Developing a bovine ketosis risk indicator using milk spectral analysis and animal phenotype data

This project sets out to expand the use of easily attainable milk spectral results to provide a risk status of ketosis likelihood at an individual cow level. There is significant potential for this new tool to increase the efficiency of GB milk production by reducing costly body weight changes, improving health and fertility, and ensuring more targeted use of energy resources on farm.

Being able to provide a ketosis indicator that's hassle free, low-cost and non-invasive on a regular basis using a controlled system such as milk recording, will offer greater opportunities for the 5,000 dairy herds recorded by NMR to partake in ketosis monitoring. Currently, time constraints and the complexity of data required to generate meaningful measures are a barrier for participation. NMR, along with SRUC and EBVC seek to overcome these via this project.