All things Dairy

[DairyNerd]

@Happy hillbily i think it will probably go away to an extent once you turn out, but there will be a lag time then plan for next year's cubicle management. I would lime twice a day and well if your beds are not dry, ours are old and sound the same, it pays. Only one other suggestion going forward have you looked at your dry cow tubes? Think you have similar numbers to us, we take samples from all high cell count cows and fit the tube to the bacteriology. We have had problems with mastitis and it gets you down so hope it improves for you.

 

[pappuller]

10k an acre. Assuming you have nothing to put forward and need to borrow it all and that your not averaging over more acres puts the interest alone at £800 a year.
Equivalent to 4-8 years rent locally….

Obviously doesn’t allow for inflation eroding it as the value increases you hope

Go away with £10k an acre

 

[Wesley]

Go away with £10k an acre

It would buy you the lower end of ground in our little patch on top these hills. Half crappy grazing type stuff.

 

[Cotlandfarmer]

Strep ubris.
I've a serious outbreak here since the end of december, and can't get on top of it. Cell counts have been sky high since December, but had very little clinical signs, no warm swollen quarters, no clots etc. Been stripping cows and CMT but couldn't find anything. So tested whole herd (I didn't routeenly milk record) found the culprits, but nearly 75% of the herd had a high celcount. The really high ones were either dried off, or milk used for the calves. Every so often it would turn clinical, the cow would be treated with tubes and would clear it no problem. But would find those cows would get mastitis in another quarter a week or so later, a few cows had it in all 4 quarters over 4-5 weeks. I re tested the cows mid Feb, celcounts some were better some were worse , but no pattern.
Beds were fairly cleanb Bedded with powderbed but with all this wet weather they weren't always dry. So I've been liming the cubicles every day, I've put new liners in (just in case) dipping clusters between cows with peracetic acid, making sure teats are preped properly , plant is washed with temps and chemicals correct etc, basically doing everything by the book , no short cuts.
There's been 18 clinical cases since late December, that's nearly 50% of the herd ATM, found another the other day, both quarters on the right with mastitis. .
I'd not had any test results for 9 days since the end of march as someone had forgot to notify NMR that transport had left the yard in Denbigh, so had no barcodes to put on the sample pots, after I had run out so have been in the dark on what's going on for a week and a half.
We had a party last night so milked early, and have stayed over and only going to milk once today when we get back this evening. So when my phone pinged with the results this morning, I wanted to cry, tank was over 950.
Has anyone else had an outbreak like this, and any tips on sorting the problem. It's really getting me down now. I've lost a fortune in penalties, and lost milk, never mind the treatments since the begining of the year
I'm going to put my phone down now and bugger off for lunch somewhere with the family to try and forget about this for a few hours. But any tips comments etc will be gratefully accepted to help me sort this. Thanks

You are doing everything right as far as I can see, only suggestion I'd make is maybe try spraying the cubicle beds with a peracetic acid solution, alternate with the lime to combate all bugs.

I feel your pain, I've been battling cell counts in my herd this last two years and am just about getting on top of them.

 

[Cowwilf]

Got the cows back out this morning after 21 days back in full time.

 

[Princess Pooper]

quota hit the dairy industry hard, millions went from dairy, to other industries, often non farming.

it took the 'investment' money out of dairy farming, we are left with some outdated set-ups, abroad you can see some fantastic units, l suspect the same could have happened here, if we hadn't spent those millions, on buying/leasing quota.

I agree - we bought quota at £1/litre at one point. We were tenants to had to buy our 'landlord's portion' at the same time as we bought the farm out although that was cheaper.

We have an outdated setup - need new calf housing as well as other improvements and will be leaving soon, with no successors and a small unit. But we did invest in expanded slurry and dirty water storage at the same time as we put up more cubicles because it was the right thing to do (as well as which in an NVZ a legal requirement).

 

[MartinM]

Strep ubris.
I've a serious outbreak here since the end of december, and can't get on top of it. Cell counts have been sky high since December, but had very little clinical signs, no warm swollen quarters, no clots etc. Been stripping cows and CMT but couldn't find anything. So tested whole herd (I didn't routeenly milk record) found the culprits, but nearly 75% of the herd had a high celcount. The really high ones were either dried off, or milk used for the calves. Every so often it would turn clinical, the cow would be treated with tubes and would clear it no problem. But would find those cows would get mastitis in another quarter a week or so later, a few cows had it in all 4 quarters over 4-5 weeks. I re tested the cows mid Feb, celcounts some were better some were worse , but no pattern.
Beds were fairly cleanb Bedded with powderbed but with all this wet weather they weren't always dry. So I've been liming the cubicles every day, I've put new liners in (just in case) dipping clusters between cows with peracetic acid, making sure teats are preped properly , plant is washed with temps and chemicals correct etc, basically doing everything by the book , no short cuts.
There's been 18 clinical cases since late December, that's nearly 50% of the herd ATM, found another the other day, both quarters on the right with mastitis. .
I'd not had any test results for 9 days since the end of march as someone had forgot to notify NMR that transport had left the yard in Denbigh, so had no barcodes to put on the sample pots, after I had run out so have been in the dark on what's going on for a week and a half.
We had a party last night so milked early, and have stayed over and only going to milk once today when we get back this evening. So when my phone pinged with the results this morning, I wanted to cry, tank was over 950.
Has anyone else had an outbreak like this, and any tips on sorting the problem. It's really getting me down now. I've lost a fortune in penalties, and lost milk, never mind the treatments since the begining of the year
I'm going to put my phone down now and bugger off for lunch somewhere with the family to try and forget about this for a few hours. But any tips comments etc will be gratefully accepted to help me sort this. Thanks

Unfortunately you have a major problem, sub clinical mastitis is a minefield to get through, firstly dipping clusters in peracetic acid between cows to stop cow to cow transmission is a must . Also consider a chlorhexadine or lactic acid based barrier dip to protect the teats between milkings ,this will need a pre dip as well to help remove it this will also help kill bacteria.
grass will help but you will need a very good dry cow treatment and dry period to try and cure them , strep uberis in not easily cured during lactation.

 

[pappuller]

It would buy you the lower end of ground in our little patch on top these hills. Half crappy grazing type stuff.

it wouldnt buy you the steam off yer sh1t round here

 

[Dead Rabbits]

Strep ubris.
I've a serious outbreak here since the end of december, and can't get on top of it. Cell counts have been sky high since December, but had very little clinical signs, no warm swollen quarters, no clots etc. Been stripping cows and CMT but couldn't find anything. So tested whole herd (I didn't routeenly milk record) found the culprits, but nearly 75% of the herd had a high celcount. The really high ones were either dried off, or milk used for the calves. Every so often it would turn clinical, the cow would be treated with tubes and would clear it no problem. But would find those cows would get mastitis in another quarter a week or so later, a few cows had it in all 4 quarters over 4-5 weeks. I re tested the cows mid Feb, celcounts some were better some were worse , but no pattern.
Beds were fairly cleanb Bedded with powderbed but with all this wet weather they weren't always dry. So I've been liming the cubicles every day, I've put new liners in (just in case) dipping clusters between cows with peracetic acid, making sure teats are preped properly , plant is washed with temps and chemicals correct etc, basically doing everything by the book , no short cuts.
There's been 18 clinical cases since late December, that's nearly 50% of the herd ATM, found another the other day, both quarters on the right with mastitis. .
I'd not had any test results for 9 days since the end of march as someone had forgot to notify NMR that transport had left the yard in Denbigh, so had no barcodes to put on the sample pots, after I had run out so have been in the dark on what's going on for a week and a half.
We had a party last night so milked early, and have stayed over and only going to milk once today when we get back this evening. So when my phone pinged with the results this morning, I wanted to cry, tank was over 950.
Has anyone else had an outbreak like this, and any tips on sorting the problem. It's really getting me down now. I've lost a fortune in penalties, and lost milk, never mind the treatments since the begining of the year
I'm going to put my phone down now and bugger off for lunch somewhere with the family to try and forget about this for a few hours. But any tips comments etc will be gratefully accepted to help me sort this. Thanks

Wow that really sounds more like staph A.

 

[Wishful Thinker]

Strep ubris.
I've a serious outbreak here since the end of december, and can't get on top of it. Cell counts have been sky high since December, but had very little clinical signs, no warm swollen quarters, no clots etc. Been stripping cows and CMT but couldn't find anything. So tested whole herd (I didn't routeenly milk record) found the culprits, but nearly 75% of the herd had a high celcount. The really high ones were either dried off, or milk used for the calves. Every so often it would turn clinical, the cow would be treated with tubes and would clear it no problem. But would find those cows would get mastitis in another quarter a week or so later, a few cows had it in all 4 quarters over 4-5 weeks. I re tested the cows mid Feb, celcounts some were better some were worse , but no pattern.
Beds were fairly cleanb Bedded with powderbed but with all this wet weather they weren't always dry. So I've been liming the cubicles every day, I've put new liners in (just in case) dipping clusters between cows with peracetic acid, making sure teats are preped properly , plant is washed with temps and chemicals correct etc, basically doing everything by the book , no short cuts.
There's been 18 clinical cases since late December, that's nearly 50% of the herd ATM, found another the other day, both quarters on the right with mastitis. .
I'd not had any test results for 9 days since the end of march as someone had forgot to notify NMR that transport had left the yard in Denbigh, so had no barcodes to put on the sample pots, after I had run out so have been in the dark on what's going on for a week and a half.
We had a party last night so milked early, and have stayed over and only going to milk once today when we get back this evening. So when my phone pinged with the results this morning, I wanted to cry, tank was over 950.
Has anyone else had an outbreak like this, and any tips on sorting the problem. It's really getting me down now. I've lost a fortune in penalties, and lost milk, never mind the treatments since the begining of the year
I'm going to put my phone down now and bugger off for lunch somewhere with the family to try and forget about this for a few hours. But any tips comments etc will be gratefully accepted to help me sort this. Thanks

Silage dry or mouldy? Could toxins be playing a part?

 

[Scholsey]

Strep ubris.
I've a serious outbreak here since the end of december, and can't get on top of it. Cell counts have been sky high since December, but had very little clinical signs, no warm swollen quarters, no clots etc. Been stripping cows and CMT but couldn't find anything. So tested whole herd (I didn't routeenly milk record) found the culprits, but nearly 75% of the herd had a high celcount. The really high ones were either dried off, or milk used for the calves. Every so often it would turn clinical, the cow would be treated with tubes and would clear it no problem. But would find those cows would get mastitis in another quarter a week or so later, a few cows had it in all 4 quarters over 4-5 weeks. I re tested the cows mid Feb, celcounts some were better some were worse , but no pattern.
Beds were fairly cleanb Bedded with powderbed but with all this wet weather they weren't always dry. So I've been liming the cubicles every day, I've put new liners in (just in case) dipping clusters between cows with peracetic acid, making sure teats are preped properly , plant is washed with temps and chemicals correct etc, basically doing everything by the book , no short cuts.
There's been 18 clinical cases since late December, that's nearly 50% of the herd ATM, found another the other day, both quarters on the right with mastitis. .
I'd not had any test results for 9 days since the end of march as someone had forgot to notify NMR that transport had left the yard in Denbigh, so had no barcodes to put on the sample pots, after I had run out so have been in the dark on what's going on for a week and a half.
We had a party last night so milked early, and have stayed over and only going to milk once today when we get back this evening. So when my phone pinged with the results this morning, I wanted to cry, tank was over 950.
Has anyone else had an outbreak like this, and any tips on sorting the problem. It's really getting me down now. I've lost a fortune in penalties, and lost milk, never mind the treatments since the begining of the year
I'm going to put my phone down now and bugger off for lunch somewhere with the family to try and forget about this for a few hours. But any tips comments etc will be gratefully accepted to help me sort this. Thanks

Decent Barrier dip with a dip cup and get the parlour dynamic tested asap?

 

[jimmer]

It would buy you the lower end of ground in our little patch on top these hills. Half crappy grazing type stuff.

Perfect for me then

 

[jimmer]

@Happy hillbily
Would agree with deadrabbits, it sounds more like staph than strep
Get you vet to check for mycoplasma
I don't believe a scc of 950, ask dairy/transport if sampling equipment and storage is proper
What's your bacto, high high scc usually has high bacto too

 

[vantage]

@Happy hillbily , what’s your Lepto status? A few years ago our cell count went upto 900, tested, was Lepto. Vaccinated and it dropped like a stone back to normal.

 

[sidjon]

Could be CNS mastitis as well , which we've had a whole massive problem for 8 weeks, very high subclinical mastitis, now got the FSA coming as hit 401 end of March, daily hit 900 for a week , now daily 140 without doing anything

 

[Green Grass]

We've had a battle with strep uberis that acts that's like sub clinical staph aureus. Still battling to be fair cows can have scc 25 one month then 6000 next test no visible change in milk or udder. Bloody difficult, as being mentioned cluster flushing regular testing, decent teat dipping, we only treat a quarter once then it gets 3/4. Or dried off if late lactation.
Vet wanted us to keep infected cows separately from herd we haven't though.
Bacteriology test all cases. We went step further for couple months to check the type of uberis shared the same DNA if I remember correctly. If the DNA matched chances were it is passing from cow to cow rather than environmental. Good luck

 

[FarmerWasty]

Send a few pics/videos on cubicles/lie areas (housing) through the day. If it's strep that's where the problem will be.
Id get some liners swabbed for culturing, between cows and between washes.
I've done some liner swapping on the bots and it's interesting what you find kicking about.
Id also recommend something like accumast, try and culture on farm every single case. Get a good idea of what every case is like.

 

[Blue.]

I agree - we bought quota at £1/litre at one point. We were tenants to had to buy our 'landlord's portion' at the same time as we bought the farm out although that was cheaper.

We have an outdated setup - need new calf housing as well as other improvements and will be leaving soon, with no successors and a small unit. But we did invest in expanded slurry and dirty water storage at the same time as we put up more cubicles because it was the right thing to do (as well as which in an NVZ a legal requirement).

When I started milking in 02 Quota was my biggest in going,I’d just agreed on a bungalow to do up and decided to give back word and buy £100k of quota instead,the cows and minimal machinery cost far less.

What year would quota have been £1/litre?
I remember a local farmer cashing some of his in to buy a farm when it was about a pound,early 90s ?

 

[Martyn]

Busy spring day, moving stock out and getting cereals in, very different feeling this year, it’s our own ground rather than tenanted

 

[Princess Pooper]

When I started milking in 02 Quota was my biggest in going,I’d just agreed on a bungalow to do up and decided to give back word and buy £100k of quota instead,the cows and minimal machinery cost far less.

What year would quota have been £1/litre?
I remember a local farmer cashing some of his in to buy a farm when it was about a pound,early 90s ?

Can't remember, we only bought a small volume at that price. Between 1995 and 2006 we spent £96,295 on quota, much less than many, but we only had 60 milkers!