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SUMMER 2016 ISSUE
LIVESTOCK MATTERS
8
HERD HEALTH
The routine fertility checks have improved in-calf
rate, but a lack of time meant Roger was
missing more heats than desirable. So 18
months ago, the herd was set up with heat
detection collars.
Alastair comments: ’Heat detection collars are
a tool to improve fertility, but they are not the
total solution. It is still important that Roger looks
for heats himself.’
The ‘new’ second-hand 12/24 swingover
parlour has also freed up time for Roger. He
explains: ’Milking in the 8-abreast parlour was
taking a total of 9 hours a day, but now it’s
down to 5 hours. I’ve kept some of the old
parlour to serve as an AI pen. And before
next winter, I’m planning to have built a
slurry lagoon which will save me another
80 minutes a day as I won’t have to go
spreading every day.’
Comfortable cubicles
To hold the growing herd, Roger has
modernised and extended the old cattle shed,
giving the new part a high roof and improved
ventilation and installing new mats throughout
the shed.
Alastair says: ’We needed to improve cow
comfort and lying times in the cubicles. Given
the need for organic compost at Stagg Farm,
straw was the only realistic bedding material,
but it was not sufficient alone to provide the
level of cow comfort we wanted, and was very
expensive to use. The legs of the cubicles
meant Roger couldn’t retrofit mattresses and so
mats have been installed instead, and straw is
then added on top.’
Disease prevention
The herd at Staggs Farm is vaccinated and
monitored for both BVD and leptospirosis using
a bulk tank test every 6 months and blood
sampling youngstock at 10 months of age
before they are vaccinated. A Blackleg
vaccine is also given.
’We’ve carried out a 30 cow screen for
Johne’s disease but not found any evidence of
its presence, and there is no clinical history of
cases either,’ explains Alastair. ‘We know we
need to test further by looking at the whole
herd, but as we are clear on the screen and
we are not seeing clinical cases, it’s been
decided that it is not a priority right now, in
terms of capital outlay.
’With IBR, the bulk tank test showed evidence
of exposure, but the herd has shown no clinical
signs. There’s been no milk drop or respiratory
disease in the adult herd attributable to IBR for
many years. Hence, rightly or wrongly, we
have opted not to vaccinate.’
Mineral nutrition has also been a focus.
Alastair explains: ‘The soils in this area are
recognised as being copper deficient, and
organic farms are recognised as being higher
risk for mineral deficiencies due to the high
levels of home-grown forage that is fed. So
we’ve taken liver samples from cull cows and
blood-tested heifers, and Roger now feeds a
customised organic mineral supplement to
compensate for the lack of copper and other
important micro-nutrients in the forage.’
Next focus: Lameness
’With fertility improvements made, and
ongoing, the next target is to reduce lameness,’
says Alastair. ’But again, the practical reality is
that Roger’s time is limited.
’Roger has already installed a footbath but the
first step will be to draw up protocols for foot
health, and address the risk factors.’
Roger adds: ’The new milking parlour and
faster throughput should help, as cows won’t
be standing around for so long. And I realise
I need to do further work to level out the exit
from the parlour so cows don’t have to walk
on a slope.’
Alastair adds: ’Mobility scoring will need to
be done monthly, and Roger needs a more
regimented trimming protocol.
’The culling rate has been low at Staggs Farm,
because expansion has been the main aim.
But now, with more heifers coming through,
some cows can be culled without detriment
to economics.’
A terrible nag?
Roger says: ’Alastair cares about what he does
and is adamant about getting the best for his
clients, although sometimes I think to myself,
have I really got to do that
?
But, annoyingly,
he’s nearly always right!’
’I am a terrible nag!’ confesses Alastair. But
if this is true, then it is much appreciated
by Roger.
’I used to have vets come onto the farm, do the
job, and leave,’ says Roger. ’But now Alastair
is more involved, and we can make decisions
together.’
Roger’s aim has been to milk 145 cows ‘really
well’. Thanks to Alastair’s veterinary input and
advice, improvements in fertility have been
achieved and Roger is also benefiting from
better yields per cow and more milk per year.
Turnout at Staggs Farm
The ‘new’ second-hand parlour has freed up time
for Roger
The cattle shed has been extended, with an
increased roof height for better ventilation