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Prototheca bovis, an emerging threat to dairy producers

Prototheca bovis has been cultured in herds and is emerging as a threat to producers statewide. Prototheca has been linked to mastitis since 1952, however, within the last five years, the prevalence has significantly increased. Similar to Staph aureus and mycoplasma, Prototheca is hard to detect, has no known cure, and is contagious by intermittently shedding from cow to cow.

Animal care starts with calf care

Animal care and welfare starts on day one with the newborn calf.  Healthy calves are the cornerstone of every dairy operation, not only providing the future genetics for the herd but healthy calves are also important to the vitality of the dairy farm.

Heifer maturity matters

Heifers represent the future of the dairy operation, bringing genetic progress to the milking herd.  Raising heifers is costly and improving efficiencies in raising them can have a financial impact on the overall profitability of the dairy business.

VIGOR vitality score aids in calf care

Superior calf performance begins during the birthing process in the maternity pen. Based on the 2017 USDA NAHMS Survey, five to seven percent of all newborn calves are stillborn or die within the first 48 hours. To improve calf survival after birth, we must follow practical, consistent calving protocols and provide a clean, dry calving environment.

Detection of umbilical infections key to calf health success

One of the simplest best management practices we can do for the newborn calf is navel care. Previous University of Minnesota research showed in a controlled study that umbilical cord care significantly reduced the risk of developing umbilical cord infections.

Are you ready for your calves to go on the long haul?

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.

Check Your Corn Silage Processing During Harvest to Ensure Optimal Nutrition

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 starts with the heifer

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.

You can’t manage what you don’t measure: Knowing and managing heifer weights

With the cost to raise a dairy replacement being more than to purchase one, farmers must be diligent in raising a dairy replacement to enter the milking string at the optimal time and weight to reduce rearing costs and increase productivity. Numerous studies recommend the optimal age at first calving (AFC) is 24 months of age. Any delay past 24 months will add an additional $2.50, or more, a day to the cost of raising replacements as well as require more heifers to meet the herd replacement needs. 

What kind of dairy cow should you be creating?

In 2019 Cargill conducted a Feed4Thought survey of consumers from the United States, China, Mexico, and Spain. In this survey, they asked consumers to identify the word that best described what they wanted a farmer to be. The survey showed 30% of respondents wanted farmers to be “sustainable.” The second most-used word to describe what […]

Cocktail Forage Mix Yield, Quality, and Use in Lactating Cow Diets

Studies to evaluate cocktail forage mixes were conducted in 2021 and supported by the UW Dairy Innovation Hub. Research discussed here includes collection of on-farm data from four farms growing a cocktail forage mix and a lactating cow feeding trial at the UW Marshfield Agricultural Research Station (ARS). Please refer to the “Cocktail Forage Mix […]