New Dairy Global magazine online

This issue is focused on the EuroTier innovations that can be seen and experienced next month in Hannover, Germany. Wasserbauer for example will showcase the ‘NANO’ feeding concept, an autonomous feeding system for cattle. It consists of the Shuttle Eco manoeuvrable, an automatically moving feeding robot and the new, unique lift for fully automatic feed removal in the bunker silo. The feeding robot moves freely and is routed via magnets in the ground. As a result, it can easily be used in several barns and can move to several silos. In the silo the Shuttle Eco feeding robot is filled with the direct, fully automatic lift, an intelligent system comprising a milling and a blower unit. The full article with all the innovations (medal winners or others) can be found on page 20 of this issue.

Normandy: Home of quality cheeses

For this issue, we also travelled to Normandy in France. This region was once home to one of Europe’s largest wetlands. When the sea retreated in the 16^th century, what it revealed was a rich, clay soil, perfect for grass production. It’s on this land that dairy cooperative Isigny-Sainte-Mère earned its reputation for its award-winning cheese, cream and butter. And while many of their products have been given the special Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status, it’s not just the region that makes these products so special. Award-winning dairy products, after all, start with quality milk and exceptional udder health. Because quality is of the highest priority to the cooperative, Isigny-Sainte-Mère works closely with its farmers to ensure they deliver only the finest milk. Read the article on page 8 of this issue.

Producing top-notch cheeses in Normandy Photo: Melanie Epp

Cow transport: It can always be better

Cows and other livestock are travellers these days, being brought from one farm to the other – or to the slaughterhouse. Transport represents a point in a farmed animal’s life when many experts say welfare is most at risk. This is why technology to prevent welfare issues during transport is being developed. A patented Canadian real-time alert system is just being launched by the makers of Be Seen, Be Safe. The sensors used in this system enables livestock transport managers and drivers to make better decisions in relation to trailer environmental conditions, set up automated systems to adjust conditions when they approach a threshold) and to track data over time. Read more about this on page 14 of this issue.

An extra pair of eyes in the truck Photo: Treena Hein

Optimising calf health

The main cause for calf losses during the first 2 weeks of life is diarrhoea. In general diarrhoea is characterised by more liquid being secreted than that being resorbed. However, diarrhoea is not a disease, but actually only a symptom. Having diarrhoea has a protective function for the animal, because the higher liquid volume in the gut increases motility and pathogens and toxins are excreted faster. Diarrhoea can occur for several reasons. It can be caused by incorrect nutrition, but also by pathogens such as bacteria, viruses and protozoa. In the article on page 11 of this issue we take a look how a feed supplement, based of egg powder, can boost the immunity of calves, and hence boost health and reduce diarrhoea problems.

Also in this issue:

• Smart farming: Making sense of sensors
• Nutrition: Balanced diet is key for healthy rumen
• Health: Counting cells for better udder health
• Smart farming: On-farm dairy processing
• Market: Drought affecting milk production
• Nutrition: Rumen at the heart of feed efficiency

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