Latest News From Education

The advent of timed AI protocols became a game-changer in allowing professionals, like AI technicians or veterinarians, to breed many females effectively and quickly.

Bust out the sunscreen and cattle misters. It’s gonna be a hot one this summer if USDA meteorological predictions are correct.

Manipulating the reproductive process of your cow herd can result in shorter breeding and calving seasons with more calves born earlier in the season resulting in an older, heavier, more uniform calf crop when you wean.

A strategic dry cow program can prevent new mastitis cases, enhance udder health and increase milk production.    

Individual identification of cattle is important for many reasons, making it possible to identify a number of important management aspects.  

South Dakota Dairy Producers encourages all dairy producers to closely monitor their herd and contact their herd veterinarian immediately if cattle appear symptomatic.

The past few winters have thrown many curve balls at cattle producers. In addition to causing stress, these conditions are tough on cattle’s overall health, making deworming this spring even more important.    

The goal of formulating milk replacer is to as closely as possible duplicate – and even improve upon – whole milk. A team of researchers is exploring how to do that based on fat source choices and fatty acids.

Liver abscesses remain a singular, dark cloud over the otherwise sunny segment of dairy-beef-cross cattle. Several entities are performing research to try to solve this frustrating industry obstacle.

Bacteria, viruses, and protozoa all have crafty methods of making preweaned calves sick. Veterinarian Don Sockett shares his advice on fighting these organisms through effective cleaning and sanitation routines.

Jonathan Levine has been selected as the new dean of the University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Veterinary Medicine.

Keeping replacement females from first calf heifers can work if producers plan and select sires that are adequate for calving ease and also offer maternal traits that are beneficial.

As cattle are fed to heavier end points, the incidence of BCHF is increasing. The beef industry is stepping up to help producers and veterinarians make production and selection decisions to reduce the occurrence of BCHF.

The VWP set can impact the calving interval and length of lactation. A farm's days to first service is an excellent time to see if the VWP is being met.

Ohio has become the sixth state where dairy cattle have tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), also known as bird flu.

In an effort to increase its biosecurity measures against HPAI, also known as bird flu, the Nebraska Department of Agriculture has issued a 30 day restriction on the importation of dairy cattle.

By using precision technologies such as automated milk feeders and pedometers combined with machine learning, illnesses can be detected earlier and better informed treatment decisions can be made.

Utilizing credentialed veterinary technicians (CVTs) in bovine practice can assist veterinarians in providing additional and efficient services to their large animal clients.

Now that the mystery illness impacting some dairy herds has been revealed as the same strain of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza that has been impacting the U.S. poultry flock, pork producers are asking questions.

A new resource developed by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and CattleFax helps cattle producers maximize profitability from their culling decisions.

Once a technology becomes a boring experience it means it has become proven, well-adopted, and easy to utilize. There are three "boring" technologies silently shaping the industry.

Preventive practices are recommended for feedyards to reduce the stress and performance loss that comes from muddy lot conditions.

Each of the pathogens exhibits slightly different clinical signs and often at different times.

The best-quality colostrum is thick, creamy, and has a beautiful golden color, right? Not necessarily, according to Danish veterinarian and researcher Hanne Skovsgaard Pedersen.

Numerous studies have now shown that feeding colostrum replacer to mimic transition milk has beneficial effects for preweaned calves.

Improving the efficiency, sustainability and profit potential of commercial cow calf production involves reducing feed costs while improving pounds of calf weaned.

Raising a heifer from newborn up to 20-plus months until she becomes a productive milk cow is more important than ever. Dairy producers are increasingly looking to heifer growers to lend a helping hand with the process.

If you want to stay ahead of calf health and catch sickness in its earliest stage, University of Minnesota Graduate Student Abbigail Prins offers a handy detection tip.

Want to keep your valued team players? Learning how to avoid these frustrating and deal-breaking mistakes can help.

By participating in this educational offer, you can gain a better understanding of the role trace minerals play in immunity and udder health.

If you’ve flown internationally recently, you may have had a first-hand experience with facial recognition software.Now that technology has found its way to the dairy parlor.

By integrating complex biosensors technology onto our farms, we are now capable of knowing more about our cows' bodies than ever before.

Ensuring cows are in an adequate nutritional status (body condition score of 5 or 6) and not overfed can help reduce concerns of dystocia and plays a role in determining the quality and quantity of colostrum.

A cowherd of optimum mature size and milk level relative to a given production environment creates the potential to increase revenue in the form of increased reproductive efficiency.

The use of A.I. has come a long way since its first use in dairy cattle during the late 1930s. While the technology has vastly changed, the basic principles still remain and practice can help keep skills current.

Turning out a subfertile bull means some cows in the herd won’t get bred or bred in a timely manner. Both problems are costly, says Chance Armstrong, DVM, Auburn University. Check out the two scenarios he outlines here.

Feed-out of new-crop corn silage has begun on most dairies, and it appears this crop may be more prone than normal to silage collapses.

Selecting heifers that will have the optimum mature size and milk level to fit our production system, breed quickly, wean a calf annually and have longevity is important for the success of your ranch.

What does an incredible leader, filled with so much knowledge and wisdom, who has had his hand in the tremendous growth and advancement of an organization like Milk Source, teach employees?

Though maternity pens can sometimes feel chaotic to manage, there are additional ways to help minimize stress and create a calmer calving environment for both cow and calf.

Beef-on-dairy numbers in the U.S. will reach up to 5 million head – roughly 15% of the cattle harvested annually – as early as 2026. The sexed-and-beef model of production will play a prominent role in the process.

Cattle grazing small grains pastures this time of year are susceptible to bloat which is influenced by environment, weather, forage growth stage and forage quality.

Here's information on life cycles and best preventative measures. Often, outbreaks of the disease follow severe weather.

Unusual winter weather conditions have created benefits for some ranchers, but that could change and ranchers should consider whether winter feed supplies are enough to stretch into spring in case of delayed turnout.

Erika Oosterheert, University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine, and Alexandra Trulsen, Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, are the 2024 National DHIA Veterinary Student Scholarship recipients.

Bovine lameness is one of the costliest animal health issues to the beef industry and it’s also a major animal welfare concern that we can mitigate.

Dehydration is an added stress for cows in cold weather. Help cows deal with winter stress and maintain their body condition by ensuring they have adequate water.

Production Animal Consultation (PAC) will host two beef industry summits in April, allowing people from the beef industry to gather and exchange ideas.

Deciding when to offer assistance for a calving cow is a judgment call and good judgement is the result of experience. Here are tips to help make the determination.

Euthanasia of an animal that is suffering from irreversible disease or injury is a primary responsibility for cattle producers and veterinarians.