Case Study: Vaccination Stops Lameness in its Tracks
Despite appreciating the extra muscle provided by Bedford Blues professional rugby player Huw Worthington, who helps out on his farm once a week, specialist niche dairy producer Steve Richards has reduced the unwanted time and effort that comes with manhandling livestock.
“It’s back-breaking work trying to sort out any lameness issues and so much better to focus on disease prevention and keeping feet sound,” he says.
And Mr Richards, who runs Bevistan Dairy – a dairy cow and sheep milking unit at Valley View Farm at Carlton in Bedfordshire – gets to see a lot of feet walking through his milking parlour daily.
“I’m probably one of the only dairy farmers in the country that milks four times a day using a traditional set up. Both our Holstein Friesian herd and flock of Friesland and Lacaune dairy sheep are both milked twice a day. Good hygiene is central to everything we do on the farm and we’ve adapted our small herringbone parlour to accommodate and milk both cattle and sheep. It works well, although it’s pretty busy from dawn until dusk,” he says.
- 13th July 2021
