Herd Health

A “do-not-breed” or DNB cow is a code in the dairy herd that allow managers to identify animals intended to be out of reproduction and that should leave the herd as soon as they reach the point of milk production where they are no longer able to cover costs.

Bedding. Bacteria. Better management.

Traditional animal monitoring systems can be cumbersome. Leg straps and collars, while useful, can involve some maintenance and cleaning.

Recently, I came across an article in a local newspaper that raised concerns about cattle as a source of zoonotic pathogens, in particular with regard to Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) – the causative agent of Johne’s disease in cattle and other ruminants.

Hoof lesion recording is imperative for effectively managing a dairy farm. Managers must make decisions based on cow history every day, including breeding, treatment and culling decisions.

Not long ago, my colleague Chip and I visited a 600-cow dairy farm in Texas that was looking for some help. They were struggling with these things: