HERD HEALTH

In a Canadian study, intramammary administration of antimicrobials (IMM) accounted for 35% of all antimicrobial use on dairy farms, which was lower than systemic administration (38%).

Traditional animal monitoring systems can be cumbersome.

There is no doubt large-scale, sector-wide disease outbreaks can have significant economic consequences. Outbreaks can result in not only the loss of production from the disease itself but also the loss of infected animals in situations where it is beneficial or mandated to cull animals as a means of controlling the disease.

In the weeks leading up to calving and the early postpartum period, various behavioural, metabolic and physiological challenges are imposed on the dairy cow.

The transition to lactation is a metabolically challenging time in the life cycle of a dairy cow. Nutrient requirements to support milk production exceed nutrient intake, and the cow is at increased risk of metabolic and infectious disorders.

Recent research from dairy universities (such as Cornell University) suggests we’re still unsure of the “best” protocols for supplementing fresh dairy cows with calcium.