16 October 2026

Veterinary practitioners invited to SmartDry Vet Workshop

Veterinary practitioners are invited to attend the SmartDry Vet Workshop, taking place at Teagasc Clonakilty Agricultural College, Co. Cork, on Monday, November 2, 2026, from 10am to 4pm.

Mastitis remains one of the most significant health and production challenges in dairy herds, with veterinarians playing a central role in helping farmers address it.

The workshop will focus on evidence-based mastitis prevention strategies, interpretation of herd and milk recording data, selective dry cow therapy and the veterinarian’s role in mastitis problem-solving.

Participants will explore the information available through ICBF and other sources to identify infection patterns and to determine likely sources of mastitis. Discussions will also cover lactational antibiotic treatment, factors influencing cure rates and the role of treatment within an overall mastitis control programme.

The workshop will also introduce the new SmartDry App, designed to support decision-making at dry-off. The app helps veterinarians and farmers identify cows that maybe suitable for drying off with an internal teat sealant only, supporting selective dry cow therapy.

A graphic promoting the event featuring the following text: SmartDry Vet Workshop Mastitis problem solving, Decision support tools, Dry-off Register by confirming your attendance to pablo.silvabolona@teagasc.ie Join us for an interesting discussion about mastitis and dry-off management • Mastitis control and prevention • What information to use when advising • The SmartDry Dry-Off App • The role of the veterinarian in mastitis advising • Practical: Drying-off cows When and where? Teagasc Clonakilty agricultural college, Co. Cork. P85AX52. Monday 2 November 2026 • 10:15 am – 4:00 pm SmartDryVet Workshop Mastitis control and prevention: Review the key strategies for reducing mastitis prevalence and preventing new infections. We will discuss the role of lactational antibiotic treatment, factors influencing cure rates, and how treatment fits within an overall mastitis control programme. What information to use: Explore the information available to veterinarians through ICBF and other sources to identify infection patterns, determine likely sources of mastitis, and support evidence-based decision-making on farm. SmartDry app: Introduction to the new SmartDry app, designed to support decision-making at dry-off. The app helps veterinarians and farmers identify cows that maybe suitable for drying off with an internal teat sealant only, supporting selective dry cow therapy. Discussion of the veterinarian's role as a mastitis advisor, and how collaboration between Teagasc, AHI and veterinary practitioners can strengthen on-farm mastitis investigation and problem-solving services. Review evidence from Teagasc dry-off studies and demonstrate a guidelines-based dry-off procedure. This practical session will provide veterinarians with the knowledge and skills required to support and train farmers in best-practice dry-off management. Register by confirming your attendance to pablo.silvabolona@teagasc.ie

The role of veterinary practitioners as mastitis advisors will also be discussed, along with how collaboration between Teagasc, Animal Health Ireland (AHI) and veterinary practitioners can strengthen on-farm mastitis investigation and problem-solving services.

A session will also review evidence from Teagasc dry-off studies and demonstrate a guidelines-based dry-off procedure, providing veterinarians with the knowledge and skills to support farmers in adopting best-practice dry-off management.

The workshop is open to all veterinary practitioners and will take place at Teagasc Clonakilty Agricultural College, Co. Cork, P85 AX52.

Those interested in attending are asked to confirm their attendance by emailing pablo.silvabolona@teagasc.ie.