Dry off preparation - the essential shopping list

Drying off has become a serious focus on dairy farms, but the time and effort will be rewarded with lower SCC in the next lactation, writes large animal vet Hazell Mullins.

It is important to complete this recording within 30 days of drying off cows to facilitate selective dry cow therapy (SDCT).

The relief of the clear TB test made last week a lot less stressful, and the worry has subsided for at least another four months. It is a time of change on the farm, getting used to old routines again, less daylight and, of course, cubicle liming.

On the other hand, I also strangely enjoy this time of year, the winding down of the milkings, that hum of the automatic scraper and the smell of silage in the air.