Latest News From Education

When cows get below their lower critical temperature and get into cold stress, they can adapt by increasing feed consumption to increase their basal metabolic rate and increase heat of fermentation.

By using precision technologies such as automated milk feeders and pedometers combined with machine learning, dairy producers can detect illness earlier and make informed decisions about treatment.

Preventing and managing bovine respiratory disease (BRD) is an ongoing challenge for beef cattle, especially for stocker and feedlot operations, as well as for dairy youngstock.

Coccidiosis is an intestinal disease that affects several different animal species. In cattle, it may produce clinical symptoms in animals from 1 month to 1 year of age, but it can infect all age groups.

Phibro recently conducted several studies to test various DCAD strategies and their relationships with key minerals and vitamins.

Domestic sales and distribution of medically important antimicrobial drugs approved for use in food-producing animals decreased by less than 1% between 2020-21. Compared to 2015 (peak year), 2021 sales decreased 38%.

Could reproductive hormones have an impact on the gut microbiota of cattle.

When a significant number of cattle died in less than two hours, a number of questions are raised. Kansas State University experts discuss this toxicology case and the answers that were found.

Determining how much forage cows will eat on a per day and per month basis for the duration of winter always requires a little “cowboy math”.

Sandra Stuttgen, bovine veterinarian and associate professor at the University of Wisconsin, says now is the time for livestock owners to establish a relationship with their DVM.

An Arkansas scientist has shown that a common and inexpensive hormone additive may mitigate the ill effects on growth performance of calves born to cows grazed on endophyte-infected fescue pastures during gestation.

The American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC) has awarded nineteen scholarships to students enrolled in AAVMC member institutions, totaling close to $100,000.

When baby calves are transported from their home dairy to a separate rearing site, they need support in multiple ways.

It has been well-documented that feeding preweaned calves on a higher plane of nutrition improves calf health and performance. However, providing calves more nutrients may also promote wound healing.

That jolt from your morning java also could be a handy helper in stimulating struggling newborn calves. Caffeine could help calves before they receive colostrum, or at other times when calves appear dull and lethargic.

In the past, it was believed there was no point to give injectable respiratory vaccines before about 4 months of age, because they would be inactivated by maternal antibodies. A recent study proves that’s not the case.

Here’s three key claims and takeaways from this year’s animal rights extremist conferences and how they plan to turn consumers away from meat, poultry and dairy products.

Move over, artificial insemination. There’s a new “A.I.” in town, and it’s more intelligent than you.

Just like children letting off some steam on the playground, calves too could benefit from physical enrichment.

Hear from experts as they review and explain ideas on best feeding and management practices for transition cows.

Genetic improvement can be complicated. Here’s a look at the basics.

It seems likely that many producers have adjusted herd inventories, given hay and feed supplies, to be able get through the winter.

Sometimes called “sudden death syndrome” or “bloody gut,” Hemorrhagic Bowel Syndrome is characterized by dark, tarry, and sometimes bright red, bloody feces; dehydration; and decreased feed intake.

PRRS continues to be the most economically significant disease affecting the U.S. swine industry. Boehringer Ingelheim is launching a PRRS Knowledge Manual, chronicling years of research and best practices for control. 

Inflammation creates additional stress at calving.

The transition period, 3 weeks before and after calving, is challenging for all cows. But for first-calf heifers, it’s likely the scariest and most stressful time in their young lives.

Determining proper mineral supplementation merits more thought than simply going to the feed store, grabbing a few bags or a pallet of the mineral they have on hand and throwing it in a lick tub.

Decision-making for treating tough diseases in dairy calves is complex and challenging. Sometimes timely euthanasia is needed. More training and support for calf caretakers are needed in the process.

Whether calves will be retained and backgrounded or sold shortly after weaning, it is important to consider the impacts of weaning strategies on calf health and performance.

In our quest for healthy, growthy, efficiently raised calves, have we lost some of the more fundamental elements of what makes calves tick?

The poet Ovid said, “Dripping water hollows out stone, not through force but through persistence.” This quote perfectly encompasses a key in business success: small habits done repeatedly truly do add up.

University of Wisconsin animal welfare researcher Sarah Adcock addresses several considerations when using caustic paste to complete disbudding, as well as some drawbacks that could be improved upon.

After a typical birth the calf should breathe within 30 seconds of delivery, says Dr. Geof Smith, dairy technical services veterinarian for Zoetis. If it isn't, you need to intervene.

If you are experiencing a shortage in your straw supply, here are six bedding alternatives to consider.

While dairy producers are rapidly embracing the concept of using beef semen to freshen their cows, the resulting crossbred calves are proving both a valuable opportunity and a challenge for the U.S. beef industry.

“Similar to Staph aureus and mycoplasma, Prototheca [mastitis] is hard to detect, has no known cure, and is contagious by intermittently shedding from cow to cow."

Estimating forage usage by cows is an important part of the task of calculating winter feed needs. Hay or standing forage intake must be estimated in order to make the calculations.

The first 10 days were hell, says Kyle Baade, a Nebraska pork producer. After that, if a visitor showed up, he says they would have no idea the farm had any issues. Here's his PRRS story and how it changed his life.

Because newborn calves have very little body fat to help them stay warm, calf jackets can help them preserve energy, protect immunity and improve daily gain.

How can we create a sustainable future for animal agriculture? By building it together, says AAA. The 2023 Stakeholders Summit theme has been set, and speaker proposals and applications are open.

Weight at calving not only determines first-lactation performance, it pretty much sets in stone the heifer's lifetime performance and a herd’s overall performance, according to Gavin Staley, DVM. 

During periods of cold or wet weather, newborn calves (less than 2 days of age) should be checked every few hours with a thermometer and any calf with a below-normal temperature, even if it appears OK, should be warmed.

Creating a herd where all the individuals are healthy and normal increases your chances of economic success.

Grazing regrowth on irrigated alfalfa fields is likely in fall grazing plans for many producers. However, alfalfa has several challenges to grazing from animal and plant health perspective.

Merck Animal Health announces that Orbenin-DC (cloxacillin benzathine intramammary infusion) dry cow treatment is now available in convenient 144-syringe pails.

Today is World Mental Health Day. Here are some resources that can help you and other people you know and care about!

Compared to Holsteins, is calving time with crossbreds more difficult in terms of calf weight, stillbirth, gestation length, or dystocia?

Elanco Animal Health is addressing reproductive factors for the cow-calf herd during a one-hour webinar on Tuesday, Oct. 11, at 1 p.m. Central. The program is approved for 1 hour of continuing education (RACE credit).

Effectively treating calves for scours could be as easy as feeding them something that virtually every dairy farm has on hand: colostrum.

The American Association of Bovine Practitioners Foundation gives veterinary students financial help.