Dairy

As operations grow, or focus more on the milking herd, it has become a necessary component in moving newborn calves from the farm to a separate calf raising facility, some being out of state. Handling and transporting these calves can be stressful. However, there is limited research on the impact of long-distance travel on a newborn calf’s welfare.

The FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) plan for supporting veterinary antimicrobial stewardship will be fully implemented in 2023 when all remaining over-the-counter (OTC) antibiotics are switched to prescription-only status.

Ruminants are built to eat quickly, so paying attention to what is going into their mouth will ensure they receive proper nutrition.  Starch utilization is improved by making sure corn is broken down into smaller pieces, not just cracking the kernel into two pieces.  The increased exposed surface area of the inner parts of the corn kernel allows the animal to get the most out of their corn silage feed since rumen bacteria have better access to the starch inside the corn kernels.  The improved access to the starch is one reason it is so important to have proper corn processing. 

Hoof health is essential for not only the overall health of the animal, but also for her welfare. Digital dermatitis (DD), or hairy heel warts, is an extremely painful condition for dairy cattle, reducing their ability to walk to and from the milking parlor, or to the feed bunk. Based on USDA NAHMS 2017 data, 16.8% of all cows and 2.6% of bred heifers have lameness on a dairy operation.