What does ADAM offer dairy herds

Challenging the traditional on-farm approach to dry cow management, which is arguably the most important period in a cow's lactation cycle, Intervet has launched an innovative herd management strategy for farmers to implement on their dairy herds.

The Advanced Dry Cow Analysis and Management (ADAM) enables farmers to adopt a variety of practices and principles to improve performance by adapting the therapy, nutrition and management of cows during the dry period.  These include adjusting the length of dry periods to achieve a significant production advantage and improving milk solids, further boosting productivity.

Developed by a panel of leading dairy experts including Chris Watson, former president of the British Cattle Veterinary Association, Dr James Hanks of Pan Livestock Services and James Husband, a veterinary consultant specialising in the nutritional management of dairy cows, the wide-ranging benefits of the strategy include:

Production - extra milk in the tank from extended lactations and increased milk solids for even better financial performance

Management - fewer group changes and less problems with energy balance due to nutritional disruptions - simplifying management overall

Fertility - better nutritional status improves multiple physiological factors which contribute to excellent fertility performance

Health - improved mastitis control and reduced metabolic disorders

Paul Newland, herd manager at Church Farm, Lasham in Hampshire, who has implemented the strategy on his herd, comments: "The cows, on average, have given an extra 400 litres of milk, but our biggest benefit is that our milk fever rate stands at 0.1%."

To help support ADAM, Intervet has produced an interactive DVD covering all aspects of modern management techniques.  Packed full of the latest developments in managing dry cows, the DVD includes sections on mastitis, nutrition and the shorter dry period, benefits of short dry periods on fertility and what happens to the udder both pre and post calving.