Before making fertiliser purchase decisions, farmers are advised to review an array of factors which will determine a crops need, be it the type or quantity of fertiliser.
Over the last 20 months, we have seen a hike in fertiliser prices due to the war in Ukraine and so it is more important than ever that farmers are making informed decisions around fertiliser applications.
As an owner of any animal, we have the legal commitment to endorse their five essential freedoms, which includes the freedom from pain. Nevertheless, to maintain and manage their comfort levels, we must be able to identify the signs and behaviours when your horse is not feeling quite right. In people, it is much easier, as we can say what we’re feeling, but in our animals, it comes from careful observation.
The foundation of a laminitis-prone horse's diet is conserved fodder, such as hay and haylage, as they typically spend longer periods in stables or areas without grass. People frequently choose bucket feed first when thinking about food for horses and ponies prone to laminitis. However, because it makes up such a sizable portion of the diet, it is equally crucial to make sure the forage is suitable.
Calving is a stressful time for both cow and calf. This can suppress a cow’s immune system and calves are born without any immunity leaving them both susceptible to infections. One of the key ways in which to minimise health risks and optimise health and performance (for both cow and calf) is to assess hygiene in and around the calving pen.
Whether cows calving in individual or group pens, good hygiene should always be mandatory for your calf pens. This will help reduce naval infections, joint ill and reduce risk of scours for calves as well as helping to reduce mastitis and uterine infections in the cow, allowing her to be more productive in the following lactation.
Calves have little to no immunity when they are born and therefore rely on colostrum in order to obtain immunoglobulins to fight pathogens they may encounter. If calves have little immunity it means that they are more susceptible to picking up diseases and becoming ill. In order to ensure that there is minimal risk of bacterial infection and to keep your calves healthy, we must pay attention to cleaning and sanitising equipment, ascontaminated feed can be a major risk to young calves.
Automatic calf machines are becoming an increasingly popular option for rearing calves, and although they are a great option when it comes to saving labour, there are some manual tasks that must be carried out in order to achieve optimum calf health.
Keeping teats clean on any feeder or the cows when harvesting colostrum is so important to reduce the build up of bacteria, this helps greatly with producing a strong, healthy calf. I always think that if you wouldn’t drink/ eat from it then why should the calf have to?
Residues from calf colostrum, milk or milk replacer are great places for pathogens to grow from. According to Dr. Sam Leadley, Attica Veterinary Associates, the goal of cleaning and sanitizing calf feeding equipment is to control bacterial growth by removing them from surfaces, killing any that remain, removing their food and water sources, and lowering the pH to prevent further growth.
Making sure your horse stays well hydrated and that any fluids lost via sweat are effectively restored is one of the most crucial parts of summertime health for horses, particularly when they are in the peak competition season.
For the last few years, the industry has been advising grass silage producers to cut little and often to maximise the energy and protein yield form their silage ground.
Some people may tell you that clipping your horse in the summer can ruin their summer coats. However, some of the heavier, thick-coated horses may require clipping all year round to stay comfortable when the weather gets hot.
Scour (Rotavirus coronavirus) in calves is quickly spread via the faecal-oral route, therefore removing sick calves from the group as soon as possible not only limits the spread of disease but makes them easier to treat. By leaving these clinically sick calves in the pen you risk the rest of the group suffering sub-clinically. These sub-clinical symptoms may not be as visible but will be an underlying contributor to poor performance. Isolated calves should remain separated from the main herd even after symptoms have subsided as they will still be shedding oocysts.
