While reaching to achieve greater pounds of milk per pound of dry matter fed, Matthews and his team achieved greater cow health, longevity, and performance, and, most notably, they have been antibiotic-free for the last five years.
Blood calcium levels drop as a cow gets closer to calving. The problem is when the cows don't rebound and experience milk fever. Overton spoke about subclinical hypocalcemia research and several nutritional intervention strategies.
By Peggy Coffeen, Progressive Dairyman A contagious disease once seen as a “California problem” has now crept into every major dairy-producing state in the U.S. Peek provided attendees with an update on Salmonella dublin and some key control points to help limit disease transfer.
By Karen Lee, Progressive Dairyman For more than 130 years, dairy producers and milk processors have been analyzing the content of milk to improve quality and profitability. Dr. Dave Barbano and his team are bringing together years of work to develop new milk analysis tools to study fatty acid composition and how this data can be used to evaluate herd performance.
By Peggy Coffeen, Progressive Dairyman When it comes to trace minerals like copper, it is possible for a dairy cow to have too much of a good thing, and it can even be deadly sometimes. Dr. Mat Faulkner shared why trace minerals matter, how requirements are determined, where absorption occurs, and how much is too much in a dairy cow diet.
Hypocalcemia (milk fever) has long been a struggle on dairy farms. New research from Dr. Laura Hernandez shows serotonin may play a more significant role in reducing the incidence of hypocalcemia.
The maternity is a high-impact area affecting the health and performance of the cow and calf, yet it is classically overlooked and poorly understood, according to Dr. Noah Litherland. He presented results from a recent large herd maternity analysis and what factors impact maternity success most.
By Peggy Coffeen, Progressive Dairyman Extra days open, premature culling, reduced milk production and even death are some of the costly consequences of lameness on a dairy, but, through proper foot care, producers can cut down on losses.
By Karen Lee, Progressive Dairyman From milk prices to mastitis and feed intakes to fresh cows, dairy producers have a lot on their minds at any given time. The changing societal view of antibiotics is just one little piece of all there is to focus on.
Click here to download the PowerPoint presentation.
By Jenna Hurty, Progressive Dairyman In her presentation at Vita Plus Dairy Summit, Dr. Cassandra Tucker , professor of animal science at the University of California-Davis , discussed some of the key animal welfare issues in the dairy industry. She broke her presentation into three categories:
Animal welfare in the U.S. Welfare assessment as a dairy management tool Terms and programs to understand
By Judy Brown, contributing writer Grandpa's 65 cows were easier to manage and monitor than today's larger commercial herds. That's one explanation for the proliferation of precision dairy technology that's coming on the market, said Dr. Jeff Bewley , a University of Kentucky animal scientist.
"We've definitely entered a new era of dairy management," he said.
While an array of products, tools and programs offer potential, Bewley said producers...
By Peggy Coffeen, Progressive Dairyman “Being a dairy cow is fairly risky business,” according to Dr. Frank Garry , Colorado State University .
During his presentation at the Vita Plus Dairy Summit, Garry drew attention to the trend for increasing death losses among dairy cows and called producers to take action to on this economic and dairy welfare issue.
Panelists: (left to right) Dan Smits, Double S Dairy; Dr. Don Niles, Dairy Dreams; and Chad Carlson, Carlson Dairy
Click here to download panel discussion presentation
By Peggy Coffeen, Progressive Dairyman Three Midwestern dairy producers discussed the trial-and-error, cost analysis and strategic thinking that influenced their heifer-raising decisions at the recent Vita Plus Dairy Summit.
Attendees heard from Dan Smits, Double S Dairy, Markesan, Wisconsin; Dr....
Reproduction is economically important to a dairy herd. If cows don’t reproduce, they won’t become milk producers.
Dr. José Santos, a professor at the University of Florida, delved into this vital factor as he reported on research that identified biological impediments to reproductive efficiency and strategies to improve reproduction during a breakout session at the Vita Plus Dairy Summit Dec. 5 in Merrillville, Indiana.
According to data Santos collected from two dairies in...
The transition period can set you up for either success or failure, according to Dr. Laurie Winkelman, Vita Plus dairy nutritionist. During her Dairy Summit 2012 presentation, Winkelman teamed up with Dr. Neil Michael, Vita Plus director of dairy initiatives, to offer strategies for maximizing cow health, nutrition, and performance during this pivotal time.
The transition period is defined as the three weeks pre-calving and three weeks post-calving. Cows will decrease intakes right before...
Contact Us
Today's
Find Your