Three year’s after the launch of the UK Dairy Day at Telford, and the event is going from strength to strength, with this year’s one-day event likely to attract an even bigger audience, with both the Ayrshire and the Holstein cattle breeds staging their National Shows, alongside four other coloured breed shows.
The event, staged on Wednesday, September 13 from 8.00am until 3.50pm, is again being organised by Holstein UK with support from representatives from CIS, NBDC, The International Centre, Stagecraft UK and other key businesses within the industry.
Free to attend, UK Dairy Day which is staged in the International Centre in Telford, just off the M54, at Junction 4 or 5, will see more than 171 cattle on-site with in excess of 300 dairy businesses exhibiting.
Outwith the shows of pedigree dairy cattle to include Ayrshire, Holstein, Brown Swiss, Jersey, Guernsey and Dairy Shorthorns, and trade stands, this ‘Sharing knowledge’ event will also feature a learning and development zone on the first floor, with seminar sessions indoors and outdoors to engage, inspire and educate.
Visitors will also be able to take advantage of three new areas to include a new Calf Rearing Zone, Making more from Milk Zone and a National Bovine Data Centre Breed (NBDC) Village for the first time.
And, there are several new competitions for 2017 to include new products which will be displayed in the ‘New Product Zone’ located in the concourse outside the press office.
UK Dairy Day is an accredited event with Dairy Pro and an upgrade for 2017 means it qualifies for three points;
Livestock Production Systems (LP)
Business Management (BM)
Personal Development (PD)
In addition, a UK Dairy Day Knowledge Trail will be available at the event for visitors to gain a maximum 12 Dairy Pro points.

New zones
New Calf Rearing Zone – This will cover all aspects of calf rearing from health to feeding to the environment in which they are reared. This area will have top display stands for businesses promoting products and services relevant to calf rearing. The area will be covered by a calf house supplied by Northern Polytunnels Ltd.
The importance of colostrum testing is to ensure that you are giving your calves the best start in life, whether this is done by Brix Refractometer or colostrometer, which will also feature and a team will be on hand to talk through how each one works and what the results mean.
There will also be an area dedicated to hygiene practices – looking at how bio-films come about within calf feeding equipment and the correct process to ensure adequate cleaning of all equipment.
Target weights will be another feature of the area – with some guessing of the weight of the calves then running them over the scales to see how far out individuals might have been. All this can impact on feed regimes, treatment and vaccination protocols so getting it right is key.

Demonstration timetable for the Calf Rearing Zone:

9.30am    ‘Beneath the Black and White’ calf painting
10.00am    Colostrum management
11.30am    Getting calf nutrition right – Volac’s feed for growth
12noon    Importance of knowing calf weights
12.30pm    Beneath the Black and White’ calf painting
1.00pm    Colostrum management
1.30pm    Getting calf nutrition right – Volac’s feed for growth
2.00pm    Importance of knowing calf weights
2.30pm    Beneath the Black and White calf painting
3.00pm    Colostrum management
3.30pm    Getting calf nutrition right – Volac’s feed for growth
4.00pm      Importance of knowing calf weights

Making More from Milk Zone

Located in the Newport Suite, this new zone will highlight businesses who have diversified and companies that supply products, services, and advice. Visitors can meet and seek advice on how you can make more of milk through many initiatives like vending machines, making ice cream or yoghurts, creating a new supply chain.

A National Bovine Data Centre (NBDC) Breed Village – Adjacent to Hall 3 where the cattle lines are, this area will feature each of the breed societies to promote their breed, the society and membership. The area will also show case Type Classification Service live demonstration on a dairy cow at 11.30am, 12.30pm, 1.30pm, 2.30pm and 3.30pm.

Practical demonstrations include:
‘Beneath the Black and White Calf’ Painting – Scarsdale Vets will be presenting an innovative and engaging presentation that gives participants the opportunity to visualise and understand a calf’s anatomy using paint! Carolyn Baguley, senior farm assistant at Scarsdale Vets, will focus on the musculoskeletal/nervous system and internal organs to assist the understanding of calf health and welfare.
Foot trimming and knife sharpening – Demonstrations will be undertaken by a qualified team of independent foot trimmers namely Tim Carter, David Rowe, Ema Glaze and Andrew Tyler all with a number of years’ experience under their belts. The trimming and sharpening demonstrations will be streamed to a large TV screen with commentary so visitors are able to see first-hand the detail of the trimming and knife sharpening


New product competition for 2017 exhibitors

Entries are being accepted for products launched since 15 September 2016 up to the 2017 event.  Entries will be shortlisted to 12 which will be displayed at the event in the ‘New Product Zone’ located in the concourse outside the press office and judged in the morning of event day, with awards presented at lunchtime.


Trade stand competition

All trade stands are automatically entered into the trade stand competition and judged on the day in the morning, with awards presented at lunchtime.  The judges and awards presented for 2017 will be in four categories;
Best small internal trade stand – 0 to 9m2
Best medium internal trade stand – 10 to 36m2
Best large internal trade stand – 37m2 plus
Best external trade stand – any size and excludes demonstration areas

There are also two seminar areas with key presentations. In all, some 18 seminar presentations lasting 15 minutes followed by five minutes of questions and answers are due to start at 10am, concluding with the last presentation at 4.20pm.

The Scottish Farmer:

Seminar timetable

Time    Zone 1 – Presentation    Zone 2 – Presentation
10.00am    Reducing the impact of calf pneumonia in your replacement heifers
        Presented by Sioned Timothy, Merial Animal Health    
10.20am    Fibre – the hidden nutrient
        Presented by Dr Jamie-Leigh Douglas, AB Vista
10.40am    The true cost of IBR to the UK cattle industry – how can you make a difference on-farm?
        Presented by Andrew Montgomery, MSD    
11.00am    Powering the Rumen for efficiency and profit
        Presented by Peter Van der Vegt, Technical Sales Support Manager, Diamond V
11.20am    Antibiotic resistance, how is it going to affect me and my farm?
        Presented by Rachel Hayton, XL Vets    
11.40am    Managing dry cows for optimum health and performance
        Presented by Professor Jud Heinrichs, Penn State University c/o Alltech
12 noon        What are the differences between heat detection methods?
        Presented by Maggie Fisher, Ridgeway Research    
12.20pm    The evolution of cloud computing in the dairy industry.
        Presented by Jiska Healy, Dairy Master
12.40pm    Parlour Safe – Accredited milking machine technicians.
        Presented by John Baines, Parlour Safe    
1.00pm        Brexit
        Presented by AHDB
2.00pm        Cows and Money – growing and investing in dairy businesses, tax and financing
        Presented by Rob Hitch, Dodd and Co    
2.20pm        Less sore; more floor – what is the perfect walking surface for cows?
        Presented by Owen Atkinson, Moore Concrete
2.40pm        Keeping ahead of the game
        Presented by Angela Rhodes, Red Tractor    
3.00pm        Genomic testing: GPLI versus GTPI
        Presented by Dr Darren Todd, NBDC
3.20pm        Growing your future – how to optimise calf rearing in dairy enterprises
        Presented by Professor Jud Heinrichs, Penn State University c/o Alltech     
3.40pm        Milk pregnancy testing – its ‘positive’ role in herd management
        Presented by Jonathan Statham, IDEXX
4.00pm        National Johne’s Action Plan – Phase two actions
        Presented by Peter Ophin, Action Johne’s    
4.20pm        Reducing antimicrobial use on your farm
        Presented by John Remnant, Nottingham Uni