Louse populations are highest in cattle kept indoors during the winter and severe infestations can lead to the disruption of feeding patterns, self-inflicted trauma and reduced weight gain. It is important to consider lice control at housing to prevent welfare issues and production losses.
Conversations about mental health can be difficult to approach, but charities like the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution (RABI) can provide a range of support to farming people who take the first step and reach out.
In the latest episode of the Wynnstay Agri-Hub podcast, I was joined by RABI’s chief executive, Alicia Chivers, who shared the importance of normalising conversations about wellbeing amongst farmers to help prevent them reaching crisis point.
Before getting started with clamping maize, clean out old silage. If you had a problem with mouldy silage the previous year, be particularly thorough with clamp hygiene.
On exposure to air silage can begin to break down resulting in heating and high DM losses. This process is known as aerobic spoilage. Aerobic spoilage is initiated mainly by yeasts which can grow using a variety of different substances particularly residual sugars and lactic acid. After the initial yeast activity, moulds join in. They are able to grow on a wider range of substances so spoilage accelerates. Such silages will also have reduced palatability.
Maize silage can be prone to losses from poor fermentation. These losses are invisible and can run at about 8% for maize harvested at the recommended dry matter content. However in some cases they may be higher – e.g. with some suggestion that DM losses can be as high as 20- 30% between the field (pre-harvest) and what finally ends up in the rumen.
Harvesting maize at the wrong whole-plant DM can result in reduced silage quality. Don’t leave maize to die off before harvesting it, as many farmers do. We recommend harvesting according to the correct dry matter – for example, when the whole plant is at around 30-33% DM. However, don’t leave it to get too dry as this makes it more difficult to consolidate in the clamp.
We all know the importance of quality colostrum, but it is easy to overlook the importance of dry cows and dry cow management when it comes to maximising colostrum quality.
The end of 2021 has arrived with colder weather, darker nights, and a storm brewing in the calf milk raw material market.
When the days are dark, cold and wet it’s easy to think the tack cleaning can wait for another day, but neglecting tack care simply isn’t worth the risk. Your tack is an expensive investment, and one that is crucial to your and your horse’s safety. Taking time to take care of tack, ensures your tack will take care of you.
With the dairy industry increasing the use of sexed semen, and research indicating there may be environmental benefits to crossbred calves, rearing dairy-bred beef calves can be an attractive option.
