Feeding antibiotic milk to calves

[pine_guy]

if calves require colostrum, which by definition, is the cows first milk, and that colostrum fails the delvo test, because it contains a/b, how do you overcome that, only those which haven't been treated with dc tubes, qualify, the % of cows not treated with d/c tubes, fairly low ?

1 of the 131 dry cows I bought this spring had been treated with DC tubes, the rest just sealed. I'm guessing for financial reasons more than ethical ones. Had some trouble with mastitis at the start of calving, but then settled down. Which considering I found out after I got them that they had a high SCC problem to the point of possibly stopping collecting milk, and we are now sub 200, suggests to me the overuse of DC tubes is sales driven.

Do most milk contracts not stipulate a % of non AB dry cow therapy for the heard now?

 

[Sid]

1 of the 131 dry cows I bought this spring had been treated with DC tubes, the rest just sealed. I'm guessing for financial reasons more than ethical ones. Had some trouble with mastitis at the start of calving, but then settled down. Which considering I found out after I got them that they had a high SCC problem to the point of possibly stopping collecting milk, and we are now sub 200, suggests to me the overuse of DC tubes is sales driven.

Do most milk contracts not stipulate a % of non AB dry cow therapy for the heard now?

100% non AB on milking and dry cows

 

[Sid]

doesn't say much about the testing

 

[pine_guy]

100% non AB on milking and dry cows

that is really great, but you are organic correct? so not representative of the majority of the industry. Although I confess to not having a clue what percentage of the milk industry is organic!?

 

[Sid]

that is really great, but you are organic correct? so not representative of the majority of the industry. Although I confess to not having a clue what percentage of the milk industry is organic!?

On a cheese contract which is zero AB use. Any treated cows milk can not be sold again. They leave the farm.

 

[organicguy]

Feeding colostrum that is generally past the withdrawal date is somewhat different to feeding fresh treated mastitis milk which is generally only 12hrs after treatment and well within the withdrawal period. I am more than happy to feed the colostrum but all treated milk goes to slurry tank.

Whilst what you say is 100% right adding antibiotics to the slurry system is not ideal! (I hate to think of the alternative though)
I read that the outfall from an antibiotic factory in India was putting more antibiotic into the river on a daily basis than was used in Sweden on an annual basis. WTF!

 

[som farmer]

1 of the 131 dry cows I bought this spring had been treated with DC tubes, the rest just sealed. I'm guessing for financial reasons more than ethical ones. Had some trouble with mastitis at the start of calving, but then settled down. Which considering I found out after I got them that they had a high SCC problem to the point of possibly stopping collecting milk, and we are now sub 200, suggests to me the overuse of DC tubes is sales driven.

Do most milk contracts not stipulate a % of non AB dry cow therapy for the heard now?

anything sub 120cc for whole lac doesn't get dc tubes, and of course 0 is he target. We are approaching our spr dry off date, and have concerns about not tubing cows, going straight out to kale, which is somewhat muddy, just hope thats not realised ! But our milk buyer stipulated no a/b milk, to all calves, inc beef/bull, fair enough, but when asked re colostrum, no straight answer, it's a case of 'looking good' for sales, but impractical to do, RT will pick it up, and include in their 'laws', and expect us all to meekly follow, something which is detrimental to welfare !

 

[More to life]

On a cheese contract which is zero AB use. Any treated cows milk can not be sold again. They leave the farm.

Sorry to hijack the thread is that sorted for USA exports for January now ?

 

[som farmer]

do the USA worry about what goes into their food ? From the hormone, chlorinated chicken anti brigade, you would think not, or are those remarks scaremongering ?

 

[Sid]

do the USA worry about what goes into their food ? From the hormone, chlorinated chicken anti brigade, you would think not, or are those remarks scaremongering ?

More than you think!

Pasture based
GMO free commands large premiums.

Organic Pasture based was around 50ppl IIRC when I was in the US few years ago.
Couldn't get enough supply

 

[Sid]

Sorry to hijack the thread is that sorted for USA exports for January now ?

As far as I have heard no issue.
US has the on going Boeing/Airbus tit for tat tariffs on all dairy.
EU has the issue over not recognizing UK organic standards on 1st January, which were same as EU on 31st December!

 

[PercyBlakeney]

EU has the issue over not recognizing UK organic standards on 1st January, which were same as EU on 31st December!

I believe this is progressing slowly - EU have indicated they are willing to certify UK organic bodies for exporting to the EU. Approval due to be granted end of Nov/ start of Dec..

 

[supercow]

I don’t feed waste milk, biggest reason- it’s a longer walk than going for powdered milk!

 

[vantage]

anything sub 120cc for whole lac doesn't get dc tubes, and of course 0 is he target. We are approaching our spr dry off date, and have concerns about not tubing cows, going straight out to kale, which is somewhat muddy, just hope thats not realised ! But our milk buyer stipulated no a/b milk, to all calves, inc beef/bull, fair enough, but when asked re colostrum, no straight answer, it's a case of 'looking good' for sales, but impractical to do, RT will pick it up, and include in their 'laws', and expect us all to meekly follow, something which is detrimental to welfare !

Why do you use long action dry cow? Absolutely no need if you tube short action and teat seals.

 

[Wee Willy]

Why teat seal? You’re putting cows at risk inserting a foreign body into their teat. Dry cows off and keep cubicles clean. Sealers are a marketing thing.

 

[vantage]

Why teat seal? You’re putting cows at risk inserting a foreign body into their teat. Dry cows off and keep cubicles clean. Sealers are a marketing thing.

Bollox.
There’s plenty of evidence at farm level, mine included that they work. No risk at all if you make the teat surgically clean.

 

[it's not over]

It's a case of economics. You want 2 litres of milk for the same price as it was in 1995....£1. Milk is merely a commodity not a premium product. Premium suggests extra value not a product that's price has stagnated

 

[Sid]

Why teat seal? You’re putting cows at risk inserting a foreign body into their teat. Dry cows off and keep cubicles clean. Sealers are a marketing thing.

Do you use nothing at all for all cows then?

 

[Farmer Keith]

Why teat seal? You’re putting cows at risk inserting a foreign body into their teat. Dry cows off and keep cubicles clean. Sealers are a marketing thing.

I think it’s because over the past 10000 years we’ve selected for fast milking cows that have an inadequate natural keratin plug to stop infection getting into the udder during the dry period, some cows still have it many do not.

 

[Wee Willy]

Bollox.
There’s plenty of evidence at farm level, mine included that they work. No risk at all if you make the teat surgically clean.

Evidence at farm level...what evidence? Have you sealed one group and not sealed another then compared? I have . Admittedly with very small numbers but I don't see any great difference. Don't feck with nature..stop squeezing foreign matter up cows tits.