HERD HEALTH

Leptospirosis is an infectious disease with the potential to affect the productivity and profitability of dairy and beef herds.

Over the past several decades, much has changed in the dairy industry and how we manage cattle. As herds get bigger and more complex, we tend to manage groups of cows rather than individuals. New technology has improved efficiencies, genetic progress and productivity.

Finding abnormal milk when stripping a cow is like a person experiencing a sore throat: It could mean something more serious, like an infection that requires antibiotics, or it could be something that will resolve on its own.

One of the primary goals of all livestock producers is to keep their herds healthy. Unfortunately, however, illness is often unavoidable – and some very easily transmitted but deadly ailments can be traced back to one source: clostridium.

Lameness continues to increase on dairy farms as more tools are available to monitor and evaluate, consumer groups raise lameness as an animal welfare issue, and cost of treatment can be $498.

No doubt you’ve read numerous articles on footbath management, but few tell you the common mistakes that impact the success of your footbath program.