GD has a leading role in animal health and food production in the Netherlands. GD has provided animal health programmes and laboratory diagnostic services, supporting industrial customers, governments, veterinary practitioners and farmers. GD is unique in combining practical expertise in the field of animal health management with expertise in laboratory diagnostic services.

Scientific and practical expertise combined

An important focus of GD is udder health. To help farmers improve udder health on their farms, GD recently introduced a new ‘Udder Health Approach’ (UHA) aiming for healthy udders and, as a result, more milk and fewer financial loses. UGA integrates state-of-the-art scientific udder-health expertise with the implementation of practical expertise, working closely together with dairy farmers and associated veterinarians.

Overall concept

The udder health approach is an overall concept for the improvement and optimisation of udder health and milk quality on (large) dairy farms by offering laboratory products, services, surveillance and training or consultancy. The extended know-how regarding the most optimal and reliable diagnostic tests for udder-health parameters, together with our practical expertise and network, is of great value for both farmers and veterinarians. Our team is available to supply all the information needed. Two dairy veterinarians and three specialised field workers operate close together with practitioners and farmers and bring independent scientific know-how into practice.

Laboratory tests

In 2015, over 15,000 individual cow milk samples and 27,000 bulk tank samples were analysed for classic bacteriological culturing, with individual samples subject to optional antibiotic sensitivity testing. Over 4,000 sensitivity tests were conducted. In addition to classical cow milk cultures, UHA provides tests for molecular biology (PCR) as well as tests for bedding and on-farm udder health consultancy.

Training and consultancy

Besides diagnostic testing, UHA performs over 100 veterinary dairy farm visits, 200 dynamic tests and more than 400 training sessions and workshops each year. We generate a lot of experience and knowledge by participating in at least two large (clinical) trials annually for the (pharmaceutical) industry under GLP and GCP conditions.

Surveillance

The udder health team monitors udder health and antimicrobial resistance in the Netherlands and other countries 365 days a year. With a national network of 500 dairy veterinarians and 18,000 dairy farmers, our customers provide a lot of useful information that is used for early warning of emerging diseases. The udder health has over 5,000 consultations by phone each year, triggering more than 1,000 farm visits each year.

Partner for the industry

GD is a reliable partner for scientific research, product development and training of employees for companies in the dairy industry. For the pharmaceutical industry, we perform at least two large marketing or registration (clinical) trials each year, under GLP and GCP conditions, if necessary. We also collaborate and cooperate with other companies in the dairy industry (i.e. dairy plants, milking-machine manufacturers, etc.). GD is the authority for state-of-the-art udder health knowledge and experience and an excellent partner for the industry, with a focus on improving udder health. After all, healthy udders = more milk.

Curious about what our udder health team can do for you? Please do not hesitate to contact us!

The udder health team: Anton Gosselink BSc, Christian Scherpenzeel DVM PhD, Sabine Tijs BSc, Ryan van Egmond DVM and Hans Miltenburg BSc