Herd Health
You don’t need perfect data, but a simple framework can turn basic records into management tools that actually improve herd performance.
Cornell University’s Daryl Nydam explores balancing short-term beef-on-dairy profits with the three-year investment of replacement heifers to ensure long-term herd efficiency and sustainable management flexibility.
The problems you don’t see can cost the most. Spotting the small, easily overlooked issues on your farm can change the way your herd performs.
A model developed by the Western Institute for Food Safety and Security at UC Davis shows how disease spread affects milk production and recovery timelines on a closed dairy.
With the retirement of two of its key leaders, USDA APHIS announces the faces who will take on those positions.
Five years to the day after her father’s cows left, Mitzie Blanchard moved back to the family farm. The determined young woman raised a successful herd of cows and four sons who learned the true meaning of hard work.
New research shows that genetic changes in modern H5N1 viruses improve their ability to infect bovine cells, helping explain recent HPAI detections in U.S. dairy herds.
Officials have confirmed the first case of highly pathogenic avian flu in a Wisconsin dairy herd.
Many larger dairies report having biosecurity protocols in place, according to a Farm Journal survey, but there are gaps in the relevancy of plans, farm security, hygiene and herd health practices, and training.
By directing breeding and mating decisions toward specific traits, we can cultivate more sustainable cows.
When we focus only on the most obvious clinical sign or lesion, we risk missing the broader forces shaping cattle health. Stepping back reveals patterns we can’t see up close.
Two farms in Arizona have confirmed cases of vesicular stomatitis. In response, USDA APHIS has issued a situation report and the CFIA has imposed import restrictions.
Modern herds generate more information than ever. Veterinarians are key to interpreting it and guiding data-driven management decisions.
Even the best vaccine can fail if mismanaged. Dr. Jon Townsend outlines good handling practices to protect your investment and your cattle.
APHIS will host three listening sessions on new funding for Farm Bill animal health programs.
A trusted adjuvant can make all the difference in capturing a strong immune response in young calves.
With New World screwworm within 70 miles of the U.S.-Mexico border, the livestock industry is on high alert. USDA continues to fight the northward spread of the parasite while debate continues on the border closure.
Knowing the different forms of milk fever and when they’re most likely to show up can help you and your team catch problems early, fine-tune prevention strategies and keep fresh cows on their feet from the start.
Could a cow’s birth season impact its longevity and productivity? University of Florida researchers say yes—discover how heat stress at birth could shape a cow’s future.
The minute a newborn calf hits the ground, its surrounding environment can impact its future health. A multi-phase study from the University of California-Davis teases out the finer points of maternity pen management.
Any hiccup in fresh-cow health is likely to put reproduction in jeopardy.
Even mild cases can impact milk production, health and well-being. Researchers, citing expenses and losses farmers incur from the problem, say costs per case commonly range from $76, on the low end, to more than $336, on average.
In the world of dairy farming, maximizing milk quality and cow comfort is paramount. Dr. Andy Johnson, famously known as ‘The Udder Doctor,’ has been at the forefront of this mission. With experience ranging from small farms with 20 cows to large-scale operations with 22,000 cows, Dr. Johnson’s insights have reached dairies across 30 countries and 47 states.
If your calves are producing tears, that’s a good thing, according to Dr. Taylor Engle, veterinarian with 4-Star Veterinary Service, Dayton, Ohio.
If you’re thinking about installing an autofeeder system in your calf program, you’re headed into a fairly momentous management shift. Dr. Melissa Cantor, Assistant Professor in Precision Dairy Science at Penn State University, shares advice on smoothing the transition.
If a dairy cow had a central “mission control” in her body, it would be the rumen and the complex system of microorganisms that reside within it.
Sleep is becoming the next frontier in dairy research, opening discussions and posing more questions regarding its impact on animal productivity, welfare, and ethology.