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The 32nd British Mastitis Conference (BMC) was held on 11 November 2020 and, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, was held as a virtual conference for the first time. Unfortunately, the workshop on mastitis data management and control, with emphasis on machine milking was postponed but will now be held on 9 November 2021. The organisers report that the virtual conference was very well subscribed with around 20% more delegates than usual. There was another increase in the number of non-UK based delegates registering. As with most scientific conferences, BMC could not be held without the continuing support of sponsors, with Vétoquinol again offering Platinum sponsorship. The conference is aimed particularly at veterinarians, farm consultants, research scientists, students and academics, in fact at anyone with an interest in dairy farming and mastitis. The organising and scientific committee bring together a mix of researchers and practitioners from both the UK and further afield, and for the 2020 conference speakers were invited from Belgium as well as the UK, with Knowledge Transfer (KT) papers presented from France, the Netherlands, the USA and the UK, many as collaborations with researchers from further afield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focuses on Lely Industries' Astronaut laser-guided robotic milking machine used in dairy farms in Great Britain. Positioning of the teat cleaning device; Automatic removal per quarter; Automatic spraying of teats with a disinfectant; Cow-friendliness of the system; Daily milk output.

Considers a variety of topics in the news for July, 1997 of interest to British dairy farmers. Results of the 1997 Pharmacia & Upjohn/Dairy Farmer magazine Quality Milk Awards, including statistics for dry cow therapy, veterinary involvement, and herd size; The distribution of profits from the dairy co-op Milk Marque, and percentages of use for its every-other-day collection option; The installation of the robotic milker Liberty Dairy System at ADAS Bridgets in Britain.

The article reports that Dairy farmers have been urged to take up remote fault analysis for high-tech milking equipment which would reduce costly downtimes in modern parlours. The breakdowns are increasingly costly as the herd sizes continue to increase. Larger herds and high yields limit time between milking thereby limiting parlour performance

Focuses on the development of a pulsator for cow milking systems by engineers at Alfa Laval Agri in Great Britain. Generation of the reciprocating movement on the valve axle; Selection of a magnetic plastic for the milking machines; Injection moulding of the magnetic plastic material.

The article offers information on the building of houses on agricultural lands by the government in Great Britain and how this would affect farmers. The article mentions how village people gathered for a discussion to protect farmer Charlie Wray's dairy farm. The article mentions how Wray had installed milk dispensing machine for direct selling of milk to people. The article also mentions the concerns of the farmers on the impact of Brexit on their farming business.

Reports on electronic `noses' on robotic milking machines used to monitor the health and quality of milk cows produce. Development of the device by scientists at the Universities of Warwick and Southampton in Great Britain; Funding from Great Britain's Agricultural and Food Research Couk research program; Allocation of one third of the budget to information technology.

Presents information on the Lely Astronaut robotic milking system. Places where the milking system is being used; Capabilities of the milking system.

Argues that the International Standards Organization (ISO) proposals for milking machines are significant to dairy farmers in Great Britain. Analysis of technical recommendations including size of milk tubes and milking line.

Evaluates several products used in the dairy industry in Great Britain as of September 2004. MC200 milking unit manager; KOOL-STOR outdoor milk tank; Mimi-Mum ad-lib calf feeder from Volac International; Solomix diet feeder from Redcock.

Reports on the status of British milking equipment companies as of September 2002. Factors which contributed to the growth of the milking equipment industry; Classification of producers investing in milking equipment; Efforts done by companies such as Mount Pleasant Milking Systems and Gascoigne Melotte to expand their business.

This section offers news briefs on livestock in Great Britain as of May 2015 including the tissue tag to be launched by the British Wagyu Association to improve the traceability of Wagyu beef, and the robotic feeding and milking equipment to be featured at the 2015 Livestock Event which will be held at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham, England.

The article provides tips for dairy farmers in Great Britain on how they can improve milking time, shared by Simon Marsh of Dairy Spares. His recommendations include hiring someone else to observe a milking routine and then offer suggestions for improvement, testing and servicing the entire milking machine, and ensuring enough vacuum reserve.

The article covers issues related to the livestock sector in Great Britain. It cites that a major contributing factor in the increasing bulk milk cell counts is malfunctioning milking machines. It notes that Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD) causes fertility problems and targets the immune system resulting in pneumonia, gastro-intestinal and other problems. It states that changing weather patterns in York, England have resulted in more liver fluke cases being diagnosed.

The article offers updates on the livestock industry in Great Britain. Waitrose and the Royal Agricultural College will hold 3 workshops on dairying in Somerset, Newport and Carmarthen. The English and Lamb Executive has advised beef producers to make the most of grass growth by confining supplementation to stock. Fullwood has upgraded its Merlin robotic milking machine with a new model that can be integrated with existing plant.

The article relates the experience of a producer from Great Britain in using a robotic milking machine. The equipment has given the producer flexibility in his farm duties and his family. The manufacturer of the robotic milking machine supported in its installation after the producer sold the equipment to another producer.

Reports on the automated teat-dipping and liner-flushing system launched by ADF at the Dairy Event in Great Britain. Benefits of the teat-dipping system; Average cell count reduction through the use of the system; Cost of installing the system.

Reports on robotic milking systems from Lely installed at farms in Great Britain. Reason for buying a robotic system according to sales manager for the company Mike Turnbull; Advantages of robotic milking; Cost of the system. INSET: Liver fluke on the rise.

Presents information on agricultural equipment and publications launched in Great Britain. Features of the milk liners suitable for milking systems developed by Fearing; Release of the revised edition of the book "Practical Lambing and Lamb Care"; Topics discussed in the book "Reproduction in Cattle."

Features several agricultural machinery which were exhibited during the 2004 Dairy Event in Great Britain. Feedmax scraper from Dairymaster; 7700 wide-bodied forager from John Deere; Floating slurry mixer/agitator from Landia; Improved Lely Astronaut milking robot with a teat detection system.

Explains the reason behind the forging of milking machine test certificates, according to Genus Milking Systems' Mark Scrivens. Significance of testing and correcting one's parlour; Figures from Genus which show that parlours in Great Britain are failing to meet British and International Standards reflecting the lack of funds for re-investment on dairy farms; Advice given by veterinarian and mastitis specialist Peter Edmondson to farmers regarding their parlours.

Reports on the possibility for British milk producers to recoup by cell count cutting. Views of producers on investments in low cell counts; Antibiotics for the treatment of high cell counts in cattle; Milking machine problem which causes the increase in cell counts in milking herds.