Dry cow feeding and management is central to any successful dairy business, however there is a tendency to put dry cows out in a field for the early dry period and leave ...

The optimal dry period length between lactations in dairy cows has been debated for many years. Traditionally, an 8-week dry period was considered the ideal duration - ba...

Lighting on a dairy farm is important for animal health and production, but can be a significant cost. This Farming Note addresses: Optimum lighting levels and hours ...

Milk fever is a metabolic disease which occurs when the calcium reserves of the freshly calved cow are unable to meet the demands of milk production and smooth muscle fu...

No longer just a security tool, the role of cameras on-farm has seen a revolution in recent years, particularly since the growth of smart phones and tablets.  Whether yo...

Each new case of mastitis costs around £276. Many of these cases appear in early lactation, with up to 50% attributed to management in the dry period. Subclinical mastit...

Environmental mastitis pathogens are naturally present in the housed environment, but problems occur when the pathogen pressure becomes too high. This Farming Note cov...

The typical method for preventing new infections and treatment of intra-mammary infections during the dry period has historically been the blanket use of Dry Cow Therapy....

Sole bruising and sole ulcers are painful lameness conditions, and studies have shown that unfortunately once damage has been done it is unusual for cows to be fully soun...