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Calf rearing and the challenge of reducing antimicrobial resistance (AMR) were the main topics discussed at the Holstein NI AGM earlier this week.
With dairy industry targets to reduce intra-mammary antibiotics by 20% in dry cows by 2020, Gary Watson of Dale Farm outlined how selective dry cow therapy can be a successful alternative to blanket treatments.
He said that cows with an SCC below 150 during the final three months of lactation, and no record of mastitis, are ideally suited to using teat sealants only when drying off.
Dale Farm is offering its suppliers a £100 incentive to complete the Milk Score Training course offered through Dairy UK to increase responsible use of antibiotics on farm.
Calf rearing
The AGM also heard from Alan Hopps, senior dairy adviser with CAFRE, who outlined the key learnings from a recent study trip to the Netherlands under the Farm Innovation Visits scheme.
According to Hopps, Dutch dairy farmers are feeding higher levels of milk replacer to calves from three weeks of age, resulting in improved lifetime performance.
Milk replacer is fed at 1.3kg/day, compared to the 600 g/day commonly fed on NI farms. The higher level of feeding means calf weaning weights are increased, with animals on the units visited weaned at 90 days of age and 120kg liveweight.
While rearing costs were £100/head higher under the Dutch system, more calves ended up joining the herd as milking cows, with first lactation yields also increased.
At the AGM, Warringstown farmer, Charlie Weir was elected as chair and Ian McLean as vice-chair.
Dairylink Ireland farm walks next week
Two participants in the second phase of the Dairylink Ireland programme are holding farm walks next week. John Oliver is hosting the first event on his farm on the Terrydoo Road near Limavady, Co Derry, on Tuesday 16 April.
The second event takes place on Frank Goodman’s farm in Ballingarry near Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan, on Thursday 18 April. Both events are free to attend and run from 11am to 1pm. A full preview of the two farm walks is on page 32.
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