July 2021
The impacts of heat stress are worse for unborn calves than their heat-stressed dams
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Many regions in the U.S. experienced weeks of summer-like temperatures before the season officially began.
Hot weather means implementing heat-abatement protocols. While many approaches are similar, not all are effective.
June 2021
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As dairy caregivers, all too often we see “Poor Doer Syndrome.” (Dr. Eric Rooker) |
“She just seems broken Doc,” Chris said. “She came in ok, cleaned, milked well for the first 4 or 5 days and now this is her.” I’m standing in Chris’s little red barn of 55 cows looking at a 5-day fresh cow that just isn’t right. She looks depressed, lethargic and has droopy ears. The unfortunate thing is, there’s nothing clinically wrong with her, no metritis, D/A, pneumonia or ketosis. She’s just off.
June 2021
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Producers understand the value of tracking feed inventories and income over feed cost, yet calculating these on a consistent, accurate, and timely basis requires the implementation of key processes and the involvement of numerous key personnel. |
Both milk parlors and feed centers are key focus areas where efficiency has a profound impact on the net income and profitability of a given farm. Yet we often don’t see them managed to the same level of rigor. For obvious reasons, dairy producers have done an excellent job managing the efficiency of the milking parlor, regularly focusing on key performance indicators such as milk per cow, milk per stall per hour, turns per hour, etc.
Read more … Systems to Turn your Feed Center into a Profit Center
June 2021
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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. |
A cow walks into a bar, and the bartender says, “Why the long face?”
Joking aside, cows do communicate how they are feeling with their facial expressions. While obvious behaviors like teeth grinding, vocalization, arched back, limping, and shivering are signs of cows in extreme discomfort, reading facial expressions can help managers detect and assist cows earlier in the pain and disease process.
May 2021
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Lameness is a problem in many dairy herds. Focusing on key strategies such as ensuring optimal lying times, immediate treatment, effective record-keeping and collaborating with key team members can help. (Krista Styer, Krista Ann Photo + Film Co.) |
Lameness is a costly problem for dairy farms that leads to reduced milk production, fertility challenges and higher cull rates. Dr. Gerard Cramer, DVM, DVSc, Associate Professor with the Department of Veterinary Population Medicine of the University of Minnesota, shared practical strategies for detecting, treating and managing hoof health issues in an episode of PDPW’s The Dairy Signal™.
Read more … Optimal Lying Times and Immediate Treatment Combat Lameness
March 2021
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Australian researchers have developed a new technique to process raw milk that claims to deliver all the benefits of pasteurization, while leaving more nutrients and flavor intact.
Read more … New Milk Processing Technique an Alternative to Pasteurization
October 2020
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This is the first of three articles in the series "Flipping your freestalls."
In recent years, the concept of buying old houses, renovating and reselling them has been popularized by many television shows. This process is called house “flipping.” You can apply the same concept to freestall barns.
Read more … Flipping your freestalls: What to watch for, how to measure
October 2020
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The compost-bedded pack barn is a housing system that may reduce building costs, allow mid- and long-term manure storage, and ensure cow comfort when properly managed. As we get into the winter season, a refresher of good management practices for compost bedded-pack barns is warranted.
October 2020
Dry cows are more productive than you may think, and their level of care is reflected in the calves they deliver.
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There’s almost always a shortage of time and a lack of space on dairy farms. When deciding which animals get the most attention and best resources, the answer is typically the milking herd, and understandably so. Those are the cows that contribute directly to the bulk tank. On the flip side, dry cows may get the short end of the stick, especially when resources are strained.
Read more … Another reason to move dry cows up the totem pole
October 2020
This is the second of three articles in the series "Flipping your freestalls." Read the first, “Flipping your freestalls: What to watch for, how to measure.”
Tip 1: Improve the stall surface
When cows are not provided with a comfortable place to rest, they will not use or occupy the stalls well. Hock injuries are commonly observed in situations where cows are forced to lie on a hard surface or when insufficient bedding is provided.
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