Mole Valley Farmers will be showcasing a host of products and services at next week’s UK Dairy Day designed to help farmers increase the lifetime performance of their dairy herds.

The Lifetime Dairy initiative was launched by the farmer owned business at the start of the year to help dairy producers identify farm bottlenecks and increase the profitability of their herds. The initiative stems around a consultation-style service, which looks at the four main stages of the cow’s life; the calf, the heifer, the transition cow and the lactating animal.

Following a farm review, the Mole Valley Farmers team offer practical advice on where improvements can be made. Such advice can be focused on low cost solutions, such as tweaking cubicle design to improve cow lying times or introducing colostrum management protocols to boost calf performance. The initiative is also supported by a range of innovative products and services designed to increase the productive life of the cow and farm profit margins.

For example, smaXtec smart boluses that automatically record cow activity, temperature and rumen pH can be used to improve heat detection and pick up health issues early. Herd Insights collars are also an alternative for fertility and health monitoring.

Farmers will also be able to find out how the patented, speciality complementary feed, OmniGen-AF® can help limit the effects of stress events. To date, a UK immunity challenge across a number of UK herds, totally 2,000 cows has shown a number of benefits from feeding the complementary feed, including a 17% reduction in mastitis.

Those producers looking for a more natural and less dusty alternative to conventional lime for use on cubicle beds, will also be able to find out about Nadins Hydramix lime, which helps keep beds dry and hygienic, thus promoting udder health.

With forage stocks looking tight on many farms following the dry summer, the team can also offer tips on balancing winter rations to optimise milk production and constituents.