It is important to monitor performance of heifers in order to meet goals to get the heifer developed and grown well to optimise lifetime performance. Calving at 24 months has been shown to be the optimum for economic and lifetime performance but it is important that heifers meet key targets at critical stages in the rearing programme.
The nutritional requirements of a foal will increase as they grow and will begin to exceed the supply that the mare is able to provide. Ensuring your foal is consuming enough nutrients early on in life will allow for a greater start post-weaning.
Early detection is key for dairy farmers to stay on top of lameness cases and prevent the impact being seen in the bulk tank, particularly those milking on a robotic system.
Despite being a top priority to reduce cases in UK herds, including industry initiatives such as ‘Lameness Month’ this July, Wynnstay dairy specialist, Beth May, says lameness is still one of the highest costs to a dairy business.
Finishing time contributes to profitability and sustainability of the UK beef market. As an industry we should be utilising cattle efficiencies and look to get them finished quicker as they become poorer at feed conversion.
Rearing dairy heifers from birth to first calving can be costly, but they are the future of the herd and it is important to get right. The aim is to inseminate heifers at 14- 15 months old to be calving down at 24 months.
In cattle, puberty is dependent on weight not age - with puberty beginning when a heifer reaches 40% of its mature body weight. Heifers which have shown heat at least twice before insemination for the first time at 15 months have the best fertility and the best chance of getting pregnant.
The average dairy calf faces many potential stressors in the preweaning period including birth, transportation, disbudding/castration, weaning and mixing.
Most of these stressors are inevitable in calf rearing production systems but are manageable if the calf timeline is considered.
This is a question we get asked frequently, and undoubtedly even more so this autumn with the strong grain price. Here are the important factors of how to choose a second wheat.
Rabbits are inquisitive, affectionate, and active animals who love to play and forage. These fluffy friends come in all shapes and sizes and all with their personalities, making an exciting and enjoyable experience for both of you. But we need to make sure that their needs are put first, and we provide all the necessary elements of a rabbit’s lifestyle to keep them healthy and happy.
Pressure is mounting on poultry farmers to prevent phosphate contamination of rivers and changes to layer diets is one way the poultry sector can reduce phosphate excretion from birds.
In Season 3, Episode 1 of the Wynnstay Agri-Hub Podcast, my colleague Julie Wright, Company Nutritionist at Wynnstay, and Eloise Lawlor, Commercial Poultry Nutritionist at Premier Nutrition, explain how they have reduced phosphorus levels in Wynnstay rations and why this is important for egg producers.
When discussing colostrum management, attention is often focused on the calf. However, to produce a quality-first feed we need to begin with the cow in her transition period. Dam colostrum contains farm-specific antibodies making it so valuable to the calves on that farm, providing protection against the pathogens, they are most likely to encounter.
