Herd Health

There’s nothing more important to a dairy farmer than to keep milk production booming, which requires them to pay attention to anything that could possibly impede uptime.

In a previous article in Progressive Dairy, I broke out the cost analysis for contracting trimming compared to bringing the task partially or completely in-house (Cost analysis: In-house vs. outsourced hoof trimming).

When a farm begins a footbath program, a lot of thought and evaluation goes into it. What chemicals to use, where to place the bath and the type of bath are all considerations.

It only takes five stable flies biting on the front legs of a cow to reduce weight gains and milk yields, according to Alec Gerry, a University of California – Davis veterinary entomology specialist.

Heat stress can impart significant economic and production ramifications on your livestock operation. Some ramifications are apparent right away (lower feed intake and milk production) and some delayed (lameness).

Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) is still a major cause of sickness and death in young beef and dairy calves. While vaccination remains one of the most effective ways to prevent losses associated with BRD, it’s often assumed that intranasal vaccines are the best approach in younger calves. However, recent research shows that previous perceptions about injectable respiratory vaccines may not be accurate, and that both types of vaccines have a place in BRD prevention.