The benefits of WelFarm

A big benefit of our WelFarm package is the increased veterinary input and monitoring of your herd’s body condition score (BCS). As part of WelFarm, you’ll receive 3 herd mobs scores and a whole herd individual score at strategic times throughout the season. These are pre-calving, pre-mating, mid-lactation and at scanning time/before dry-off.

With autumn scanning currently occurring and dry-off just around the corner, now is the ideal time to be getting your whole herd condition scored. Using a combination of calving date and BCS we can create individual dry off dates for your cows which will give them the necessary time to achieve the appropriate body condition by calving time. Cows in lighter condition or with an earlier calving date will need to be dried off earlier than those in better condition or calving later. Regardless of how much you feed your cows, they are unlikely to put on more than half a condition score in a month during the dry period, so adequate time is required.

It’s extremely important that you dry off cows with enough time for them to get to the appropriate condition before calving. Correct body condition at calving time reduces the risk of calving difficulties and metabolic issues as well as having a positive effect on milk production. Having your cows calve down at the correct BCS makes them more likely to be at the correct condition score for mating time as well. This in turn will give them the best chance of cycling quickly and getting them in calf earlier which means more milk in the vat.

If you would like to join WelFarm and receive the benefits of regular body condition scoring plus annual lameness scoring and tail scoring, then contact your regular vet to learn more about it.

Dr Neil Murray, Farm Vet at Paeroa Vets