Case Studies

Transitioning dairy herds to grass in the spring means a change in diet and environment for cows, which can often impact rumen function whilst gut microbes adjust to the change in levels of nutrients.

Colin Murphy, farms together with parents Brian & Mary, near Knockbridge, Dundalk and currently milks 350 cows on their 400-acre farm.

When it comes to milking cows, the key to exceptional results is detailed and thorough management. But with a day full of jobs to do, it is easy to get caught up in the day-to-day chores and not make time for the more finely-tuned management strategies that can make all the difference to a herd’s yi...

Sudden changes in diet composition can cause any number of problems in dairy herds, and most of these issues can be avoided with proper planning of diet transitions. But the unexpected does happen and it’s important to react quickly to minimise the effect on animals.

Many dairy herds will see milk butterfat levels drop when their herd is grazing lush, spring grass – something that is often accompanied by dungs becoming loose.

Peaks Farm is located in the village of Onneley, just inside the Cheshire border and overlooking the surrounding counties of Staffordshire and Shropshire.