Optimising calf and heifer growth rates enhances both the environmental and economic efficiency of dairy farms. Heifer rearing on a dairy farm accounts for over 20% of total farm costs. Feeding calves the required levels of energy and protein through feeding a good quality milk replacer and concentrate will boost their weight gain and development, which ultimately leads to more productive cows.
As social animals, goats require ample space for exercise and roaming, along with adequate shelter to protect them from harsh weather conditions, particularly during the colder season. They are unique and intelligent animals, who are relatively easy to keep, but they do best in pairs or herds.
Douglas Palmer, Vet Advisor from Norbrook Laboratories LTD discusses briefly what we might see with cattle worms over the coming months.
Maintaining a healthy weight for your horse is crucial. Horses that are overweight are prone to various health issues like respiratory problems, arthritis, and laminitis. Similarly, underweight horses are also at risk of developing health problems like muscle loss and low immunity. It is therefore essential to ensure that your horse maintains a healthy weight.
If you're looking for a pet that is perfect for all ages, consider getting a Guinea pig. These small, social animals are relatively low maintenance, but there are a few key things you should keep in mind to ensure their health and happiness.
Measuring the growth rate in youngstock, is one of the most significant ways to measure overall performance. By calculating average daily gain (ADG) we can work out how well the youngstock are growing and use the information as a method of monitoring whether you are using the right feeds. When rearing dairy calves or beef calves, it is important that they grow in an efficient way to meet their target bulling weights or finishing weights on time. Using weigh bands or weighing scales on young calves will give a good indicator of how the calves are progressing and show average daily gain. This will highlight any issues that are preventing calves from reaching sufficient weight. Monitoring growth is also a way to identify problems with your system and rearing protocols.
Wynnstay has a dedicated team of RAMAs, fully trained and legally qualified through AMTRA, (Animal Medicines Training Regulatory Authority) to advise, prescribe and supply certain veterinary medicines. In this issue, we meet Mark Matthews, Animal Health Sales Specialist (Midlands). With more than 30 years in the industry as an Animal Health Sales Specialist, and more than 25-years as a registered Animal Medicines Advisor, Mark Matthews is one of the most experienced RAMAs in the Wynnstayteam.
Sheep scab is an allergic dermatitis which is caused by the mite Psoroptes ovis. It is a highly contagious condition as the mites live and feed on the skin and so they are easily spread onto in contact sheep.
Ecosyl UK research has found that selecting the right wilting technique when making grass silage can speed up the process by up to five times. The research, which was conducted on farms in Wales using farm-scale silage machinery, compared the effects of tedding, time of day of cutting, and crop maturity on the rate of crop drying.
The results showed that tedding the grass after cutting increased the rate of wilting by up to 30%. Cutting the grass in the morning also resulted in faster wilting, as the dew on the grass helped to cool it down and reduce the rate of evaporation. Finally, the research found that the most mature grass wilted the fastest, as it had a higher water content.These findings suggest that farmers can speed up the silage wilting process by using the right techniques. Tedding the grass after cutting, cutting it in the morning, and harvesting the most mature grass will all help to reduce the amount of time it takes to make silage.
It is essential to take good care of grass silage made this year. Increasing milk production from home-grown silage is a great way to improve profitability.
Good quality silage starts with good quality grass, and cutting at the right stage of growth is key to achieving this, a one-week delay in cutting is equivalent to 1.2l of milk/cow/day. Allowing crops to “Bulk up” may mean more silage in the pit on any single cut, but generally cutting more often means you will grow more grass through the season – so potentially more silage of a better quality.
