Training Opportunities
Terry Playle from Fonterra's Milk Quality team recommends farmers make use of the relative calm before the calving storm to get the farm's procedures in order, check out any training available and ensure your staff are up to speed with protocols.
"June can be a pretty hectic time with changes of staff on farm and it's a good opportunity to revisit protocols and procedures and make sure everyone knows what is expected of them. Once you start calving there is no headspace left for much else other than just managing can be some very challenging weather conditions in spring. So farmers should really prepare now," Terry says.
Through Farm Source, Co-op farmers can book a free milk quality improvement visit to help train up staff in milk efficiency strategies and mastitis prevention, or a pre-season visit from a local dairy assessor to train staff around managing and maintaining plant hygiene.
AsureQuality has a range of online and in person training courses that may be useful for new and existing staff.
Shed Hygiene
Replace the necessary rubberware in the shed including all inflations prior to cows calving. This will not only help with plant hygiene but will be a lot more forgiving on cows teats early on in the season.
"There's always a lot going on but if you put in the hard yards now, it will set you up nicely for a good season," says Milk Quality Manager Paige McLaggan.
She recommends prioritising race maintenance early when the weather allows prior to spring.
Managing cows over the dry period
Teat spraying dry/springer cows when you're running them through the shed helps maintain teat health, and trimming tails at dry off will not only save you time once cows calve, but helps to keep udders and teats clean through this high risk time. After calving, the cow's under a lot of physiological stress and their immune systems can be quite low which makes them more susceptible to mastitis.
Both Paige and Terry recommend farmers use the rapid mastitis test before moving cows out of the colostrum mob into the supply mob as it's a cheap and effective test which can be done in the shed.
Visit your local Farm Source store or call 0800 65 65 68 to find out more about Farm Source's milk quality support services.
