy advice: Time to service your milking machine
As farms quieten down between the first and second cut of silage, you should be looking into servicing your milking...
SCC
Dairy
Being efficient and hygienic in the parlour during mid-season
Most cows will be served by now and a lot of first cuts of silage will be in, meaning that...
Dairy
Taking hold of cell counts and identifying the problem cows
We are now approaching the mid-lactation and things will begin to ease off as less cows are getting served, though...
Dairy
What’s your protocol for high cell count cows in the herd?
Many herds will be in the latter end of the calving season with only a few to calve, and high...
Dairy
Dairy advice: Strict milking routine to keep mastitis at bay
We are now coming towards the end of the calving season, which means the milking routine can become more consistent...
Dairy
Mitigate infection with a good milking routine this spring
Having a quality milking routine is critically important for the early stages of a cow’s lactation, with infectious pressures very...
N.Ireland
Dairy advice: The value of a CMT this spring
As cows will be calving thick and fast in the coming weeks, carrying out a Californian milk test (CMT) will...
N.Ireland
Dairy advice: Developing a herd health plan for 2025
The year is almost behind us, and before the spring calving season gets underway, farmers should develop a herd health...
N.Ireland
Familiarising heifers with milking facilities this winter
Familiarising heifers with the milking facilities and getting them parlour trained is the final piece of the puzzle for getting...
N.Ireland
Drying off: Do not let hygiene slip for final cows
For many spring calving herds, the majority of the herd has been dried off by now. It is important that...
N.Ireland
Dairy advice: Reducing mastitis risk during the dry period
As we are now in the month of December, many cows around the country are dried off at this point...
N.Ireland
Winter milk: Controlling SCC in the early stages of lactation
Controlling your somatic cell count (SCC) is not always easy during the early lactation of your winter milking herds, particularly...
Dairy
Autumn calving: Achieving 100 SCC in the first 100 days
As we are now into the thick of autumn calving, it’s important to be considerate of keeping your somatic cell...
N.Ireland
Dairy advice: Getting prepared for a smooth drying off
Cows are coming in for winter housing and grazing 2024 is finishing up, which means the next job on the...
Dairy
Drying off: Which cows need to be dried off first?
Drying off should be relatively straightforward, but if you are not prepared for it and haven’t done your homework, it...
Dairy
Dairy advice: Tail clipping and shaving udders before drying off
Farmers should now place a particular emphasis on tail clipping and shaving udders as we enter into the housing period...
N.Ireland
Controlling heifer mastitis as we edge closer to housing
Heifer mastitis can be a serious issue for herds and can have a negative impact on udder health in first...
N.Ireland
Seeing out the end of lactation for spring calving cows on a high
We are now entering the final few months of lactation for spring calving cows and the cows are beginning to...
