Hoof health & nutrition of dairy cows

Nutrition affects more than just the cow’s digestive system. The effects of an imbalanced diet can be seen throughout the animal’s body. Of particular interest are concentrates, such as grain-based feed ingredients, that typically contain high amounts of sugar and starch.

Hoof Health & Housing

Dairy cow housing facilities are a double-edged sword regarding hoof health and lameness. Built right and managed properly, housing facilities can limit the problem and aid recovery.

Lameness Starts in the Heifer Pen

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.

Synchronization protocols and compliance for dairy cattle reproduction

Synchronization protocols evolve rapidly as newer procedures are tested and improvements are made. To help veterinarians and industry professionals deal with rapid change and make informed decisions related to synchronization protocols, the Dairy Cattle Reproduction Council (DCRC) has created synchronization protocol sheets for dairy cows and dairy heifers.

Effects of Hail Damage on Standing Corn Silage Nutrient Composition: A 2023 Case Study

During the summer of 2023 Northwest Wisconsin experienced several hail events. Large hail and 60 mph straight line winds came through the Rice Lake area of Barron County on July 20, 2023. On July 24, a hail event also caused damage in central St. Croix County.

▶️ Watch: Manure processing technologies

In this video Rebecca Larson, Professor and Extension Specialist in the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison will talk about manure processing systems.

Cold stress in dairy calves

Raising calves is a huge expense on any dairy farm and getting them off to a great start is important in cold weather as much as warm weather. Cold stress can increase the risk of disease in pre-weaned calves.

▶️ Watch- Fresh Cows: Fetching the cow and blood money

Badger Dairy Insight webinar recording from September 2023

Sub-optimal transition cow care causes significant economic losses

Earlier in the year, I attended the Four-State Dairy Nutrition and Management Conference, where many of the topics focused on transition cow care. One of the big take-home points from more than one speaker was that prevention of clinical disease is vital for long-term success of your cows. Issues during the transition period are associated with reduced reproduction and milk production. Prevention is followed closely by early diagnosis of clinical disease issues.

Fresh cows: Milk fever

Even though hypocalcemia, commonly known as milk fever, has been a fresh cow problem for years, it has been addressed through nutritional management during the dry period and early lactation to decrease clinical cases to less than 1%. However, 73% of 3rd and greater lactation animals have had subclinical hypocalcemia.

Robotic milking farms and digital dermatitis

Digital dermatitis, commonly known as hairy heel warts, is a common infectious foot disease that causes lameness in cattle and often leads to decreased milk production, performance, and fertility in cattle. Learn how it affects robotic milking farms and strategies for prevention in this video.

Stepping up your footbath management game

Digital dermatitis, commonly known as hairy heel warts, is a common infectious foot disease that causes lameness in cattle and often leads to decreased milk production, performance, and fertility in cattle. Watch this video to learn more.