Update to UK calf management and housing strategies

A questionnaire of UK farmers who reared dairy calves commercially was carried out in 2020, and had 216 responses (Mahendran et al, 2022). A key finding wasthe recognition of the low level of regular...

Figure 1. 200-cow shed. There are no waiting cows. Cows lie straight in the cubicles because there is adequate space in front of the brisket locators

Building for the dairy cow

Getting the housing right is important for any herd, but it becomes increasingly so the longer the housing period. Just as there is an increase in numbers of seasonally block-calving herds in the UK,...

Figure 4. Design features to consider when installing a positive pressure ventilation (PPV) tube. Adapted from Nordlund et al 2019. It is recommended that professional experts are involved in the design and installation of PPV tubes.

Challenges of pre-weaning calf housing

The prevalence of BRD in the UK has been reported to be 46%, accounting for approximately a third of deaths in pre-weaned calves (Johnson et al, 2017), and is considered to be the most important...

Figure 1. Housed youngstock.

Parasitic control at housing in cattle: a modern rationale

The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board's (AHDB) (2020) parasite control guide provides all anthelmintic preparations currently available for cattle. Anthelmintic classes available include...