Animal

Milk fever is a metabolic disorder in dairy cows caused by insufficient calcium, often seen after calving. It can cause lowered milk production and other health issues, like ketosis and metritis.

Mastitis management in dairy farming requires constant review and planning to control the condition in your herd.

The transition period in a cow's life requires precise feed management to ensure health and optimal milk production. It’s important to set BCS targets, monitor those targets and adjust your feed budget as required, especially pre- and post-calving.

Nitrate poisoning in cows happens when they eat feed with high nitrate levels, often in late autumn or winter.

Regular service and maintenance of your milking machine will help ensure that the speed and completeness of milking is maintained, and the risk of mastitis due to milking machine faults is minimised.

Salmonellosis is the most common disease associated with acute diarrhoea in adult dairy cows. Salmonella bacteria from cattle can also be transferred to humans, causing significant illness.

Teat spraying is a method to prevent mastitis in cows, focusing on the correct coverage and preparation of the teat spray solution. If not done properly, it can be wasteful and ineffective.

Calf scours, or diarrhoea in calves, can be caused by multiple factors and if untreated, can lead to severe dehydration and even death. This disease disrupts the normal water movement in the digestive tract, leading to water and salt loss.

Moving animals on and off a farm has its risks. A common way for cow-associated mastitis bacteria to be introduced into a herd is in the udders of cows that are brought in.

Sodium is vital for dairy cows, aiding in water balance and nerve and muscle function. It's expelled routinely and needs replacing. This page discusses how certain regions, like the Central Plateau pumice soils, can be deficient in sodium.