In this issue...

• The transition period starts now!
  March is the time to start focusing on calving - in particular assessing how to manage your herd’s body condition score (BCS). BCS is the single most important factor influencing the health of the transition cow and her milk production and reproductive success post calving.
• Supplement research surprises
  When fed the same amount of metabolisable energy in late lactation from either palm kernel
  extract (PKE) or maize grain, cows gained the same amount of body condition. However, there was an unexplained increase in milksolids yield in cows fed PKE.
• Digital dermatitis - a global issue
  Digital dermatitis is the most important infectious cause of lameness in dairy cattle worldwide. It is now affecting New Zealand dairy herds. What does digital dermatitis look like, how is it caused and how can farmers avoid or manage it?
• Lessons from swedes disease outbreak
  In the winter of 2014, dairy farmers across Southland and South Otago encountered high incidences of illness and death in cattle grazing on swede crops. DairyNZ researchers explain the results of their investigation and provide recommendations to prevent a repeat of the outbreak.
• Science snapshots
• Snippets of hot science