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- Get cows on the right track this spring
- Out-wintering pads a viable option for some, concludes research
- Dairy Monitor farm meeting attracts over 100
- New dairy monitor farms in Scotland
- Get the upper crust with slurry
- DairyCo Mastitis Control Plan training in Glasgow
- Taking the heat out of farm energy costs
- SAC awarded contract for DairyCo genetic evaluation services
- Monitor farmers aim to optimise performance of new shed
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Get cows on the right track this spring
Published 9 March 10
Cow tracks should be seen as a crucial part of your farm infrastructure according to DairyCo extension officer Piers Badnell.
"Good, well maintained cow tracks allow you to extend your
grazing season and reduce pasture damage and poaching in gateways,"
says Piers. "They also enable quicker grass recovery, and
give the cows a comfortable, welfare friendly surface to move
calmly and freely into and out of milking."
Whilst poorly designed or maintained cow tracks can cause
lameness, a good track can actually help in the fight against
lameness.
"Cows move faster on good tracks," says Piers, "reducing the amount of time taken to travel to and from the pasture. They allow cattle access to pasture for a larger part of the year, reducing the time they spend indoors.
"Cows with existing foot problems can walk more easily on a good surface, and good tracks can help improve udder cleanliness and reduce mastitis by reducing the time cows spend bunched together in muddy wet conditions."
To help farmers plan and build the right tracks, DairyCo has produced a factsheet as part of its grass+ programme, which can be downloaded from www.dairyco.org.uk or ordered by calling DairyCo Publications on 024 7647 8695.
Ends
Date: 9 March 2010
For further information:
N: Emma
Morris
T: 024
7647 8695
E:
emma.morris@dairyco.org.uk
Notes for Editors:
DairyCo is a division of the statutory levy board, the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB).
DairyCo's current focus is on improving the profitability of dairy farming by focusing on four specific areas:
- Provision of high quality market information to help farmers and their representatives make the most of dairy markets and opportunities.
- Helping dairy farmers increase their profits while meeting regulatory and environmental requirements - through the provision of world class research programmes and practical on-farm tools and services
- Helping promote the positive perception of dairy farming with the general public.
- The development of DairyCo activities towards a self-sustaining model.
DairyCo is funded entirely by milk producers, via a statutory levy on all milk sold off-farm, at the rate of 0.06p per litre. This provides an annual income of around £6.5m.