Devon: Selective dry cow therapy

Join us for an on-farm event at Heanton Barton farm to learn why implementing a selective approach to antibiotic dry cow therapy (SDCT) is important for your herd. 

Using UK research, you will find out how SDCT benefits udder health, reduces antibiotic usage, costs and the risk of antibiotic milk tank failures. With continued pressure on the dairy industry to take a rational approach to the use of on-farm antibiotics, SDCT is a vital concept to put in place.

Vet James Breen will share how and why SDCT is being implemented by an increasing number of farmers.

The session will include a practical demonstration on how to infuse dry cow therapy to minimize risk of infection and host farmer Jim Kirk will take us on a short farm walk.

In this session you will learn about:

• Why a selective approach to antibiotic dry cow therapy is important
• The barriers that farmers and vets have about using SDCT
• Using cell count data to select cows that do not require antibiotic dry cow therapy
• Understanding environmental dry period infections – monitoring outcomes at calving
• Thinking about mastitis control in your herds – using the AHDB Dairy QuarterPRO scheme with your vet

To assist with biosecurity and conform to government guidelines please ensure outer clothing and vehicles are clean and that clean boots that can be disinfected are worn. Please note children under the age of 16 and dogs are not allowed at the event, even if they are staying in the car.

For more information regarding the event please call Bryan Nicholson, Knowledge Exchange Manager on 07976 181103 or E KE.events@ahdb.org.uk T 01904 771216

Health and Safety guidelines for AHDB Events

About Heanton Barton Farm

A milking herd of 606 Holstein Friesians yielding 11 000 + litres with 350 youngstock and followers. The milking herd is fed a TMR ration and milked in a 60 point rotary parlour.

Most of the work including arable operations and silaging is done in house with limited use of contractors.

The Kirk family farm in North Devon and own 520 acres and rent 180 acres. Growing 80acres of maize which is bought as a standing crop and grow an additional 170 acres for their own feed. High quality maize and grass silage enables the cows to produce consistently high yields.

Learn more about Heanton Barton Farm

About Strategic Dairy Farms

Strategic dairy farms help farmers learn from each other through regular on-farm meetings where we share key performance data and showcase what the best farmers are doing.

They form part of the Optimal Dairy Systems programme which aims to help dairy farmer’s lower costs and increase efficiency by focusing on either a block or all-year-round calving system.

The growing network of strategic dairy farms have calculated key performance indicators (KPIs) for their enterprises which are shared at meetings and published online. These are physical and financial performance measures that are critical to success. Farmers can benchmark their businesses against these KPIs and identify areas for improvement.

Explore our other strategic dairy farms