Having moved to Ruthin from Dorset with her mother and their two ponies some 16 years ago, Jess has since developed a life-long love of ponies, as well as dogs and cats.
That love of animals led her to study animal care and management at Llysfasi College, while at the same time helping her Mum and Stepdad produce and show Welsh section A and B ponies. This remains an important part of her life and encouraged her to pursue her career in the animal health industry.
We speak to David Jones to find out more about what a day in the life of a Wynnstay Dairy Specialist looks like. We discover some of the highlights of his role and discuss the challenges faced in this ever evolving industry.
Concussive pressures are amplified in the lower legs in especially on harder terrain. Hard ground poses a greater risk to older horses and animals who already have joint health problems.
One of the most effective ways to prevent grass tetany in dairy cows is magnesium supplementation during the risk period. Choosing the supplementation source is quite challenging in practice, magnesium oxide being commonly used to prevent Mg deficiency, but the solubility and therefore the bioavailability varies greatly in practice (1).
There are no silver bullets in farming. If there was a management practice that resembled one, then relentless attention to detail would have to be the closest option. When it comes to dairy farming and in particular transition cows than the 4 F’s are often cited as the nearest thing (Forage, Feet, Feed, Facilities) although choline nutrition could be considered a close second.
80% of disease and animal losses in the dairy herd occur from 21 days pre-calving to 60 days post-calving. Here are 3 main check-points for drying off, to ensure a more successful transition:
Low magnesium status and sub-optimal rumen pH can be no stranger at spring turn out. At Wynnstay we believe the dual functionality of pHix-up, can be harnessed to both safeguard rumen health and enhance magnesium supply at grass.
All animal medications, in particular those used to control blowflies, must be administered properly. It will save you time and ensure that you get the most out of your items if you take a little time to plan and consider the entire task at hand before you do anything. Specialists at Elanco recommend following the below steps to keep your flock free from blowfly infestations.
Widely grown in northern Europe, hybrid rye is proving to be an increasingly popular choice for improving the performance of AD (Anaerobic Digestion) plants and now as a high yielding wholecrop for livestock production.
With its huge yield potential, flexible drilling dates, vigorous growth habit and very early maturity, it provides growers with the opportunity for increased flexibility, in terms of the position of energy crops in their rotation.
