RESEARCH WRAP OVERSEAS RESEARCH
Using human care techniques on mastitis Words by: Chris McCullough
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educing the use of antibiotics to treat mastitis in dairy herds is a prime focus for dairy farmers these days and a number of new solutions afre coming to the market. Mastitis costs the global dairy industry billions of dollars every year in lost production and is one of the biggest consumers of antibiotics, or at least it was. One of the latest developments concentrates on the use of acoustic pulse technology and its ability to treat inflammatory diseases in human healthcare. Based in Israel, Armenta has adapted this human care technology to increase the health of cattle by focusing on mastitis, which is also an inflammatory disease. Following a number of trials on dairy farms across the world the company found its new test had a success rate of more than 70% tackling mastitis.
Acoustic pulse technology used in human healthcare is being trialed on mastitis in cows.
A unique, simple-to-use, lightweight hand-held device, the APT-X, provides comprehensive mastitis treatment in just three minutes, with immediate results. During field studies on dairy farms around the world, farmers and veterinarians applied the appropriate Armenta course of therapy to hundreds of cows with clinical or subclinical mastitis. The equipment was comfortable to use and performed well, the treatments were simple to administer, and the animals displayed no resistance.
The company says the real impact was on the cattle’s health and milk production which after treatment showed a mastitis recovery rate of over 70% with normal SCC levels and infection-free. Also, about 10% more milk was produced daily using the APT-X than without treatment. These improvements in productivity and animal welfare meant an 80% reduction in culling rates, and a measurable and rapid improvement in farm profitability. The APT-X system consists of a pulse generator (APT-X1) which is a hand-held device that generates the acoustic pulses through ballistic impact. It also contains an applicator unit (AM-1) which is disposable and needs to be replaced every 20 to 80 cows. The design of Armenta’s APT solution means it uses pulses that are generated via ballistic impact powered by high-pressurised air covering a large area at therapeutic levels and all that in a short treatment time.
Reducing methane with seaweed Words by: Chris McCullough
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Swedish start-up company is on a mission to reduce methane emissions from cows by feeding them a specially grown type of seaweed. According to Volta Greentech, there are 1.5 billion cows on the planet that together burp out 5% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. Co-founded by Leo Wezelius, CMO and Angelo Demeter, head of R & D, the company is on a mission to reduce emissions by providing farmers with their seaweed supplement, called Volta Seafeed. The duo claims that when this is fed
to cows at a daily dose of 100g/head, methane emissions are reduced by up to 80%. The feed is based on a mix of red seaweeds and includes natural bioactive compounds that block one of the enzymes that microbial methanogens in the rumen use to produce methane. This eliminates the majority of the methane gas the cows burp out and unlocks more energy in the form of hydrogen and carbon that previously was used to produce the unwanted byproduct methane. Volta Factory 01 will be up and running by early 2022, aiming to grow enough seaweed under artificial light to feed 12,500 cows with Volta Seafeed daily.
Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | December 2020
Wonder weed: 100grams each day of seaweed can reduce methane emissions by up to 80%.
The building will be powered by 100% clean electricity and industrial waste heat. Just like any land plant, seaweed grows through photosynthesis, so in addition to reducing methane emissions, the seaweed produced in Volta Factory 01 will be able to absorb 1000 tonnes of CO2 per year. 75
