Davidsons Dairy Tech

14/10/2026

We are delighted to be sponsoring the South West Scotland Dairy Show again this year🏆

1 WEEK TODAY📅 We are looking forward to seeing you all there!🐄

👏 𝗔 𝗕𝗜𝗚 𝗧𝗛𝗔𝗡𝗞 𝗬𝗢𝗨 𝗧𝗢 𝗗𝗔𝗩𝗜𝗗𝗦𝗢𝗡𝗦 𝗔𝗡𝗜𝗠𝗔𝗟 𝗙𝗘𝗘𝗗𝗦! 👏

We are delighted to have Davidsons Animal Feeds continuing their valued support of the South West Scotland Dairy Show.

Their continued commitment to the show is greatly appreciated, helping us to bring together exhibitors, spectators and supporters of the dairy industry for another fantastic evening at Wallets Mart.

🐄 𝗦𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗪𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗦𝗰𝗼𝘁𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗗𝗮𝗶𝗿𝘆 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘄
📅 Wednesday 21st October
📍 Wallets Mart, Castle Douglas
⏰ 6.30pm prompt

We are incredibly grateful to all our sponsors for helping make the show possible, and we’re proud to showcase the businesses that continue to support our local dairy industry.

Thank you, Davidsons Dairy Tech, for your continued support! 🙌

Please support our sponsors and the businesses that support our show.

More sponsor spotlights coming soon…

08/10/2026

Are your heifers still growing at grass🌱

As we move through the grazing season and into autumn, grass growth, quality and utilisation will start to decline. This can make it difficult for growing heifers to achieve the growth rates they need💪🏻

A growing heifer still requires adequate energy and protein to support consistent frame growth and reproductive development.

Are your heifers still on track or are they falling behind?

Some key targets to keep in mind:

• 📈Target DLWG: 0.8–0.9 kg/day
• 🐄Target weight at first service: 55–60% of mature bodyweight
• 🌱Target DMI: Around 7 kg/day for a 300 kg heifer
• 💦Wet low DM grass: Can significantly limit dry matter intake

Although there might be plenty grass in the field, quantity doesn’t always mean quality. As grass becomes wetter and lower in Dry Matter, heifers may struggle to consume enough nutrients to maintain the required growth rates.

Are you weighing your heifers? Are they reaching target weights at housing? Could your heifers benefit from supplementation?

Davidsons Performance Heifer nuts would help maintain growth rates and keep heifers on track to reach their target weights for their first service.

Speak to your Dairy Tech Consultant today about the nutritional requirements of your heifers at this time of year✅

24/09/2026

It’s all part of the process💪🏻

From providing nutritional advice, to delivering feed to farm, to supporting productive, healthy cows that supply the milk that helps feed the nation🐄🚛

Every step plays a part in the journey from feed to farm, and ultimately, from farm to fridge🥛

08/09/2026

When should you wean your calves?

One of the biggest questions in calf rearing is when is the right time to wean?

The answer isn't just about age or even eating 2 kg of pellets per day - it's all about rumen development.

A calf's rumen develops as it consumes starter pellets, which is why it's so important to offer them from day one.

Remember, not all calf starters are created equal. Different pellets have different nutritional analyses, so choosing the right starter can make a huge difference.

At Davidsons, our calf starter has been carefully formulated so calves consume the 15 kg of non-fibrous carbohydrates (NFC) needed to support optimal rumen development before weaning.

🐮 Successful weaning starts long before the milk comes off—it starts with the right nutrition from day one

Read more about our Performance Calf pellets - https://www.davidsonsfeeds.co.uk/2021/05/20/performance-calf-starter-pellets/

📞 01501 820473

13/08/2026

𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐝𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐫𝐲 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐮𝐩 𝐭𝐨 𝟖 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐤 𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐰, 𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝐝𝐚𝐲🥛

A recent study published in the 'Journal of Dairy Science' found that dry cows exposed to heat stress produced up to 8 litres less milk per day in their next lactation compared to cows kept in a cooled environment.

The dry period is one of the most critical stages in a dairy cow's production cycle, prepairing for her next lactation by:

✅ Rebuilding the mammary gland
✅ Developing new milk producing cells
✅ Preparing the udder development for high yields

When cows experience heat stress, their bodies prioritise keeping cool. Blood flow is redirected towards the skin, reducing support to the mammary gland. This can lead to:

🔹 Less oxygen reaching the udder
🔹Reduced nutrient supply for mammary development
🔹Altered Hormone function
🔹Lower milk producing capacity in the next lactation

Are your dry cows experiencing heat stress? Talk to your Dairy Tech Consultant today to discuss soultions to help reduce the impact of heat stress and protect your herd performance.

To read more, click here: https://www.davidsonsfeeds.co.uk/2025/08/13/is-heat-stress-an-issue-on-your-herd/

10/08/2026

Do you weigh your heifers?⚖️

Here's the big question: Why don't we normalise weighing our heifers?

Too often, the only target we focus on is age at first calving. But should that really be the only measure of success?

Read more here > https://www.davidsonsfeeds.co.uk/2026/08/10/why-dont-we-normalise-weighing-our-heifers/

☎️If you are looking for advice on how to monitor heifer performance at key stages, get in touch with our calf and heifer specialists today on 01501 820473

28/07/2026

💧 The Importance of Water 💧

Did you know that, after oxygen, water is the second most important nutrient for cattle?

Depending on their age, body condition and stage of lactation, a cow's body is made up of between 50% and 80% water.

Water plays a vital role in:
🐄 Regulating body temperature
🐄 Supporting rumen function
🐄 Aiding nutrient absorption

And with milk containing around 87% water, it's easy to see why a plentiful supply of clean, fresh water is essential for both animal health and productivity.

During hot weather, a dairy cow can drink up to 200 litres of water per day!

Cows also prefer to drink in social groups, particularly after feeding or milking. They can drink at a rate of 14 litres per minute, so if 10 cows are drinking together, that's 140 litres every minute. As each cow needs around 70cm of trough space, that group requires 7 metres of drinking space.

🤔 How many of your cows might want a drink at the same time?

Cows are extremely sensitive to taste and smell, so water troughs need regular cleaning—and don't forget the field troughs that can easily become "out of sight, out of mind".

Many grazing cows are now moving onto aftermath fields that may not have carried stock for 10 months or more. When did those troughs last get cleaned?

It takes as little as 0.5g of manure in a water trough to make the water 30 times less palatable to cows.

Keeping water clean, fresh and freely accessible is one of the simplest ways to improve cow health, encourage feed intake and support milk production.

Happy cows = happy farmer! 💙

20/07/2026

Is your grass quality falling back without you noticing? 🌱

Grass quality for dairy cows often declines during July, especially after the intense weather conditions we've experienced recently. As grass matures, its feed value naturally decreases, which can have a direct impact on cow performance.

🌿 Grass becomes more mature
As grass ages, it produces more stem and less leafy material. Stems contain more fibre and are less digestible than the leaves, reducing the overall feed quality.

⚡ Lower energy
Mature grass contains fewer readily digestible carbohydrates, meaning cows get less energy from every kilogram they eat.

🥛 Reduced protein
Crude protein levels also decline as grass matures. If this isn't addressed through supplementation, it can limit milk production and overall herd performance.

Regularly monitoring grass quality and adjusting your feeding strategy can help maintain milk yield and keep cows performing at their best.

16/07/2026

🥵Record-breaking temperatures are here... but what does that mean for your dairy cows?

We have seen record breaking tempertures, with atleast one day reaching 31.1°C. While we may enjoy the sunshine, our dairy cows certainly don't.

🚨 HEAT STRESS
One of the best ways to assess heat stress is using the Temperature-Humidity Index (THI).
In temperate climates, research shows that milk production can drop by up to 20% as THI increases from 68 in spring to 78 in summer.

Last week, our Dairy Tech Consultants recorded an alarming THI of 83 on farm.

What does that mean for your herd?
🐄 Reduced milk yield
🐄 Reduced fertility
🐄 Decreased dry matter intake (DMI)

Heat stress isn't just a short-term issue. It can affect up to three generations, impacting the future fertility and performance of your herd.

Practical ways to reduce heat stress:
✅ Maximise airflow and ventilation in sheds for dry cows, milking cows and calves.
✅ Ensure unlimited access to clean, fresh water, with adequate trough space so all animals can drink comfortably.
✅ Reduce stocking density wherever possible to minimise heat build-up and allow cows more space to cool themselves.

Prevention is always more effective than managing the consequences. Taking action before and during periods of hot weather will help protect cow welfare, fertility and milk production.
If you're concerned about heat stress on your farm or would like advice on improving cow comfort this summer, get in touch with our Dairy Tech team—we're here to help.

09/07/2026

🌱 Out to Grass, Out of Mind? Don't Forget Your Heifers! 🐄

Spring turnout is a welcome relief, freeing up shed space and reducing workload. But with silage season in full swing, it's easy for heifers to become the forgotten group on the farm.

✅ Monitor stocking density – Don't let grass shortages limit performance. As the AHDB graph below shows, grass growth naturally declines during June–August. Too many heifers and not enough grass can reduce dry matter intakes, slowing growth rates and delaying target bulling weights. Keep an eye on grass covers and stocking rates to ensure heifers have enough available feed to maintain performance.

✅ Group heifers by size – allowing them to be managed and fed according to their requirements.

✅ Don't underestimate the weather – our Scottish rain 🌧️ and cold conditions can force heifers to use energy for keeping warm rather than growing.

✅ Keep feeding concentrates where needed – turnout to grass doesn't mean nutritional management stops. Continued rumen development and consistent growth rates are key to achieving target bulling weights.

Heifers may be out of sight, but they shouldn't be out of mind. A little attention now can make a big difference to future herd performance. 🐄📈