Animal

The page tracks genetic trends in the national herd, noting improvements in economically important traits.

Calculating Metabolisable Energy (ME) needs is important for dairy cows. You adjust for feed quality by adding or subtracting 4% per MJ ME/kg DM from the standard 11.0 MJ ME/kg DM.

Managing down cows is crucial for dairy farmers. When a cow is down, it's important to promptly diagnose the cause, decide on a treatment, and follow a management plan.

If you’re experiencing issues with somatic cell count, have several clinical cases of mastitis, or persistent teat damage in your herd, professional help should be sought. Trained advisers are available in all regions to investigate and help.

Providing the right amount of high-quality colostrum as soon as possible after birth, is the best thing you can do for your calves. High quality colostrum provides energy and important maternal antibodies that help newborn fight disease.

Heifer growth, best measured by liveweight, is a vital aspect of dairy farming. Consistent weigh-ins, ideally every 4-8 weeks, help monitor growth and spot issues early on.

Review your heat detection strategy each season, ensuring it includes careful planning, effective use of aids, keen observation, accurate record-keeping, and regular staff training.

Cow performance measurement lets you identify the most and least productive cows in your herd.

Bulk milk urea concentration is a near real-time indicator of the dietary crude protein status of dairy herds and their nitrogen use efficiency, helping to support feed and nitrogen management decisions in pasture-based systems.

Endometritis is a bacterial inflammation in the uterus that often occurs after calving. Around 25% of cows have this condition before mating starts.