Mastitis is a concern within the dairy industry for animal welfare reasons and cost, both in terms of treatment and lost production. Cows that show no symptoms but carry the disease contribute to its persistence in the herd. Giving dry cows a blanket dose of antibiotics is a common practice to ‘insure’ against mastitis but is under increasing scrutiny and limited in its impact, particularly in herds with recurrent and/or tough infections. Farm Medix has developed an economical test and service to bulk screen a herd and identify non-symptomatic, contagious cows, which is proving superior to existing screening methods. Once identified, these cows can be isolated from the herd to control the spread of the infection and given appropriate treatment.
Herd Screen
Farm Medix
2017 Hamilton City Council Innovator/ Entrepreneur Award Winner
2017 Agricultural Science Award Finalist
Mastitis is a concern within the dairy industry for animal welfare reasons and cost, both in terms of treatment and lost production. Cows that show no symptoms but carry the disease contribute to its persistence in the herd. Giving dry cows a blanket dose of antibiotics is a common practice to ‘insure’ against mastitis but is under increasing scrutiny and limited in its impact, particularly in herds with recurrent and/or tough infections. Farm Medix has developed an economical test and service to bulk screen a herd and identify non-symptomatic, contagious cows, which is proving superior to existing screening methods. Once identified, these cows can be isolated from the herd to control the spread of the infection and given appropriate treatment.
Dermashield
Farm Medix
2017 Hamilton City Council Innovator/ Entrepreneur Award Finalist
Dermashield is a novel treatment solution, which reduces the impact and spread of conditions that cause lameness in cattle.
Discomfort from foot injuries and related infections can affect a cow’s ability to graze, leading to loss of condition, reduced milk production and fertility issues. Cows can be very adept at hiding lameness until it becomes severe. It’s an issue that costs New Zealand farmers over $30,000 per year and double that overseas. Prevention is the traditional management approach, with existing cures being limited in effectiveness and, in some cases, environmentally unsound. Farm Medix has developed an innovative leg band – called Dermashield – which uses the anti-microbial action of copper ions to fend off infection while wounds heal. In trials Dermashield proved highly effective in treating digital dermatitis lesions and foot rot. Farm Medix is currently exploring the use of Dermashield in the dairy goat and Merino sheep industries.