Effective fly control on a dairy farm.

Effective fly control on a dairy farm.When a dairy operation becomes infested with flies, herd health, comfort, productivity and the bottom line can take a severe hit.Flies can have a serious economic impact on dairy operations by interfering with cow health and profitability. Flies spread disease causing bacteria and other organisms that can lead to infections and lost productivity, costing the industry hundreds of millions of dollars in losses each year. For the most effective control of these costly pests, a comprehensive integrated pest management programme built around effective fly control products should be administered.

The effects of noise on cattle performance.

The effects of noise on cattle performance. Husbandry procedures cause the loudest sounds, especially if the metallic equipment is involved or if the work is performed in a hurried manner. The sources of noise can be technical devices, routine works (opening and closing doors, changing pens, washers, push carts, workers’ speech, feed dispensing), basal sound levels caused by mechanical ventilation and animals activities (climbing and chewing on fences). Aircraft overflights are also major sources of noise and can affect feed intake, growth, or production rates in cattle and other domestic animals. The severity of response to disturbance may, however, vary with species, group size, social groups, sex, age, vegetation cover, season, and distance from the aircraft. The exposure of farm animals to noise has been identified as a potential stressor not only in housing but also during the transport and at the abattoir. Animals are often exposed to acute noise levels before slaughter in lairages where noise is caused by ventilation fans and operational equipment. In some parts of the world, grazing cows are often equipped with a bell for several months, to ensure that farmers can locate their animals on the wide pastures. In this case, animals tend to decrease head movements to avoid generation of the sound. As a result, the feeding and ruminating durations are decreased because both behaviors include head movements.

Agritech : use of sensors for management of dairy cows.

Sensor value and viability for dairy cows. Biosensors and their use in animal health management is an emerging market gaining much attention around the world. But the efficacy can vary and farmers are sometimes hesitant to actually buy the sensors.

Sensors used to detect oestrus, lameness, disease and calving are being touted as the next big thing in dairy production. It is not known, however, if these sensor systems actually improve the health and production of dairy herds.

Sick or not? The green light will tell.

A US company has developed a bright green LED light, which is attached to the animal’s ear and is able to warn the farmer if an animal is sick.


Pulling cattle out of large feedlots for treatment can be time consuming, provided you even know these animals are sick.

Quantified Ag, based in Lincoln, Nebraska have therefore developed a light to attach to the cow’s ear that turns bright green when the animal is sick.

The concept has been tested in US feedlots and is set to launch commercially soon.

Danish test grass as protein source for pigs.

Danish test grass as protein source for pigs. In a project named ‘SuperGrassPork’, several partners in the Danish agribusiness are teaming up to figure out whether grass or clover could be a suitable protein source for organic pigs. The green sources could thus be a replacement for soybeans. To make sure that the pigs can actually digest the proteins, it needs to be extracted through refining. A technique to do so has been developed in the last few years. SuperGrassPork will develop a system for organic pig production, where a large part of the feed protein comes from locally produced clover grass. In earlier trials, pigs were observed not to reject refined grass and clover proteins, according to Seges, the advisory organisation of Danish Agriculture & Food Council (L&F).

Feeding pigs with proteins from the sea.

Feeding pigs with proteins from the sea.In the search for alternative protein sources, it may be a very good idea to look towards the sea for inspiration. These are the benefits of ingredients like blue mussels, starfish and seaweed. Everybody agrees that it is likely that someday, there will be a shortage of protein to feed livestock in order to fulfil the expected big increase in the demand for meat for human consumption. This issue create a need to search for new sustainable protein sources, which can lead to local or at least European self-sufficiency. As from the beginning of 2018, the organic pig and poultry producers will face a challenge of having sufficient amounts of organic protein. In this context, blue protein, such as blue mussels, starfish, and seaweed may fit well as future feedstuffs, because they solve important challenges for the industry and society. Blue mussels can be grown on lines where the naturally occurring mussel larvae colonise ropes or plastic tubes or nets as of late spring. They filter the seawater for algae and can be harvested year round and already from the first coming winter, preferably before the risk of ice coverage. When mussels are harvested, they need to be processed to allow storage.

Scientist discovers particular seaweed reduces methane to nearly zero in cow burps, farts.

Scientist discovers particular seaweed reduces methane to nearly zero in cow burps, farts. A P.E.I. farmer has helped lead to a researcher's discovery of an unlikely weapon in the battle against global warming: a seaweed that nearly eliminates the destructive methane content of cow burps and farts. Joe Dorgan began feeding his cattle seaweed from nearby beaches more than a decade ago as a way to cut costs on his farm in Seacow Pond. He was so impressed with the improvements he saw in his herd, he decided to turn the seaweed into a product. "There's a mixture of Irish moss, rockweed and kelp, and just going to waste," he said. "And I knew it was good because years ago, our ancestors, that's what they done their business with." The agricultural scientist, then at Dalhousie University, helped test Dorgan's seaweed mix, and discovered it reduced the methane in the cows' burps and farts by about 20 per cent. Kinley knew he was on to something, so he did further testing with 30 to 40 other seaweeds. That led him to a red seaweed Asparagopsis taxiformis he says reduces methane in cows burps and farts to almost nothing.