HERD HEALTH

Since the Canadian Johne’s Disease Initiative (CJDI) began in July 2009, several provincial programs have been coordinated, and a lot of dairy producers participated in the start of the control efforts.

Twenty-one countries have eliminated bovine leukemia virus (BLV) from their cattle populations. Canada is not one of them.

It was a massive undertaking, and continues to be an ongoing project, but Canada now has its own nationwide numbers to better understand disease prevalence and herd management practices throughout the industry.

Milk quality is affected by numerous factors, many of which we can control through appropriate management. One major area that encompasses many intertwined factors influencing milk quality is cow comfort, which is the focus of this article.

As consumer visions of agricultural-related products become continually skewed toward using fewer chemical inputs, the need for more natural alternatives to prevent the illness of livestock and support healthy environmental habitats grows stronger.

As dairy farmers and hoof trimmers look to replace antibiotics in their arsenal in the battle against digital dermatitis, alternative products are emerging on the market; however, there is limited to no evidence regarding their effectiveness.