26 November 2010

2 minute read

Europe

“The design, layout and management of buildings can have a significant effect on many areas of milk production,” explains DairyCo extension officer, Richard Davies. “We’ve made the video to show how straight forward it is to make some simple observations that will highlight any areas for improvement.

“One of the things demonstrated in the video is the need for good ventilation, continues Richard. “At this time of the year the weather is often damp and foggy which results in still and stagnant air. If the air doesn’t circulate around the building efficiently the animals can be more prone to catching air borne illnesses such as pneumonia.

“In the video you can see me let off a smoke bomb in a building where young stock is housed and it is really obvious that the smoke does not leave the building as quickly as it should.

“Now is the ideal time for farmers to take some time to assess their buildings and see what changes could be made that would benefit the health of their herd, whether this is the effect of ventilation on disease control, cubicle design for cow comfort and mastitis control, or footbath design to reduce lameness,” says Richard.

“There are lots of quick fixes that can be implemented at any time, and the video explains these, as well as more significant longer term improvements that farmers factor into their plans for the future,” concludes Richard.

The video can be viewed on the Buildings page which is in the Farming Information Centre area of the website - www.dairyco.org.uk/farming-info-centre/buildings.

This video is part of a series that have been uploaded to the website as part of DairyCo’s commitment to providing tools and resources for dairy farmers.

TheCattleSite News Desk