Dairy Industry
Farm Safety Week
Last week was Farm Safety Week in Ireland and the UK. Organised by the Farm Safety Foundation, also known as Yellow Wellies, this year marks the 9th annual event. The campaign seeks to reduce the number of accidents on farms, raise awareness, and help farmers develop a culture of safety around their work environment. What …
Progesterone Profiling in Dairy Cows: A Study
Previously, we’ve discussed how progesterone varies during the oestrous cycle of cattle and how identifying heat is one of the most important parts of dairy herd management. Recently we profiled three cows from a local farm in a small pilot study as part of our ongoing commitment to ensure P4Gold is the best it can …
What is Milk?
For anyone involved in the dairy industry, this question might have a very clear answer. Milk is, after all, the entire basis of the industry. However, what is it that makes milk such an important aspect of human life? What is it actually made of and why do we drink it? Mammals and lactation In …
A Very Brief History of Milk Progesterone Measurement
With the shift from using bulls to primarily using artificial insemination to cover cattle, there has been a corresponding push to develop accurate heat detection methods. A mistimed AI can be expensive and, in the worst case scenarios, cause infection or pregnancy loss. Progesterone tests emerged as one of the best methods of heat detection, …
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Progesterone: A Brief Overview
What is progesterone? While perhaps not as well-known a female sex hormone as oestrogen, progesterone is one of the most important hormones in the female reproductive system. Although most commonly associated with mammals, this hormone is produced by many different animals, from chickens and turtles to fish and sea urchins. As a steroidal sex hormone, …
Maintaining Good Mental Health in the Agricultural Sector
Mental Health Awareness Week is coming up, and so we’re taking a look the impact of mental health on the dairy industry. A study by the Farm Safety Foundation (FSF) found that nearly 90% of farmers under 40 feel that poor mental health is the biggest problem they face. Mental health discussions have been surrounded …
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Cows and Greenhouse Gasses
It’s nearly Earth Day 2021, and this year’s theme is Restore Our Earth! So let’s have a look at cows and their impact on the environment and what we can do about it. We’ve all heard about how greenhouse gasses are contributing to climate change. We’ve been told the agricultural industry needs to take action …
Pregnancy Diagnosis in Cows
Pregnancy is one the most important times in the lives of dairy and beef cows. For dairy cows, a successful and well-timed pregnancy will give the best milk yield and provide replacement stock for the herd. Accurate data on pregnancy status of cattle can aid in culling decisions; breeding management and timing; and inform decisions …
Block Calving Systems
What is block calving? Block calving,1 is when cows in a herd only calve during a specific period of time. This is usually a block of 6 to 12 weeks, but can be longer. Some producers have a single calving block in a year, others have two blocks, usually one in spring, and one in …