23 Jun 2017
Selective dry cow therapy has seen a consistent, long-term reduction in antibiotics used to combat mastitis on Derbyshire dairy farmer Robert Thornhill’s unit.
Just 10% of Robert’s 260 spring calving Friesian cross New Zealand Jersey cows are treated against the disease on his Standhill Farm, Great Longstone, near Bakewell.
He switched from a high-yielding 130-cow Holstein pedigree herd to a low input, pasture-based system about 17 years ago.
Average yields of 5,000-litre/cow/year are achieved on very little concentrate with the NZ Jersey genetics producing the high milk solids for his contract with Arla.
