HERD HEALTH

One of the most common questions dairy farmers ask is how to create an effective program to control digital dermatitis (DD), which is often followed up with the statement that despite their best efforts to run frequent footbaths, they still seem to struggle with too many cases of DD.

When it comes to perfecting the pre-fresh diet for transition cows, it’s all about getting the recipe right. But recipes are more than just the nutritional ingredients.

Body condition scoring (BCS) is a simple and powerful technique that, by evaluating the thickness of subcutaneous fat and therefore its mobilization, evaluates animals’ energy balance, which is highly associated with health and performance.

The National Research Council (NRC) lists requirements for vitamins A, D and E in their seventh revision of “Nutrient Requirements of Dairy Cattle,” published in 2001.

Break out the hand warmers, wool socks and boot dryers – winter is here. Just as you adapt your winter routine to care for your herd, you should also adjust your routines in and around the parlour.

Winter brings many challenges to a farm operation. One area I receive constant questions about is winter teat health. Many factors can go into what type of dip to use, but we must always remember why we dip in the first place.