West Coast Monitor Farm

Westland has some unique challenges such as high rainfall and seasonal dry peroids which are variable across the region. Westland has now been collecting data for 10 years and continues to building on the information currently available.

This project funded by Westland Milk Products, DairyNZ, CRV Ambreed, ARL-Ravensdown and Rabobank aims to generate reliable pasture growth and quality, and soil temperature information, over the next 12 months, on two commercial dairy farms in Westland.

Farm walks schedule for this season are weekly from August to May, and monthly over the winter period.

Each week we will provide a Weekly Summary of information from the following regions:

Buller: Mawheraiti (Stu and Deb Bland), Westland: Kowhitirangi (Anna and Jeremy Hart).

Expanded farm summary for the week ending 5 August 2020

CO comment 

The West Coast has had a relatively mild winter and start to calving. With this being said it is still pertinent that we are vigilant with Mastitis detection.

Most cases of environmental mastitis occur within a few weeks of calving, when the cows’ natural defence mechanisms are low, and their teats have been in contact with mud and manure during calving.

Exposure of teat ends to environmental bacteria can occur at any time though: before and during calving, at milking time or in paddocks during the lactation or dry periods. During lactation, factors that predispose cows to infection with environmental bacteria include milking udders that are wet or dirty, or administering an intramammary infusion if the teat orifice is not sterile

Remember Streptococcus uberis is the most common cause of environmental mastitis in New Zealand. Streptococcus uberis usually responds to treatment with bacteriological cure rates of the order of 80% reported.

Severity of clinical signs may vary from slightly abnormal milk to severe swelling of the udder and an elevated temperature. Severity can increase when treatment is delayed.

Strep. uberis infections, if undiagnosed, can contribute significantly to bulk milk contamination.

Reduce exposure to environmental mastitis bacteria by …

• Calving on clean, dry pasture or a clean, dry calving pad
• Monitor the number of cases of mastitis occurring, especially in recently calved heifers
• Bring cows into the dairy as soon as possible to be checked for mastitis and milked
• Take special care with high risk cows
• Take care with pre-milking preparation of udders

For more info on mastitis management visit https://www.dairynz.co.nz/animal/cow-health/mastitis/

Farm Summary

  NB: pasture quality data are for 1 sample collected from each farm

 Previous Weekly Summaries

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016