Animal Welfare & Herd Health

Explore research-based management strategies to enhance Animal Welfare and Herd Health, recognizing the relationship between optimal animal care and the success of dairy business.

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Animal Welfare

Herd Health

Animal Welfare: Animal welfare aims to improve animal-human interactions, understand animals’ behavior needs, and improve the fit of animals with their environment.
Herd health: Herd health management involves preventing and managing common diseases in dairy cattle, to ensure well-being, productivity, and longevity of animals.

Articles

Balancing Ventilation Costs and Milk Production Losses on Wisconsin Dairy Farms

Effective ventilation management reduces the impacts of heat stress on milk production.

Managing Internal Parasites in Cattle

Deworming is beneficial for beef and dairy operations, provided it is done correctly with effective products. However, due to anthelmintic resistance, relying solely on dewormers is insufficient.

Lameness Risk Landscape

Not only does lameness affect a cow’s health and well-being, but it’s also costly to the farm’s bottom line. Lameness cases in the dairy herd impact reproduction, milk production, herd health, and longevity.

BLV is not PFAS it doesn’t have to last forever [Video] ▶️

Bovine leukosis infection in cattle, like PFAS chemicals, is almost universal in dairy herds. Yet, unlike PFAS, we don’t have to resign ourselves to living with it; we can take specific steps toward its control and elimination

Disease Basics An Overview of Bovine Leukemia Virus [Video] ▶️

The presentation provides an overview of Bovine Leukemia Virus (BLV) including the biology of the virus, impacts on cattle health and production, diagnostics, and control.

From birth to strong steps: Understanding and managing knuckle over pasterns in calves

Calves born with knuckle over pasterns, also known as contracted tendons, present a unique challenge for dairy and beef producers.

Mooving Cows: Aprender las habilidades básicas del manejo de la vaca para estar seguro y mantener las vacas en calma [Video] ▶️

Cuando las vacas son manejadas apropiadamente, sus miedos y niveles de estrés se mantienen al mínimo. Las vacas en calma producen más leche y se comportan de manera más predecible, reduciendo los riesgos de lesiones a ellas mismas o a los humanos que cuidan de ellas.

🎧 Listen: Lameness affects up to 50% of dairy cows during their lifetime

Lameness issues impact every dairy herd in one form or another. Not only does lameness affect a cow’s health and well-being, but it’s also costly to the farm’s bottom line.

Feeding Zeolite A for Milk Fever Prevention in Dairy Cattle

Milk fever (hypocalcemia) is a common disorder than can occur is cows following calving. During this time, the demand for calcium in the body is high to support mammary function and milk production. When a cow is unable to meet these demands, she can develop milk fever.

🎧 LISTEN: Engaging Positive Animal Behavior

[Listen to this 3-minute podcast] Research has shown cows love using brushes. A study found that lactating cows were willing to push heavy gates to get access to an automatic rotating brush, indicating that having a brush was important to them.

Dairy Margin Coverage 2025 Signup Update [Video] ▶️

In this presentation, Leonard Polzin, Extension Dairy Markets and Policy Outreach Specialist, covers what producers need to know for the 2025 DMC sign-up. He walks through changes and discusses the DMC decision tool that helps producers decide on the level of coverage necessary.

Healthy Cows: Management Tips for Transition Times

Fresh cow diseases such as ketosis, milk fever, displaced abomasum, retained placenta, metritis, and mastitis have a huge impact on the overall health of an animal. In addition to the health of the animal there are other factors including lost milk production, longer days to cycle and get pregnant, plus the cost to treat these fresh cow diseases.