NZ Dairy Autumn 2024

| 41 nzdairy bovine health on organic family farm DAIRY PEOPLE » Jersey Girl Organics Ÿ ƀłD È łƛ È Lƍ LJƍ L b Ě Ě LłƧĭƛ ĭW L Ě È ĭ È L Ě ĥ ƍ ƛ È ƛ È ƍ ΈΈΈՐ̛̥˧Ƞʇ˧͔ʇḁ̇Ʉ΄˧ʳ͔ͣʇ˧˗Րȧ˧Ր˗Ω ĥǹ͔͔ ӨӪө ӪӬӭ өӱөӬ Lɴ̥ʇ̓ ӨӪӱ ӭӮӳ өӨӰө ՂĚǹ͔̓ ǹ͔ͣͣː˗ È ͔̓˧̛̛Ʉȳ ͣ̓ʇ˗ɪ ǹ˗͔ʇȠʇ˧͔ʇȧ̓ ɥ˧̥ ːǹ͔̓ʇ͔ʇ̓ ǹ˗ȳ ȳ˧̓Ʉȳ ӪӮ ȧ˧Έ̓ ͔ɴǹ͔ ɴǹȳ ǹ ȧɄʳʳ ȧ˧ͣ˗͔ ˧΄Ʉ̥ ӳӨӨՏӨӨӨ ǹ˗ȳ ɥ˧ʳʳ˧ΈɄȳ ̛ͣ Έʇ͔ɴ ƀͣːʇȧɄʳʳ ʇ˗ ͔ɴɄ ɴɄ̥ȳՐ DΖ ĥǹΖՏ ͔ɴ˧̓Ʉ ӪӮ ȧ˧Έ̓ ΈɄ̥Ʉ ͣ˗ȳɄ̥ ӪӮӨՏӨӨӨԋԋ DΖ ːʇȳԫłȧ͔˧ȠɄ̥ ːǹ͔̓ʇ͔ʇ̓ ȧǹ̓Ʉ̓ ǹ̥Ʉ ȳ˧Έ˗ ɥ̥˧ː ˧΄Ʉ̥ ӪӨ ج ͔˧ Ӯ ج Έʇ͔ɴ ǹ ӳӨ ج ḁ̇ͣɄ ̥ǹ͔Ʉ ɥ̥˧ː ǹ˗ ɄΑ͔̥ǹ ȳ˧̓Ʉ ˧ɥ D˧΄ʇ˗Ʉ D˧˧͔̓ ̛̥˧Ƞʇ˧͔ʇȧ̓Ճ Ƨ˗ːǹ͔ȧɴɄȳԫ͔̥̓Ʉ˗ɪ͔ɴՏ ȧ˧ːȠʇ˗ǹ͔ʇ˧˗ ̛̥˧Ƞʇ˧͔ʇȧ L˧˗͔̥˧ʳ ƍLL ǹ˗ȳ ɄɥɥɄȧ͔ʇ΄ɄʳΖ ͔̥Ʉǹ͔ ȧʳʇ˗ʇȧǹʳ ːǹ͔̓ʇ͔ʇ̓Ր ĭʇʳ ːʇʳlz Έʇ͔ɴɴ˧ʳȳ ƀͣːʇȧɄʳʳ ȧ͔ͣ̓˧ːɄ̥ Probiotics are proving to be a game-changer in the ight against mastitis. Chris Collier, the founder of Probiotic Revolution, stumbled upon this breakthrough by chance. While helping an organic farmer with a herd of lame cows, Chris suggested dosing them with a high concentration of Calf Xtreme, a probiotic typically used for calves. He expected this to help the lame cows, but surprisingly two mastitis a ected cows in the group, completely recovered after simply ingesting the probiotic through the trough. This discovery led to the development of Bovine Boost, a modi ied treatment speci ically targeted at mastitis in cows. Subsequent trials on the organic farm revealed impressive results: Of the 48 cows with mastitis at calving and during the spring there was a 75% cure rate. Encouraged by these outcomes, Probiotic Revolution began implementing Bovine Boost on other organic farms, o ering an a ordable solution to a persistent problem in the industry. Chris emphasizes the nil-milk withhold and substantial savings in culling costs associated with this approach, along with its potential to regulate Somatic Cell Counts. Even non-organic farmers have embraced Bovine Boost with enthusiasm. John McCarty, a farmer in Kaponga, experienced exceptional results, achieving a 96% cure rate for mastitis cases over a two-year period without resorting to antibiotics and has now been antibiotic Probiotics a game-changer for treatingmastitis. free for over 5 years. Essential to these high cure rates is optimal mineral supplementation, as de iciencies can signi icantly decrease e ectiveness. Recognizing the importance of prevention, Chris advocates for a comprehensive mastitis prevention strategy. This involves administering probiotics through the water trough for springers and supplementing the herd throughout the season. By addressing factors such as sub-clinical ketosis, which correlates with calving mastitis, Probiotic Revolution aims to reduce the incidence of mastitis during calving. The e icacy of Probiotic Revolution's program is supported by research indings from the University of Otago and Japan. Studies have demonstrated the ability of certain probiotics to inhibit mastitis-causing bacteria and boost immune function in the udder. In one study, cows that had a clinical case of mastitis in one season were treated with probiotics pre and post calving the next season. If untreated they all got mastitis again, and their cell counts were 1 million from day 51 – 75 post calving. In contrast the cell counts of treated cows were right down at 10,000 and only one third of them had a mastitis case in the season. Chris and his team at Probiotic Revolution are committed to expanding access to this groundbreaking treatment, aiming to replicate the success seen in trials and among farmers like John McCarty. Farmers who were using probiotics in their calf rearing were finding that the calves were in much better shape, says John.

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