Dairy Research Roadshow - Cornwall

Join us at Duchy College Future Farm for our Cornwall Dairy Roadshow. You will meet with industry experts who will be sharing their findings from our five-year research partnership led by the University of Nottingham. You will hear key findings from some of the studies and how they can be put into practice on farm.

During the day you will move through four themed interactive stations covering genetics, lameness, nutrition, and calf housing. There will also be plenty of opportunity to ask questions and discuss the topics with the researchers and fellow attendees over lunch.

Station 1: Genetics

With Victoria Ashmore from AHDB

You will hear about two new genetic indexes to help you breed more environmentally friendly cows:

• EnviroCow helps to improve the environmental efficiency of milk production
• HealthyCow

Station 2: Calf Housing

With Sophie Mahendran Royal Veterinary College

In this interactive session with Vet and PhD researcher Sophie Mahendran, you will hear about

• the effects of different types of housing on calf health and productivity
• practical calf housing and management changes for rearing healthy and productive calves
• pros and cons of different housing types

Station 3: Nutrition

Growing your own protein forage to reduce protein in diets and lower ammonia emissions with Professor Liam Sinclair, Harper Adams University

You will hear about:

• Reducing the protein content of diets based on high protein, home-grown forages such as red clover and lucerne
• The effects on animal performance, nitrogen excretion and purchased feed costs

Station 4: Lameness

Tackling lameness in dairy herds – Nick Bell and James Wilson

The latest on prevention and treatment of sole bruising and digital dermatitis with Drs Nick Bell and James Wilson. You will hear about:

• The challenges presented to the industry from lameness
• Early detection and prompt effective treatments
• The role of anti-inflammatories on the effects of lameness
• How to incorporate the use of anti-inflammatories into the management of heifers to prevent lameness and set them up to succeed
• New direction for the treatment of digital dermatitis

About Duchy College Future Farm

Future Farm is a first of its kind for England, aiming to improve efficiency, welfare and technological advancement in dairy farming.

The herd is made up of 225 Autumn Calving Holsteins, grazing March till September. Milk is sold to Saputo. The new farm building contains a 20/40 Boumatic swing-over parlour, cubicles and feed kitchen under one roof. It allows the cattle to be managed as three mini herds to facilitate research into the effect of different diets on criteria including emissions and slurry consistency.

It provides an invaluable service to the dairy and environmental sectors, and a vital resource for the South West.