Herd testing offers peace of mind
Herd testing, whether it heralds good or bad news, is ultimately good for a farm’s viability and for a farmer's peace of mind.
National average somatic cell count (SCC) levels have been dropping recently and are on track to reach a bulk milk SCC of 150,000 cells/ml by 2016.
With this in mind there are seven approaches to dry-cow fine tuning that will enable a farmer to extract maximum value from time and money, says DairyNZ senior scientist Jane Lacy-Hulburt.
1. Choose the right approach for your herd
Antibiotic dry cow treatment (DCT) and internal teat sealants (ITS) are effective tools – DCT for treating infections in high SCC cows, and DCT or ITS for preventing new infections in low SCC cows.
Take time with your vet in your milk quality review to look at mastitis treatment records, SCC history and the mastitis risk of your wintering/calving system.
For information and recommendations on drying off and deciding your dry cow management strategy, visit dairynz.co.nz/dryingoff.
2. Know the bacteria
Knowledge of the bacteria responsible for clinical cases in spring, or high SCC cows in autumn, is invaluable for more cost-effective decisions about dry cow treatments. Discuss with your vet the right cows to sample and refer to DairyNZ’s Healthy Udder guide for sampling procedures.
3. Re-visit your treatment plan
In recent years, many farmers have successfully trialled combination treatments (where a cow received both DCT and ITS). With a lower milk price, farmers may be re-thinking this approach. Support your investment with other preventative measures – see tips 5, 6 and 7.
4. Consider which DCT products for high SCC cows
Talk to your vet about cost-effective solutions for older, higher SCC cows. The difference in cure rates between different product brands is marginal. Cows with a high SCC don’t necessarily need the more expensive treatment.
5. Support your investment decisions using trained staff
Train your team to administer DCT and ITS with correct hygiene technique. Refer to DairyNZ’s Healthy Udder for step-by-step instructions and ask your vet to provide a training session. Poor technique is not worth the risk of dead cows.
6. Teat spray springers before calving
Teat spraying springers two-three times a week reduces the risk of new mastitis cases at calving. This simple technique benefits protected and unprotected animals. Where practical, it may provide a low-cost approach for extending the benefit of some dry cow products.
7. Milk cows soon after calving
Bringing cows that have just calved into milk within 12 hours greatly reduces the level of clinical mastitis. Although tested on heifers, this solution should work well for mature animals also.
• This article was first published in Inside Dairy April 2015
On the eve of his departure from Federated Farmers board, Richard McIntyre is thanking farmers for their support and words of encouragement during his stint as a farmer advocate.
A project reducing strains and sprains on farm has won the Innovation category in the New Zealand Workplace Health and Safety Awards 2025.
Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ), in partnership with the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) and other sector organisations, has launched a national survey to understand better the impact of facial eczema (FE) on farmers.
One of New Zealand's latest and largest agrivoltaics farm Te Herenga o Te Rā is delivering clean renewable energy while preserving the land's agricultural value for sheep grazing under the modules.
Global food company Nestle’s chair Paul Bulcke will step down at its next annual meeting in April 2026.
Brendan Attrill of Caiseal Trust in Taranaki has been announced as the 2025 National Ambassador for Sustainable Farming and Growing and recipient of the Gordon Stephenson Trophy at the National Sustainability Showcase at in Wellington this evening.
OPINION: Last week, Greenpeace lit up Fonterra's Auckland headquarters with 'messages from the common people' - that the sector is…
OPINION: Once upon a time the Fieldays were for real farmers, salt of the earth people who thrived on hard…