HYB Webinars

Holstein Young Breeders are pleased to announce a new webinar series which will be taking place monthly for the remainder of 2021 and feature a variety of industry professionals from across the UK and worldwide. Webinars are open to Holstein UK members and Holstein Young Breeders.

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Calf Signals

NWF with Abbi England and the Youngstock Team

This webinar took place on Tuesday 6^th July

At NWF, they recognise the importance pre-weaning nutrition can have on the future productivity and longevity of heifers joining the herd, and therefore the future profitability of the farm business. To keep calves healthy, you must do the right things at the right moment. Using the five-critical control points the basic needs for every calf can be fulfilled at each moment of the day. Your focus is on today, tomorrow and the future, what happened yesterday enables us to learn. Join NWF’s Youngstock Team and Abbi England, Technical Manager and Cow Signals© master trainer for an online Calf Signals session.

www.nwfagriculture.co.uk

Watch a recording of the Webinar below

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Achieving a Successful Transition Period

Shropshire Farm Vets with James Marsden

This webinar took place on Tuesday 10^th August

James graduated from Bristol in 2006 and spent a year in mixed practice in rural Berkshire. During this time, he decided to pursue a career in a farm animal veterinary practice and joined the team at Mac&O in 2007 which has now progressed to Shropshire Farm Vets. His favourite aspects of the job include improving animal health and welfare, whilst enhancing overall farm profitability through good health and fertility management. James has recently gained a Diploma in Bovine Reproduction.

The transition period is a critical time for a cow. Running from three weeks prior to calving to three weeks post calving, the period sees the cow at highest risk of associated diseases such as milk fever and displaced abomasum. Join James Marsden from Shropshire Farm Vets on learning about his top tips for a successful transition period.

www.shropshirefarmvets.com

Watch a recording of the Webinar below

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Founding Lightning Ridge Genetics and the Connections Made From Australia to the Globe

Lightning Ridge Genetics with Declan Patten

This webinar took place on Tuesday 7^th September, 8pm

Declan was raised on a dairy farm in Maffra, Gippsland and after graduating at the University of Melbourne with an associate degree in Agriculture, he accepted a role at one of the largest livestock companies globally, Genus PLC. Throughout his entire career he has been within the dairy industry and has created some strong international sales relationships working in both Australia and North America.

Lightning Ridge Genetics was founded in 1999, they have strived to purchase the best cows possible to build a strong foundation for their business. Lightning Ridge Genetics currently own over 140 cattle in seven countries and key relationships with breeders from around the world have allowed them to expand their business on a global scale. These relationships have provided the opportunity to source the world’s best genetics.

www.lightningridgegenetics.com

Watch a recording of the webinar below

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The Benefits of Bovine Embryo Transfer to You and Your Business

Celltech Embryo Transfer with Tom Lomas

Tuesday 5^th October, 7:30pm

 

Tom is an Embryo Transfer Practitioner at Celltech Embryo Transfer Ltd based in the heart of Cheshire. He has been working at Celltech for around nine years but has been using embryo transfer on his own TLC herd for many years.

Tom's webinar will provide an insight into the process of embryo transfer, from the selection of a viable donor, all the way through to the registration of the calves. Tom has an extensive background working with pedigree Holsteins and he will explain why embryo transfer could work for your business, and the many benefits it can have.

Watch a recording of the webinar below

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Do Feed Blocks Have a Place on the Dairy Farm?

Crystalyx with Dr Cliff Lister

Tuesday 2^nd November, 7:30pm

Dr Lister studied for both his degrees in Animal Nutrition and Physiology at the University of Newcastle Upon Tyne before joining Carr’s Group in 1989. Today Dr Lister is Technical Director of Caltech, a subsidiary of Carr’s Group that purchased the Crystalyx feed block brand in 1993. Dr Lister has lead product research & development for almost three decades and has been closely involved with a number of university research studies which confirm the benefits of feeding Crystalyx to all farm livestock. Crystalyx are an Associate Sponsor of Holstein Young Breeders.

The presentation will cover the 3 fundamental questions that many dairy farmers ask about feed blocks:

1. Why do I need a feed block when I have a fully formulated diet from my nutritionist?
2. Do all stock lick a feed block when offered?
3. Do feed blocks really work?

www.caltech-crystalyx.co.uk

Watch a recording of the presentation below

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The Negotiating Contracts panel took place on Tuesday 7th December

• Abi Reader, Dairy Farmer and NFU Dairy Board
• James Osman, Chief Dairy Advisor NFU
• Michael Masters, Head of Milk Supplies & Operations at Barbers Farmhouse Cheesemakers

 

The milk supply contract, which a dairy farmer holds, is often the most important contract which they have within their business, however, for many years these contracts have been a huge subject of concern for farmers. The result of the consultation in 2020 on the subject of dairy contracts, ensured that there would be a ‘fairer dairy supply chain’, and fix the imbalances that allows buyers to set and modify contracts at short notice. This subject can still cause worry and a lack of confidence within the supply base. This webinar opens the floor up to questions to those involved within the sector to provide some helpful points to take away and help to ensure you are getting the most from your contract, and understand its workings and your rights.

Watch a recording of the Webinar below

Abi Reader

Abi is a third generation dairy farmer from Glamorganshire, South Wales. Abi is the current chair of the NFU Cymru Milk Board along with being part of the NFU National Dairy Board, she is also chairperson of CHECS and co-founder of CowsOnTour. At home, Abi manages a 220-hectare farm featuring a mixed herd of 200 pedigree Holstein Friesians and Dairy Shorthorns and has hosted LEAF Open Farm Sundays since 2014.  In 2020, Abi was named Dairy Ambassador of the Year at the Cream Awards, and in 2021 was named Farmers Weekly Farming Champion of the Year, along with receiving an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours for services to the dairy industry.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AbiReader

 

James Osman

James Osman is the NFU’s National Chief Dairy Adviser.  James is from a farming background and was previously a County Advisor with the NFU before moving to be the Chief Dairy Advisor.  In his current role, James works on a wide range of issues affecting the dairy sector, this has included campaigning for the fairer dairy contracts both aligned and non-aligned.  More recently the NFU have worked on issues around Brexit, exports and carbon-foot printing.

Twitter: @NFUMilkMan

 

 

Michael Masters 

Michael has been Head of Milk Supplies & Operations at Barbers Cheesemakers since 2020, following on from holding their role as Milk Supply Manager from 2016 – 2020, and prior to this working for Direct Milk DPO Ltd for 12 years.  AJ & RG Barber (Barbers Cheesemakers) is a family-owned farming and cheese business, originally established in 1833.   Along with producing cheese, Barbers utilise there integrated manufacturing site to produce high quality whey protein powders for infant formula and food ingredients.  Barbers produce some 22,000 tonnes of cheese per year, in addition to butter and specialist whey protein powders.  They have over 100 different product lines and sell to more than 200 customers in over 20 countries.  

Twitter: @barberscheese