Health Column

Five good reasons to…

It is a contagious, costly disease of animals that also affects humans. It is spread by direct contact with infected animals or with an environment that has been contaminated with discharges from infected animals. ... Full story.

Pneumonia in dairy calves

Pneumonia is one of the most common diseases we see in dairy calves from birth to weaning. ... Full story.

Quality control: The little things

Most progressive dairies have the big things covered. As we strive to manage the dairy operation in a systematic way, it is often the little but important things that get overlooked. ... Full story.

Anaphylactic reactions are a true emergency

Chances are, if you have given enough injections over time, you have run across an anaphylactic reaction. ... Full story.

Colostrum management

Newborn calves require special attention immediately after birth to decrease the risk of disease and death during the pre-weaning period. ... Full story.

Don’t forget about BVD

Scours, pneumonia, then a bout of coccidiosis at weaning; she is just a “poor doer” is often what I hear. ... Full story.

An interview with Bovicoli bovis

Howdy from a deep, dark crevice of cow 4211! The smell of fall is the in air. What a relief after that long, hot summer. I cannot tell you how many relatives I lost, mostly because I cannot count, but that is beside the point. ... Full story.

Cut down on ketosis

Ketosis is one of the most common metabolic diseases on dairy farms. It occurs when cows have an abnormal response to negative energy balance. ... Full story.

Don’t overlook zoonotic diseases

One New York dairy herd experienced an increased number of negative milk cultures in cows that had high somatic cell counts (SCC). Repeated aerobic and mycoplasma cultures were negative for the common mastitis pathogens generally tested for. ... Full story.

Toxicology 101

This year may very well be remembered as the “Year of the Extremes,” at least weather-wise. While we in parts of the South and Southwest are burning up with record heat and drought, other areas of the country are wringing wet. Neither of these conditions is ideal for cows and forages. ... Full story.

How may I help you?

There are lots of similarities between a veterinary practice and a dairy farm. Both are typically small businesses with employees, and the people involved have a love for the dairy industry and cows. One difference, however, is that dairy farms are producers of goods, while veterinary practices are a service-based business, yet we have the same goal — a successful, healthy dairy farm. ... Full story.

Conduct a physical exam on your milking system

Just because you perform regular maintenance on your milking system, such as rebuilding pulsators, it does not mean that a routine system evaluation is unnecessary. ... Full story.