Synopsis
The dairy cow housed environment will have a huge impact on both udder health and foot health, but the emphasis may be different.
This workshop combines some of the insights gained through two major disease control initiatives (the Healthy Feet Project and the Mastitis Control Plan) to evaluate risk factors and control approaches for lameness and mastitis but also reviews more recent research that may play a role.
While approaches adopted for lameness and mastitis control may sometimes differ, there is considerable overlap such that improvements aimed at one condition often has a benefit to the other.
This workshop aims to help delegates formulate assessment approaches which they can tailor and apply to the farms they work and uses real farm data from the farm venue.
About the speakers
Nick Bell has worked on cattle foot health for over 20 years, helping develop a national foot health programme for dairy farmers. He is a European specialist in Animal Welfare and Behaviour Management and RCVS recognised specialist. He was a member of the welfare and behaviour group at Bristol University, firstly as a PhD student and then Research Fellow, before moving to the Royal Veterinary College. He is now honorary associate professor at Nottingham University and director of a herd health and welfare consultancy. Nick works internationally dealing with practical herd health and welfare improvement, dairy herd foot health programmes, training and retailer schemes. He sits on the committee running the Register of Mobility Scorers (RoMS), an instructor for RoMS, he is chief auditor for the Cattle Hoofcare Standards Board, and instructor on the UK Level 4 course in professional foot trimming and he delivers training for the AHDB Healthy Feet Programme. He sits on the industry steering group for foot health and he is an advisor to various organisations including ICAR and RSPCA.
James Breen qualified from Bristol in 1998 and entered mixed practice at the Orchard Veterinary Group, Glastonbury. He returned to Langford in 2001 to take up a residency in Farm Animal Medicine, developing his interests in dairy cow medicine and surgery as well as teaching veterinary undergraduate students. He later joined Prof Andrew Bradley and Prof Martin Green on a national dairy cow mastitis research project and has since been involved in the development and roll out of the national AHDB Dairy Mastitis Control Plan and latterly the QuarterPRO scheme. James remains in dairy practice in Glastonbury, looking after herd health for several clients and now splits the rest of his time between consultancy and advisory work for Map of Ag and teaching and research at the Nottingham Veterinary School. He holds the RCVS Certificate in Cattle Health and Production (2003) and the RCVS Diploma in Cattle Health and Production (2008) and was awarded a PhD for studies into cow risk factors for clinical mastitis and increased somatic cell count. He is an RCVS-Recognised Specialist in Cattle Health and Production.
While approaches adopted for lameness and mastitis control may sometimes differ, there is considerable overlap such that improvements aimed at one condition often has a benefit to the other.
This workshop aims to help delegates formulate assessment approaches which they can tailor and apply to the farms they work and uses real farm data from the farm venue.
