TheDairySite Newsletter - 28 October 2011

Welcome to this week's newsletter

Editorial: A Low Carbon Future

Fonterra this week launched a unique guide to provide Australian dairy farmers with practical advice on how to manage the electricity cost increases of carbon pricing.

The guide includes a calculator to help farmers consider their likely electricity bill increases and a selfassessment tool so they can understand how their operation rates against best practice electricity usage.

Fonterra is also running information sessions for farmers and providing expertise to assist with on-farm assessments.

"We accept that a low carbon future is an inevitability - and a challenge that we have to face. But it is also an opportunity to innovate, invest and drive for a more competitive future; with lower costs, improved market access and greater consumer confidence," said John Doumani, Managing Director of Fonterra Australia New Zealand.

In the EU, the dairy industry is not convinced that the latest Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) proposals will help the dairy sector to maintain its competitive position, whilst addressing financial, management and environmental challenges.

Secretary General of EDA (European Dairy Association), Joop Kleibeuker said: "There is too much in the package that could create competitive distortions in the European single market and reduce competitiveness in the world market.

"Impeding productive efficiency, whilst not doing enough to address competitiveness, could endanger the economic sustainability of European dairy farming.”

Charlotte Johnston

TheDairySite Book Focus

Hoof Signals - Success Factors for Healthy Hooves
Hoof Signals provides all the practical knowledge a farmer needs to get hoof health on his dairy farm under control. With easily understandable descriptions, clear drawings and lots of photographs
Order Now Online

Prospects for Bedded Pack Barns for Dairy Cattle
Recently, due to animal welfare considerations, there has been a greater focus on providing cows with more space and reducing the amount of concrete and ironwork in their housing.

The bedded pack barn offers the opportunity to achieve this on the condition that the requirements for a hygienic and dry top layer (on the ground or floor) are complied with. The book ‘Prospects for bedded pack barns for dairy cattle’ clearly and concisely describes the perspective offered to dairy farmers by bedded pack barns.
Order Now Online

Genus - Value through science and genomics

This Week's Feature Articles

We have 4 new features this week:

Is Climate Change Increasing Viral Disease In Farm Animals?
Since 1998, there have been increasing outbreaks of the viral disease, bluetongue, among European livestock. Using a newly developed climate-based model that accurately predicts past outbreaks, researchers have provided evidence that climate change is a major driver of these outbreaks.

Vasoconstriction & Heat Stress Caused By Ergot Alkaloids & Fescue Toxins
Ergotism is one of the oldest known mycotoxicoses, with the first documented epidemic of ergotism in the Middle Ages, when thousands of people died because of the “holy fire”.

Feed Outlook – October 2011
World coarse grain production in 2011/12 is projected to reach 1,136.3 million tons, up 5.1 million tons this month as increases in other countries swamp the decline in the US, according to the latest report from the USDA Economic Research Service.

US Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry Outlook – October 2011
Cattle weights are down as producers have been forced to sell stock earlier due to the extended drought. Meanwhile, US dairy exports are likely to become more competitive next year, according to Rachel J. Johnson of the USDA ERS in the latest Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry Outlook.

Company News

Merck Animal Health Launches EXPERTIS Udder Health
GLOBAL - Merck Animal Health (known as MSD Animal Health outside the USA and Canada) has launched EXPERTIS® Udder Health, an innovative farm management tool for veterinarians to better enable them to monitor and improve udder health in dairy cattle.

Biomin Asia Nutrition Forum Takes Centre Stage
ASIA - Biomin again hosted the biennial event, Biomin Asia Nutrition Forum, this month.

Global Dairy Cattle Industry News