Education
Tip 1: Within the first hour of birth, a calf needs five to six pints of high-quality colostrum, and then again within the next 12 hours. Check out the five additional recommendations from Kansas State.
Have we hit the low point for the average productive lifespan of dairy cows?
September is National Suicide Prevention Month. According to the CDC, between 2000 and 2020 suicide rates climbed 46% in rural areas. By comparison, the rate in metro areas climbed 27.3%.
Norbrook announces the introduction of Tauramox Injectable Solution for the control of key internal and external parasites in beef and dairy cattle.
Mercer Vu Dairy wanted to utilize group housing and waste milk to raise their preweaned calves with round-the-clock access to milk. Here’s how they came up with their own one-of-a-kind system.
These commonly overlooked issues are holding your herd back.
Windrow grazing, sometimes called swath grazing, is a management practice that can significantly reduce harvesting and feeding costs.
Congestive heart failure is estimated to cause 4% of feedlot mortality causing significant economic losses to feedlots as the majority of these deaths occur late in the finishing period.
Making culling decisions sooner rather than later and will help producers hold feed costs down.
Improved performance is helping dairy producers capitalize on better genetics, according to Dr. Paul Fricke, University of Wisconsin dairy cattle reproduction professor and Extension specialist.
Drought conditions in portions of North Dakota has forced ranchers to consider supplemental feed to offset nutrient deficiencies in pasture forages.
Sound management decisions to improve genetics, management practices and profit potential of cow-calf operations should be based on data. Weaning time is the best time of year to measure, and document herd performance.
A massive question dairy producers often ask themselves is who should be raising replacement heifers. Should they be raised by the producer, contracted out and customed raised, or should they be purchased?
Protecting the health of cattle herds is an important part of a successful plan to have a profitable and sustainable ranching operation.
Heat stress undoubtedly causes setbacks for cows. But a growing body of research shows it also impacts the calves they are carrying, and possibly even the generation after that.
Hernias addressed in the field need to be small, and the calf needs to be young, says Amanda Hartnack, DVM, MS, DACVS. She details how to decide when in-field surgery will work and when it’s best to change course.
Sound management decisions that will impact future profit potential is based on facts arrived at through mathematical analysis. Decisions based on emotions and/or tradition seldom lead to success.
The study of epigenetics identifies changes in gene function that are not due to mutations but rather how the DNA is packaged in the cell and turned on or off in the wrong conditions.
Aside from traditional calf weaning methods, the concept of “fenceline weaning” is worth considering for cow-calf producers looking to decrease stress and maintain health in their calves.
Fall calving is in progress for many ranchers. A veterinarian offers tips to give calves the best chance to thrive and survive.
A producer asked Beef Cattle Institute experts to address how to give medical care to an animal in the field. Options listed: darting, roping, trailering or walking to a facility, doing nothing. What would you choose?
Housing calves with at least one companion can improve animal welfare, calf growth, and consumer perception. There are several options to consider.
To help fill energy gaps in late-season grazing additional supplementation will likely be needed and rumen-protected fat supplements should be a key component in buffer rations to maximize milk yield and quality.
Purina Animal Nutrition, along with the Land O’Lakes Foundation, is announcing a new scholarship program. Applications are being accepted now through October 12.
Paul Virkler, DVM, Cornell University, says teat end scoring is a good way to gather insights on a dairy’s milking processes and whether adjustments are needed to improve an individual cow’s comfort and care.
When warm weather hangs on into late summer and early fall, the fly season may also persist at problematic levels longer than typical.
The beef market is sizzling hot and dairy producers have not only noticed but have taken action to capitalize on securing an alternative profit source to their bottom line.
The best and most effective technologies in dairy production today are not necessarily the ones with the most bells and whistles. Rather, they’re the ones that simply “let cows be cows.”
As we move into late summer and early fall, we begin think about weaning time. Getting those calves on feed is critical, requiring a good diet and proper feed management.
Depending on the size of the animal, viscosity of the product and administration protocols, a variety of needles might be needed. Here’s some guidelines to help decide.