Distance education on the rise - Massey University
An increasing number of students are doing agricultural and horticultural degrees at Massey University by distance learning.
Digital dermatitis is the most serious infectious cause of lameness in dairy cattle worldwide.
The disease now affects New Zealand dairy herds, says Richard Laven, associate professor in production animal health at Massey University.
Typically, digital dermatitis is found on the skin just above the interdigital space, and it may also be found along the coronary band. Digital dermatitis is most commonly found on the hind feet; fewer than 3% of affected cattle have lesions on the front feet only.
The classical lesion of digital dermatitis is a moist ulcer, Laven says.
However, digital dermatitis is a cyclical disease with lesions forming, healing and then returning, so it has multiple stages. The most persistent stage (often called M4) is a chronic thickening of the skin with rapidly spreading growths which can often resemble hairs (in some countries these are called hairy hoof warts).
In NZ the most common appearance of digital dermatitis is a small lesion less than 1 cm in size.
Larger lesions, either when they develop into ulcers or when they are growing, tend to be extremely painful
Digital dermatitis was first identified in Northern Italy in 1974, and is now reported worldwide.
The first NZ case occurred in 2004, with sporadic reports until around 2011 when the number increased markedly.
A major feature of the Ashburton A&P Show, to be held on October 31 and November 1, will be the annual trans-Tasman Sheep Dog Trial test match, with the best heading dogs from both sides of the Tasman going head-to-head in two teams of four.
Fewer bobby calves are heading to the works this season, as more dairy farmers recognise the value of rearing calves for beef.
The key to a dairy system that generates high profit with a low emissions intensity is using low footprint feed, says Fonterra program manager on-farm excellence, Louise Cook.
Rural retailer Farmlands has reported a return to profitability, something the co-operative says shows clear progress in the second year of its five-year strategy.
According to a new report, the Safer Rides initiative, which offered farmers heavily discounted crush protection devices (CPDs) for quad bikes, has made a significant impact in raising awareness and action around farm vehicle safety.
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