The importance of lepto vaccination in dairy herds
The importance of lepto vaccination in dairy herds Leptospirosis, or lepto as it is commonly called, is a zoonosis – i.e. a disease of animals that can be transferred to humans The disease in cattle Cattle and other livestock can be carriers of their own lepto serovar without showing any symptoms but all serovars can […]
Preventing BMSCC Grading in Late Lactation
Preventing BMSCC Grading in Late Lactation We’ve all got our fingers crossed for plenty of rain and low spore counts over the next few months but managing bulk milk somatic cell count (BMSCC) is also a common challenge on dairy farms throughout autumn. Although SCC spikes and grading are most common during spring calving, the […]
BVD testing of calves
BVD testing of calves BVD (Bovine Diarrhoea Disease) has been talked about now for many years, but we are still finding infected herds are common, both for dairy and even more so for beef. The consequences that follow infection are varied. In young cattle less than 12 months, BVD suppresses their immune system and makes […]
Getting the most out of spring calf rearing
Getting the most out of spring calf rearing When it comes to rearing any animal and how to control disease, it first pays to understand three major factors required for the development of disease which are: The presence of a disease-causing organism. The presence of a favourable environment to disease. The requirement of a susceptible […]
Early pregnancy testing of dairy herds
Early pregnancy testing of dairy herds The mating period that we are currently in will set the scene for the next season (or two) in how the cows are going to calve down and what the requirements will be, i.e. labour, feed, milk in the vat etc. How we determine this and get a handle […]
Lameness in dairy cows
Lameness in dairy cows Lameness costs the New Zealand (NZ) dairy industry many millions of dollars every year. The obvious costs of lameness include labour and vet costs for treatment, drugs and hoof blocks, reduced milk production and lost milk if antibiotics are used. Other costs include reduced overall season production, reduced reproductive performance, increased […]
Pregnancy losses in dairy cows
Pregnancy losses in dairy cows Not every cow diagnosed as pregnant will calve, but this pregnancy loss can be caused by a huge variety of factors and it can be difficult to know when you have a problem that needs further investigation. Pregnancy loss typically shows up in two different forms: Visible – you see […]
Replacement heifers
Replacement heifers Every spring we see groups of young heifers entering herds that are not quite where they need to be with respect to size, weight and body condition. We know the consequences of light heifers at mating – more empty heifers and delayed first calvings. And we know the consequences of light heifers at […]
‘Crypto’ infection in calves
‘Crypto’ infection in calves Cryptosporidium in calves is caused by a parasite called Cryptosporidium parvum and is usually seen in calves less than six weeks old. Calves become infected by ingesting the oocytes (eggs) that reside in the environment in bedding, pasture, soil and drinking water. Symptoms include diarrhoea, dehydration, loss of appetite, fever and […]
Increasing reproductive performance
Increasing reproductive performance Every year we are asked “How can I increase the reproductive performance of my herd?” We start by saying that every cow should be metrichecked and any infected cows treated – this has already been covered last month. The next important thing to do is pre-mating heat recording from about one month […]