Scottish Dairy Hub

problem among the herd, which is a disease that is linked to the presence of ketosis,” says Mr Evans.

“So, to prevent these issues arising, our SOFTT cows were treated with a monensin bolus three to four weeks before calving, and we looked to enhance cow comfort and lying times by increasing the size of lying and feed areas. The combination of these changes, plus the introduction of the robotic system and fine tuning of nutrition, has resulted in a huge step change in milk yields. Before the changes were made, we were getting around 7,800 litres per cow per day, but are now producing over 12,500 litres, while maintaining butterfat levels at around 4%,” he says.

For further information on ketosis in dairy cows, please visit: https://www.farmanimalhealth. co.uk/dairy/kick-ketosis.

Trace elements key to supporting dry cow transition

Dairy farmers are being encouraged to invest in trace element supplementation at drying off to support cows through the transition period.

James Brinicombe, technical director at B2B Nutrition, the trade arm of the Brinicombe group, says that the calving period is an incredibly stressful time for cows due to the heightened physiological demands and exponential rise in energy requirements.

“Post calving, dairy cows rapidly go into peak lactation. If their health isn’t supported through this period, cows could be at increased risk of metabolic disease and serious illness.

“Illness during this time comes at a significant cost to farm businesses. Not only are there the immediate costs associated with veterinary treatment, and loss of milk yield to consider, there is likely to be a longer-term impact with fertility typically also affected,” he says.

According to Mr Brinicombe, good micronutrition can play a key part in ensuring the cow achieves the right chemical and energy balance during the transition period, therefore supporting immunity, repair and recovery post-calving.

“Micronutrients often work together to support performance, but selenium in particular can help to keep cows free from infection and reduce the risk of retained placentas,” he says

“In addition to this, zinc, copper and manganese all help to support recovery post calving and should also be considered within transition diets.”

Mr Brinicombe suggests that micronutrition is a balancing act. “It can be difficult to maintain a good trace element and vitamin status, but supplementation via a slow-release bolus can simplify the process.

“For example, EnduraBol® boluses provide a sustained release of six vital trace elements and three vitamins for up to four months. This gives farmers peace of mind that their cows are receiving accurate micronutrition over a set period of time,” he says.

While micronutrition is sometimes overlooked, Mr Brinicombe stresses that every penny spent on pre-calving nutrition could see more money gained in performance in subsequent months. “Micronutrition really should be incorporated into all herds’ transition management plans,” he concludes.

Visit www.livestockbolus. com for more information on the use of trace element and vitamin boluses at drying off.

AHDB – Shape the Future

By Stuart Martin, Scottish Dairy Hub Manager

The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) is a statutory levy board, funded by farmers, growers, and others in the supply chain to help the industry succeed in a rapidly changing world.

AHDB have a responsibility to get farmers ready for the change that is coming and helping them to not only survive but thrive. There are exciting opportunities ahead and AHDB want to unite the industry around a common goal to lift productivity, bringing people together to collaborate, innovate and drive change.

The levy payers are at the heart of everything they do, so it is only right that farmers and growers are now to be given a greater voice in how AHDB spend the levy.

In April 2022, levy payers get to have their say on the challenges they want AHDB to focus on. This is the chance for levy payers to influence how their levy is spent on the things that matter most.

Shape the Future is a consultive exercise on how the levy is invested. It will ensure that the Sector Councils at AHDB can be confident that they have the best evidence of what levy payers want when it comes to making the decisions of what to invest the levy on. Giving an understanding of what their levy payers feel are important to them, their businesses, and the industry.

To ensure as many levy payers as possible have the opportunity to vote, AHDB are asking individual levy payers to register to vote. It is a simple process that should take no more than five minutes. The opportunity to register closes on the 31st of March and only those registered will be able to “vote” in April when the Shape the Future portal will open.

Start the registration process now and visit the AHDB website or use the following link https://ahdb.

org.uk/shape-the-future

The SCOTTISH DAIRY HUB offers dairy farmers and service providers a free signposting service connecting the dairy sector throughout Scotland. Visit our website to view all the latest information on our noticeboard and events page www.scottishdairyhub.org.uk Tel: 03454 755110 Mob: 07500 766083 Email: lnfo@scottishdairyhub.org.uk