Herd Health
Chase and Danielle Goodrich’s drive to outline the farm’s sustainability pillars of environment, economics and society underscores why they were recognized as one of the U.S. Dairy Sustainability Winners.
A well-planned calving pen gives producers the opportunity to provide the best treatment for both the cow and the calf. But what goes in to creating the ideal pen? Here are a few things to consider . . .
If you have heifers bunching in pastures or barns, they are coping with some kind of stress. An Iowa State University agricultural engineer shares possible causes and solutions.
When utilizing an evaporative cooling system, there are several factors to keep in mind to cool cows correctly and efficiently.
Just because a cow is resting does not mean that she is recovering properly. In order to maximize optimal rest on your facility, analyze these key areas.
It’s an old and frustrating disease that is not easily controlled. But Johne’s disease may soon be tamed by a new vaccine under development.
Purchasing a couple of Jersey cows from a local sale barn in 1984 for their children, my in-laws Jim and Wanda Bohnert helped start a small 4-H project for their two sons, my husband, Scott, and his brother, Brian
Even healthy calves can suffer dehydration in extremely hot weather.
Just as most of us are shedding our post-pandemic face coverings, there’s a new mask hitting the market. But this one is for cows.
If you watch carefully, you can tell a lot about a cow by reading her face. Know the telltale facial expressions of cows in the early stages of pain and sickness.
Earlier this month, Stensland Family Farm, located outside of Larchwood, Iowa, opened its barn doors to host fourth-year medical students, allowing them to learn more about dairy’s farm-to-table story
Productive dairy cows may experience heat stress when the Temperature Humidity Index (THI) is 68 or greater.
Bovine tuberculosis is beginning to pop up again, and its effects could be devastating to dairy herds and the workers who care for them.
As the thermometer climbs, farmers are eager to make sure their fans and sprinklers are running to keep lactating and dry cows cool. But just like adult cows, calves are also challenged by hot weather.
Lameness is a problem in many dairy herds. Focusing on key strategies such as ensuring optimal lying times, immediate treatment, effective record-keeping and collaborating with key team members can help.
Researchers are exploring whether cattle would benefit from pain management associated with calving.
Just because calves survive a traumatic birth doesn’t mean they’re completely out of the woods. Some extra measures to care for dystocia calves can help put them back on par with their heartmates.
While udder edema is a common occurrence on dairies, there are several methods to help prevent it from happening.
If you want to control flies on your farm in the summer, the time to act is spring.
Calf hutches and barns are a perfect breeding ground for summer flies, but it doesn’t have to be that way.
Using pain mitigation techniques when disbudding or dehorning is now the standard of care for U.S. cattle veterinary and quality assurance organizations.
No one wants to have a down cow, but unfortunately it does occasionally happen.
The three priorities Andy and Sarah Lenkaitis set out to accomplish when they began their renovation remain the same – take care of the cows, take care of the people and keep the farm around for generations to come.
Understanding the disease’s symptoms and impact can help you develop a plan to keep your calves healthy.
Newly fresh heifers have to process a lot of changes on the day they give birth. Making their initial milking a pleasant experience can be aided with some advance training.
When used correctly, ionophores can be highly effective in preventing scours caused by coccidia in pre- and post-weaned dairy calves.
Unfortunately, ovarian cysts are one of the most common ovarian dysfunctions in dairy cattle. In fact, approximately one in 10 cows will become cystic at some point in her life.
Zoonotic diseases – those that can pass between animals and humans – are estimated to annually cause 2.5 billion cases of sickness, and 2.7 million deaths around the world.
Calves that have incurred traumatic births are often are lethargic, clumsy and have little interest in nursing. These babies may benefit from a simple procedure called the “Madigan Squeeze Technique.”
It’s a well-known fact that cattle are social creatures. But studies have shown that even the friendliest cow doesn’t enjoy making new acquaintances on a regular basis