Healthy soil is the foundation of a productive farm. Monitoring soil health and maintaining soil integrity can improve water filtration, boost crop production and health, and foster biological and physical components of soil. Fields that receive dairy manure are likely to receive higher copper concentrations than non-dairy manure.
A footbath is one of the most important tools used on dairy farms to prevent lameness and maintain hoof health. When used properly and paired with a disinfectant, a footbath can prevent and control foot rot and digital dermatitis on dairy farms. Recently, the recommendations for footbath dimensions have changed after new research was conducted at the UW School of Veterinary Medicine.
Clinical and subclinical ketosis are the most common metabolic disorder in high-producing dairy cows, costing up to $289 per case. According to the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine, 93% of ketosis cases occur between 5 and 30 days post-calving.
Using proper injection techniques for animal health products, including reproductive hormones, helps ensure products work effectively. In addition, it is important to safely handle animals and health products to protect both farm workers and animals.
Properly cleaning, sanitizing, and storing multi-dose syringes and transfer needles will reduce contamination from many viruses, bacteria, and fungi. The steps described here use only tap and distilled or deionzed (purified) water and do not render the equipment sterile.
Shopping for deals and managing inventory are two ways to lower livestock drug costs. Have you ever been confused by the different brands available? How do you know which is the better buy?
Green is my favorite color. Green tree buds, lawns, and pastures signal that winter is finally over. It’s very tempting to turn young stock out onto newly green pasture. We are tired of indoor feeding and cleaning, and we have fieldwork and other chores to attend to. However, tempting as it is to open the pasture gate, first remember these worm management steps.
There are times when cattle producers need to come to the aid of a downed animal. Daily observations should identify cattle that are unable to stand and there must be a plan in place for how to quickly respond to help these animals.
Footbaths are the most commonly used management tool to control Digital Dermatitis (DD) on dairy farms. Proper footbath use will make DD management more effective and save money by reducing the amount of solution used.
Digital dermatitis is one of the most common foot diseases of the dairy cow and can be found in even well-managed dairy herds. It is an infectious disease caused by a family of spiral-like bacteria called Treponema. Special attention must be given to this foot disease in order to treat the animals which serve as a reservoir of infection and to reduce the spread of infection.