A detailed farmer survey on replacement heifer rearing practices was completed on over 250 dairy farms in N. Ireland in 2008. The aim of the survey was to assess heifer rearing management practices and to establish priorities for technology transfer.
The survey was jointly conducted with AFBI, Hillsborough designing the survey questionnaire and the farmer interviews conducted by CAFRE Dairying Development Advisers. Areas of management being assessed included: calf rearing, breeding management, health and welfare and attitudes to research and technology transfer.
Carson, A.F., Morrison, S.J., Munoz, C., Matthews, D.I. and Mulholland, M. (2010). Harnessing scientific developments in practice. Annual Meeting of BSAS, Belfast, pp 348, April 2010.
Heifer survey results