Latest News From DAIRY

Lawmakers Address Shortfall of Veterinarians in Rural Areas
Lawmakers Address Shortfall of Veterinarians in Rural Areas

Sen. Debbie Stabenow and Sen. Mike Crapo introduced bipartisan legislation to address the shortfall of veterinarians in rural areas.

“She’s A Poor Doer…”
“She’s A Poor Doer…”

As dairy caregivers, we see “Poor Doer Syndrome.” These are cows that struggle for unknown reasons until they subsequently develop an infectious disease, a surgically correctable condition or are culled.

Scours Protection Starts In The Dry Period
Scours Protection Starts In The Dry Period

By vaccinating cows and first-calf heifers in late gestation, producers can reduce the risk of neonatal calf scours in the period just after birth.

Don’t Lose Another Cow to Hemorrhagic Bowel Syndrome
Don’t Lose Another Cow to Hemorrhagic Bowel Syndrome

A highly fatal intestinal disease of adult cows, Hemorrhagic Bowel Syndrome (HBS), draws concerns from dairy producers, veterinarians and nutritionists, as it is also known as the sudden death disease of dairy cattle.

Klebsiella Mastitis: What Management Tools Are in Your Toolbox?
Klebsiella Mastitis: What Management Tools Are in Your Toolbox?

In this article, Dr. Patrick Gorden, Iowa State University, addresses the issue of mastitis caused by the emerging pathogen Klebsiella pneumoniae. He says exposure prevention is key to infection control.

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Dry Cows Most Important Group to Keep Cool

While the milking herd is usually given top priority in management efforts, dry cows and springing heifers are arguably the more important groups to protect from heat.

The Road to Becoming a Better Manager
The Road to Becoming a Better Manager

While the road to becoming a better manager isn’t any easy one, there are a few steps you can take to not only improve your work performance, but your team’s performance as well.

Cows Tell Stories with their Facial Expressions
Cows Tell Stories with their Facial Expressions

If you watch carefully, you can tell a lot about a cow by reading her face. Know the telltale facial expressions of cows in the early stages of pain and sickness.

The Danger of Dehydrated Calves
The Danger of Dehydrated Calves

As the thermometer climbs, farmers are eager to make sure their fans and sprinklers are running to keep lactating and dry cows cool. But just like adult cows, calves are also challenged by hot weather.

Blood Pregnancy Tests Keep Repro Humming at this Iowa Dairy
Blood Pregnancy Tests Keep Repro Humming at this Iowa Dairy

Reproduction clicks along like a well-oiled machine at Schanbacher Acres near Atkins, Iowa, thanks in part to the farm’s routine use of blood pregnancy tests for the past 17 years.

Does Breeding to Beef Sires Alter Dam Productivity?
Does Breeding to Beef Sires Alter Dam Productivity?

Beef-on-dairy breeding is a growing phenomenon, not just in the U.S., but worldwide.

The Pros and Cons of Using a Colostrum Replacer
The Pros and Cons of Using a Colostrum Replacer

Prepackaged colostrum replacers are an easy way to quickly feed colostrum to a newborn calf. However, while they do come with many benefits, there are a few potential negative aspects of utilizing this nutritional tool.

Merck Animal Health Bestows $270,000 in Veterinary Scholarships
Merck Animal Health Bestows $270,000 in Veterinary Scholarships

Merck announces 54 veterinary students from around the world received scholarships through the Merck Animal Health Veterinary Student Scholarship Program. Students pursuing careers will each receive $5,000 scholarships.

Calving: The New Frontier in Pain Management
Calving: The New Frontier in Pain Management

Researchers are exploring whether cattle would benefit from pain management associated with calving.

Dairy Report: California Drought Continues to Impact Dairy Producers
Dairy Report: California Drought Continues to Impact Dairy Producers

The drought out west isn't just impacting grain and livestock producers. It's also impacting California's dairy industry.

Focus on the Pen, Not Individual Cows, to Deliver Profits
Focus on the Pen, Not Individual Cows, to Deliver Profits

Monitoring what's happening at the pen level, rather than for individual dairy cows, is proving to be the best approach for producers with more than 1,000 cows.

Consumers Care About Calves
Consumers Care About Calves

When consumers think about dairy farming, one of their greatest concerns are the calves. That can be a good thing because farmers have a great story to tell. But it also may require some flexing of rearing practices.

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The Relationship Between Sugar and Milk Protein

Most research recommends 5-7% sugar as an upper limit. However, cows can certainly handle lots of sugar in the diet.

When Stress Goes Beyond Normal 
When Stress Goes Beyond Normal 

It started with a broken baler. The farmer panicked. He had recently lost his brother to cancer and his father to old age. Not to mention he had 2,500 acres to farm, 250 beef cows to attend to and his crop just froze. 

3 Tips to Ward Off Udder Edema
3 Tips to Ward Off Udder Edema

While udder edema is a common occurrence on dairies, there are several methods to help prevent it from happening.

Top Producer Summit: The State of Animal Agriculture
Top Producer Summit: The State of Animal Agriculture

Temple Grandin and Frank Mitloehner discuss the advancements in sustainability seen across the animal agriculture industry and what it means for the future.

HSAs Offer Health Care, Retirement Savings
HSAs Offer Health Care, Retirement Savings

Health insurance coverage and healthcare costs are among the greatest challenges for self-employed Americans, including farmers.

Follow the “4 S’s” for Dehorning Pain Management
Follow the “4 S’s” for Dehorning Pain Management

Using pain mitigation techniques when disbudding or dehorning is now the standard of care for U.S. cattle veterinary and quality assurance organizations.

Do’s and Don’ts for Down Cow Care
Do’s and Don’ts for Down Cow Care

No one wants to have a down cow, but unfortunately it does occasionally happen.

Here's a Sign Your Management Team Isn’t On It’s ‘A Game’
Here's a Sign Your Management Team Isn’t On It’s ‘A Game’

Utilizing an effective management team can help you. As the owner or leader of your business, spend less time on the non-urgent and non-important tasks or duties that pop up every day.

Veterinarians Address Rising Mortality Levels In Dairy Herds
Veterinarians Address Rising Mortality Levels In Dairy Herds

Since the early 2000s, death losses have topped up to 15%, averaging 6% to 8% on many U.S. dairies.

Do Imported Rescue Dogs Pose Threat to Livestock Industry?
Do Imported Rescue Dogs Pose Threat to Livestock Industry?

Each year, several thousand dogs enter the U.S. for resale or adoption. In a recent Hogs on the Hill article, NPPC chief veterinarian Liz Wagstrom wrote that it’s time to sound the alarm on importing rescue dogs.

Bouncing Back from Failure
Bouncing Back from Failure

Failure is a part of life, but how we bounce back from it determines how successful we will become.

New Calf Care & Quality Assurance Program Launched
New Calf Care & Quality Assurance Program Launched

The U.S. calf-raising sector now has a program to help ensure optimal calf health and welfare via the Calf Care & Quality Assurance (CCQA) program.

Avoid, Adapt, Alter, Accept: Stress Management Tools for Farm Families
Avoid, Adapt, Alter, Accept: Stress Management Tools for Farm Families

The only certainty during spring planting is uncertainty. Farmers face many challenges: too much rain, too little rain, long hours, crop diseases and pests, machinery breakdowns.

Pull Out All the  Stops for Cow Care
Pull Out All the Stops for Cow Care

The three priorities Andy and Sarah Lenkaitis set out to accomplish when they began their renovation remain the same – take care of the cows, take care of the people and keep the farm around for generations to come.

The Surprising Truth: 4 Things You May Not Know About Reaching Goals
The Surprising Truth: 4 Things You May Not Know About Reaching Goals

Why don't we finish goals? Jon Acuff, best-selling author and motivational speaker, says we often focus on the wrong thing when we talk about our goals. Here's what he says it takes to finish the goals that matter.

Don’t Mismanage Heifer Mastitis
Don’t Mismanage Heifer Mastitis

Between 29% to 74% of heifers have mastitis pathogens present before calving, and an estimated 12% to 57% end up contracting the infection at first calving.

Vitamin E Feeding Strategies May Need to Flex
Vitamin E Feeding Strategies May Need to Flex

Supplies of Vitamin E may be limited through the rest of 2021. Dairy producers, in particular, may need help putting together a feeding plan with alternative antioxidant additives.

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Facility Focus: Optimizing Resting Behavior

Just because a cow is resting does not mean that she is recovering properly. In order to maximize optimal rest on your facility, analyze these key areas.

Merck to Help Produce COVID-19 Vaccine, Won’t Impact Livestock Sector
Merck to Help Produce COVID-19 Vaccine, Won’t Impact Livestock Sector

Merck will start manufacturing the COVID-19 vaccine in its human manufacturing facilities later this month.

The 5 Steps for A.I. Success
The 5 Steps for A.I. Success

There’s no bull about it, artificial insemination 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.

At the Core of Your Culture
At the Core of Your Culture

Take a minute to take stock in the values that define how you run your farm.

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Ionophores Help Control Coccidiosis and More

When used correctly, ionophores can be highly effective in preventing scours caused by coccidia in pre- and post-weaned dairy calves.

Dr. Garrett Oetzel from the School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, checks blood BHBA concentrations using a hand-held meter in a fresh pen.
Knock Out Ketosis

The most common metabolic disease in U.S. dairy cows is ketosis. Research shows one case costs a producer an average of $298.

Industry experts provide tips to help keep just-weaned heifers on a healthy and productive roll.
Seven Tips To Avoid Post-Weaning Slump

When dairy calves' transition to weaning goes awry, so, too, can their health and productivity.

While the treatment of ovarian cysts has come a long way over the past few decades, properly diagnosing the type of cysts can still be a challenge.
‘She’s Cystic’: Treating Cystic Ovarian Disorders

Unfortunately, ovarian cysts are one of the most common ovarian dysfunctions in dairy cattle. In fact, approximately one in 10 cows will become cystic at some point in her life.

Researchers Hope To 'Predict and Prevent' Future Pandemics
Researchers Hope To 'Predict and Prevent' Future Pandemics

Ohio State University scientists are looking for SARS-CoV-2 in animals and the environment.

Facility Focus: Managing The Maternity Pen
Facility Focus: Managing The Maternity Pen

A well-planned calving pen gives your clients the opportunity to provide the best treatment for both the cow and the calf. But what goes in to creating the ideal pen?

Weak Calves May Need A Big Squeeze
Weak Calves May Need A Big Squeeze

Calves that have incurred traumatic births are often lethargic, clumsy and have little interest in nursing. These babies may benefit from a simple procedure called the “Madigan Squeeze Technique.”

Research Shows Rumen Additives and Controlled Energy Can Benefit Cows During Dry Period

New Research from the University of Illinois finds that diets containing consistent energy levels and a rumen supplement during dry periods may be key, rather than a gradual increase method.

Credit: REUTERS/Mike Segar
Vilsack Weighs In On Parallel Between COVID-19 and Animal Disease Outbreaks

If the COVID-19 pandemic has taught the country anything, it’s that there is a tremendous amount of synergy between the circumstances of a pandemic involving humans and those involving animals. 

Young Dairy Calves Ready To Transport May Benefit From An Immune Stimulant
Young Dairy Calves Ready To Transport May Benefit From An Immune Stimulant

Research showed a statistically significant decrease in respiratory disease in the animals at around 21 days of age,

Preparation for meal time on a California dairy.
High-Protein Starter Improves Dairy Calf Weight Gain, Reduces Slumps At Weaning

A high level of crude protein helps support development of the gastrointestinal system, especially important as calves go through the weaning process.

Researchers at the Ohio State recently completed a study evaluating how dietary protein and amino acid supplementation influenced milk production during the first three to four weeks of lactation.
Here’s the Benefit of Feeding a High Protein Diet During Early Lactation

Researchers at the Ohio State recently completed a study evaluating how dietary protein and amino acid supplementation influenced milk production during the first three to four weeks of lactation.