Dairy
Autumn calving: Preparing for drying off
As we progress further into the year, the autumn calving cow is at the latter end of her lactation, which...
SDCT
Dairy
Identifying problem cows during the mid-lactation
Reviewing herd performance and identifying problem cows is now essential as farmers approach the mid-lactation stage. There is now a...
Dairy
Dairy advice: Are you milk recording on your farm?
Getting more farmers on board for milk recording and increasing the frequency of it is a key target for the...
Dairy
Autumn calving: Assessing BCS and selecting for SDCT
Although the autumn calving season is still a number of months away, assessing body condition score (BCS) and identifying which...
Dairy Technical
Dairy advice: Organising the final milk recording
Ahead of drying-off taking place on farms you should be booking or planning in your final milk recording for the...
Dairy Technical
Time to start planning for drying off
The focus for dairy farmers over the next couple of months should be on preparing for drying off spring-calving cows....
Dairy Technical
Cell counts can't be allowed to slip at this stage of lactation
Maintaining cell counts and milk quality on dairy farms needs to be a focus heading into the autumn months. Most...
Dairy Technical
Autumn calving: Preparing for drying-off cows
The lactation for autumn-calving cows is approaching its conclusion, with the drying-off of cows due to start in the coming...
Dairy Technical
Dairy advice: BCS and SDCT for autumn-calving cows
It is now time to start looking at the body condition score (BCS) of autumn-calving cows. Many autumn-calving herds will...
Dairy Technical
Have you completed a milk recording yet?
Milk recording has a vital role to play on dairy farms, with the information obtained being invaluable to dairy farmers....
Dairy Technical
Implementing the use of SDCT on Irish dairy farms
Selective dry cow therapy (SDCT) is being used on many farms for the first time this year, following the introduction...
Dairy Technical
External teat sealant: Is it worthwhile?
There appears to be a large number of farmers using, or considering the use of external teat sealant on their...
Dairy Technical
Dairy advice: Drying off cows this autumn
The drying off of cows has begun on many farms, with almost all herds due to begin the process in...
Dairy Technical
Dairy advice: Clipping tails ahead of drying off
Clipping tails involves removing excess hair from a cow’s tail. It is a practice done on most dairy farms in...
Dairy Technical
Drying-off cows: What the new regulations mean for farms
One of the next major tasks on Irish dairy farms is drying-off cows. Traditionally, antibiotics play a large part around...
Dairy Technical
Milk recording: One million cows recorded in 2022
According to the latest data from the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF) on milk recording 1,055,932 cows, from 9,031 herds,...
Dairy Technical
Why do we have a dry period for cows?
Dairy cows, typically, undergo a dry period of 60 days prior to calving. A dry period is important for several...
Dairy Technical
Drying off: Selecting cows for SDCT
Selective dry cow therapy (SDCT) has become increasingly more popular on Irish dairy farms as January’s 2022 changes loom. January...