Herd Health

Keeping accurate health and production records is an important practice that can help producers make meaningful decisions while troubleshooting transition cow issues in their operations.

The average Class III milk price for January to April of 2018 was slightly above $14 per hundredweight, well under the cost of production. That has forced dairy farmers to seek management strategies to increase income, cut costs or both.

Progressive Dairyman invited several prominent companies and organizations to discuss the current state of antimicrobial drug use on dairy farms. Those contacted said most producers do an exceptional job; this roundtable highlights areas to further perfect.

A good start in life and lactation are paramount to dairy profitability, and Kathryn Proudfoot, assistant professor at Ohio State University, explored using cow behavior as a management tool for maternity pen design.

The area of most confusion related to herd health management on dairies continues to be the vaccine program. It is rare to find just one vaccine protocol for any farm.

Chances are, you don’t spend a lot of your day thinking about the various bacterial or other microscopic species that inhabit your dairy. And much of the time, these unseen organisms don’t affect your herd to a point that warrants your attention.