We believe the use of certified sustainable soya in animal feed is the most appropriate option to minimise negative impacts on the environment now, while allowing time for sustainable supply chains for alternative protein sources to develop.
A poor start to a calf’s life which impacts growth rates can significantly affect future performance in the herd. Wynnstay’s Account Manager for Biosecurity and Hardware, Richard Wild, says a key factor in poor growth rates, and subsequent milking and DLWG performance, is housing and ventilation.
It is estimated that 10% of UK farms already use robotic milking, but they also constitute 35% of all new milking systems being purchased. In Holland 40% of dairy farms are automated, with some Scandinavian countries as high as 50%. The number of cows milked in robots is expected to more than double in the next 5 years.
As grass growth reaches it’s spring peak, owners of good do-ers know the struggle of maintaining that healthy weight.
Grass may contain high levels of simple sugars (the main one being sucrose – the same sugar you put in your tea!) and fructan or ‘stored sugar’, collectively referred to as water-soluble carbohydrate (WSC).
In fact, a 300kg pony turned out 24/7 could consume up to 2.3kg of simple sugars and up to 7.5kg of WSC from grass alone! But fresh grass isn’t the only culprit, hay and haylage can be deceptively high in WSC too.
It is the aim of every farmer to get uninterrupted growth in their animals, but as turnout approaches there is one factor that can stop cattle from achieving their growth rate targets – PARASITES!
With the drive to boost milk from forage, research has shed new light on multi-cut silage. Volac expert, Peter Smith, explains.
For cost-effective weed control in root crops the emphasis must be placed on pre-emergence application of herbicides. Every year we receive a large number of calls from concerned growers who have applied no herbicide at all and who are concerned that their root crop is disappearing under a sea of weeds. By this point, it is usually too late to save the crop!
Two thirds of all joint ill cases are caused by the bacteria Streptococcus Dysgalactiae – the same bacteria that causes mastitis in cows. The other third of cases are preventable through adequate colostrum uptake.
Weaning can be considered a simple change from milk feeding to solid feeding but in truth it is a balancing act between maximising early feed efficiency and managing rumen development.
