NEWS

“Graduate Student Literature Review: Udder edema in dairy cattle – A possible emerging animal welfare issue.”

Journal of Dairy Science Vol. 104 No. 6, 2021. This literature review article, from Colorado State University, describes udder edema in dairy cattle and the factors that may cause it.

Dr. Frank Mitloehner, a leading professor and air quality specialist, has a real beef with all the finger-pointing around cattle emissions.

New proAction Animal Care changes now in effect

DFC wishes to remind farmers that changes to the proAction Animal Care module first announced in September 2020 came into effect this April.

A research project led by Nathalie Bissonnette at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) – Sherbrooke and Kapil Tahlan at Memorial University in Newfoundland is investigating genetic markers in dairy animals that may be associated to Johne’s disease susceptibility or resistance.

Golden Calf Company introduces new colostrum feeding bags

Golden Calf Company introduced its new Calf Hero Colostrum Bags, which are made in the U.S. The new bags offer a large opening and are partially see-through. The designated writing space for colostrum quality, quantity, date of collection, dam ID, as well as feeding time and calf ID make bags an essential tool for easily implementing and monitoring your colostrum protocols. The colostrum bags are available in three colour-coded sizes: pink for 2 litres, black for 3 litres and blue for 4 litres.

Thanks to an engineered handle and unique spout, feeding with the new colostrum bag is convenient. Customers can choose to tube feed or nipple feed directly from the bag or to combine the company’s storage cartridges with a backpack for more ergonomic handling.

Visit Calf Hero Colostrum Bags, call (715) 944-9608 or email

Introducing Kuhn MM 701, 1101 and 1301 Merge Maxx hay mergers

Kuhn North America Inc. introduced the Kuhn MM 701, 1101 and 1301 Merge Maxx hay mergers. These machines offer pickup widths of 24 feet, 36 feet and 42 feet.

High-capacity pickups with integrated frames treat the crop gently yet have been built and tested for extreme usage. The split bearing design with wear guards and anti-wrap discs decreases time needed for regular maintenance and improves pickup reliability. The floating windguard eliminates the need for operators to make adjustments when merging different crops or cuttings. The company’s crop netting limits leaf loss when transitioning onto the belt and into the windrow. Mainframes and wing arms on each merger model have been updated to allow for intense usage in the field. The company also added new hydraulic system upgrades for greater machine capacity.

All series’ twin- and triple-merger models now include the IntelliMerge system which allows an operator to run, adjust and receive machine diagnostics and feedback on an intuitive color display. The OptiSense belt stall system alerts the operator to when the belts start to slow down when approaching the capacity of the merger. All machine functions are controlled from the ISOBUS terminal from the cab.

Visit Kuhn North America Inc. for more information.

Courtesy photo.

Lely installs ‘commodity feeder’ on every new Lely Astronaut A5

Lely North America has standardized the installation of the “commodity feeder” on the Lely Astronaut A5 robotic milking system, which makes it possible to feed non-pelleted feed. Two years ago, the commodity feeder was introduced as an option.

By using loose raw materials instead of compound feed, it is possible to feed more economically. This solution can result in considerable savings. The operation of the system depends on the dry matter percentage, the particle size and the stickiness of the feed type. The commodity feeder is also available as an upgrade kit and can be mounted on already installed Astronaut A5 and A4 models.

Visit Lely North America for more information.