Breeding and Calves

"I just want to make other people aware of the risks when out enjoying popular footpaths such as this one"

The dairy industry, unbeknown to many, positively contributes to the environment while also providing the nation with one of the most nutritious products in our diet. On World Milk Day, Emily Ashworth looks at how the sector is changing its image. 

Colostrum is key to overall calf health and performance, but good management is paramount for high concentration and efficient absorption of antibodies.

Ensuring heifers have a long and productive life is crucial to maintaining a profitable dairy enterprise, and achieving optimal growth rates pre-weaning can help realise this.

Providing a more accurate detection of lung consolidation, lung scanning proves to be a positive tool in detecting and managing pneumonia in calves.

Advice on how to prevent naval ill pre- and post-calving was offered by vet Ben Strugnell in a recent AHDB webinar.

Beef bred calves from the dairy herd make up a large proportion of the UK’s beef industry, but how can farmers use improved genetics to maximise their value.

Suckler calf weaning weights are an important measure of any suckler herd, to understand herd performance, output and profitability.

Good hygiene and colostrum management are the corner stones of controlling cryptosporidiosis infections in calves.

At an AHDB calf management meeting, vet Ali Haggarty discussed the importance of rumen development in achieving a successful weaning process. Katie Fallon reports.