By Grace Thomas, M.Agr.Sc. P.A.S. The temperate climate in Ireland and the United Kingdom leads to ideal conditions for pasture growth. Due to this, pasture and pasture-based forages make up a large proportion of dairy cow and beef cattle rations. With 95% of Irish dairy cows(1) receiving pasture or grass silage in their diet, and […]
By Grace Thomas, M.Agr.Sc. P.A.S. Consistency is the key when it comes to all things dairy. This is also relevant when it comes to cow manure. The cow manure evaluation is one of the best indicators of cow performance and any changes to it can be due to reduced rumen function and/or feed digestion. You […]
Taking a Fresh Look at a Farm By Grace Thomas, M.Agr.Sc. PAS When everything is going well, it is easy to become complacent. Cow basics may appear efficient, for instance. However, it is best not to wait for something to go wrong before looking at farm management practices, as an error could be very costly. […]
What to do if there’s a deficit By Grace Thomas, M.Agr.Sc., P.A.S. As forage makes up over 50% of most dairy cow rations, once harvesting is finished it is a good idea to complete an inventory of all forage on the farm. This will not only determine the level of forage that is available and […]
By Grace Thomas, M.Agr.Sc., P.A.S. Calves are born with 75-80% of their body consisting of water; as they mature water content drops to 50-60%. Animals with higher body fat have lower body water content. Water is not only essential to sustain life; it plays numerous vital roles in the body. Many of which influence not […]
By Grace Thomas, M.Agr.Sc. P.A.S. Feeding colostrum is the single most important management factor in successful calf rearing. The antibodies present in the colostrum are transferred across the small intestine of the calf. This passive transfer provides short-term protection to the calf, giving it time to build its immune system and antibodies. Colostrum is the […]