Faculty of Veterinary Medicine /Faculty /Department of Production Animal Medicine /Research /

Seminar on Nordic Mastitis Research

NKJ-network: Healthy Udders for Sustainable Milk Production

Cows

2nd seminar on Nordic Mastitis Research ­– project presentations and discussions on mastitis treatments and drying-off practices – Gustavelund, Tuusula, Finland, 11.-12.9. 2019

Mastitis continues to be the most common and costly disease of dairy cows and it is the predominant reason for antibiotic usage in dairy herds. It has a negative impact on milk production and quality, animal welfare and farm economics; overall, healthy animals are more efficient milk producers.

The Nordic researchers working on bovine mastitis and udder health, lead by Prof Päivi Rajala-Schultz at University of Helsinki, joined forces last year to enhance their collaboration and to build an active network to tackle the challenges of mastitis together.  This effort was supported by NKJ (Nordic Joint Committee for Agricultural and Food Research) networking funds. A long-term goal of this collaboration is to support and enhance competitiveness and profitability of Nordic dairy production through science-based knowledge and advice to the dairy sector.

The first Nordic Mastitis Researchers seminar was held in Uppsala in the fall of 2018 with the purpose of sharing information about on-going udder health projects and identifying knowledge gaps and research needs related to udder health in Nordic countries. See last year’s program from the attachment below.

NKJ-network 2018 Uppsala Seminar Program

 

To continue on the successfully started discussion and collaboration, the 2nd Nordic mastitis researchers’ seminar will be held in Finland in September 11 and 12, 2019. Based on the discussions in Uppsala, this seminar will focus on mastitis treatments and drying-off practices. The program will also include presentations given by the participants about their ongoing research. Priority will be given to graduate student and post doc presentations. Please, note that your presentation does not need to be related to mastitis treatments nor drying-off practices.

Please, make plans to join your Nordic colleagues for an active discussion and brainstorming session in a beautiful setting in the midst of Finnish nature, yet right next to Helsinki.

Venue
Dates
Registration
Venue for the seminar
Accommodation
Organizing committee

Dates

Mastitis

Wednesday, September 11 (lunch served at 12.00)

  • Official program starts at 13.00, followed by dinner and social hour and networking

Thursday, September 12,

  • 8.30 – 16.00

Registration

Registration deadline June 30, 2019

There is no registration fee for mastitis researchers and advisers from farmer organizations in the Nordic countries actively working on udder health issues (thanks to the NKJ-networking grant), but registration is required. Registration includes lunch and coffee on both days and the dinner on Wednesday evening.

Please, register here.

PhD students working on mastitis/udder health in one of the Nordic countries can apply travel support for their participation in the meeting.  Depending on the number of graduate student applications for the travel grant, travel support for post docs may also be available.

Venue for the seminar

Practical information about the venue for the seminar

Gustavelund is situated on the shores of Lake Tuusula, which are steeped in history and set against a backdrop of Finnish art, architecture and design. It is located half an hour from Helsinki and fifteen minutes from the Helsinki-Vantaa airport.

  • For international participants, the easiest way to get to Gustavelund is to take a taxi from the airport.
  • There are also trains running from the airport which you could take to Kerava, but you would still need to crab a taxi for the rest of the way.

Accommodation

Practical information about accommodation

Everybody needs to make their own reservations for accommodation at Gustavelund. We have made preliminary bookings for a limited number of standard single (100 €) and double rooms (120 €) at Gustavelund, so please remember to mention “NKJ - Nordic udders” when you make your reservation to get these prices.  You are, of course, free to make your own room choice and upgrade to a superior room or to a suite etc., if you so prefer.

PLEASE, MAKE YOUR ROOM RESERVATION BY 11.8. either by email reception@gustavelund.fi or by calling +358 9 273751. The conference center has agreed to block off and reserve a certain number of rooms for us until 11.8. After that we cannot guarantee availability of rooms.
Note: We will be by a lake and there are (of course!) different saunas available at the conference center, so remember to pack you swimsuit!

We look forward to seeing you in Finland in September!