August 2026 – Take action on udder health with a free veterinary consult!

The dry period is an important opportunity to help your cows recover from the current lactation, reduce the risk of new mastitis infections and give cows the best possible start to the next lactation.

The CellCheck Dry Cow Consult facilitates engagement between Irish dairy farmers and their private veterinary practitioner (PVP) to review herd udder health, drying off practices and dry cow management – and identify practical ways to improve results. Best of all, the consultation is free to eligible dairy farms, as part of the Biosecurity Targeted Advisory Service on Animal Health (TASAH).

AHI encourages eligible dairy herds to apply, especially if their CellCheck Farm Summary Report shows any of the following:

1. A dry period cure rate of less than 85% in previously infected cows.
2. More than 10% of cows had evidence of a new infection during the dry period.
3. More than 15% of heifers picked up a new infection.

The aim: fewer new infections, better cure rates and a healthier udder going into the next lactation, while supporting responsible antimicrobial use through selective dry cow therapy.

To qualify for a CellCheck Dry Cow Consult, your dairy herd must have:

• An average bulk milk tank SCC ≤200,000 cells/ml for the previous 12 months.
• At least 4 whole herd milk recordings in the previous 12 months.

Eligibility will be checked by using data held by the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF).

Once your farm is confirmed as are eligible your nominated PVP will be notified and will arrange a farm visit around drying off time. To get the most from the consultation, have the relevant information available for your vet, including:

• Milk Recording Datasets (on ICBF)
• Clinical Mastitis Records
• Milk Culture Results
• Milking Machine Service Reports

It is also a great opportunity to involve family members or farm staff who are involved in milking and drying off.

Have 3-4 cows that are ready to be dried off in the milking parlour when your vet visits. This allows your PVP to look at your drying off routine in practice and identify areas where small changes could make a big difference.

To help measure the impact of the dry period, participating farms will be asked to:

1. Record the date of drying off and product(s) used for every cow at the end of the 2026 lactation.
2. Start milk recording within the first 60 days of the 2027 lactation to accurately assess dry period outcomes.
3. Digitally record any clinical mastitis cases.

These records will help you and your vet assess how successful the dry period was, allowing the chance to identify areas for further improvement.

The dry period can have a big influence on how your cows perform in the next lactation. A little time spent reviewing your drying off routine now can help reduce new infections, improve cure rates and set your herd up for healthier udders next year. If your herd is eligible, talk to your PVP and make the most of this free, practical veterinary support before drying off.