Improving the health and welfare of dairy calves will be high on the agenda at this month's GB Calf Week.
The annual event, run by the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) and the National Farmers' Union (NFU) brings together a range of experts to look at ways of improving the care these young animals experience.Among the speakers at this year's event is Dr Robert Hyde from the University of Nottingham's School of Veterinary Medicine and Science. His seminar, entitled Practical Calf Housing and Management, will draw on research conducted by the School over the past few years.
Dr Hyde and his colleagues have carried out a number of studies looking at the key factors that can influence the health and productivity of dairy calves – including the first analysis of colostrum bacteriology in the UK and the first analysis of calf mortality rates across the whole country - culminating in the development of an online Herd Health Toolkit.
The toolkit takes the findings of their research and translates it into a practical, evidence-based online app that farmers can use to improve the growth and survival rates of their youngstock.
Using the 20 interventions shown to have the greatest impact on the health and welfare of preweaning calves – ranging from the temperature of their pens and how often they are cleaned out, to how much milk they are given - it creates a bespoke plan for individual farms, providing guidance on the key areas of focus that will be of most benefit to them.
This is the first time machine learning models have been used to provide practical advice for farmers in this way.
I'm delighted to be showcasing our findings at such an important event in the dairy farming calendar.
He added: "Excellent cow health and welfare is our primary focus, and the pre-weaning period is vital in the development of calves on dairy farms.
"Our work focuses on creating the very best environment for calves to thrive in, whilst also improving the efficiency of our dairy farms, helping to minimise rearing costs and improve milk yields."GB Calf Week is a fantastic initiative, aiming to ensure that all dairy-bred calves are reared with care and for a purpose, and I'm excited to show how our research can help with those goals."
GB Calf Week runs from Wednesday 16 November. Dr Hyde's webinar is on Thursday 17 November from 1pm -2pm.
- To find out more about GB Calf Week and sign up to the webinar click here:https://ahdb.org.uk/gb-calf-week-22
- The Herd Health Toolkit can be found here: http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/herdhealthtoolkit
