Dairy Team News - Dairy Herd Management http://dairyteam.uwex.edu/index.cfm en-us Sun, 22 Nov 2009 23:35:32 -0600 Wed, 11 Feb 2009 11:20:00 -0600 BlogCFC http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss deanna.schneider@ces.uwex.edu deanna.schneider@ces.uwex.edu <![CDATA[Big Sand Stalls: Best Thing Ever or Bad Idea?]]> http://dairyteam.uwex.edu/index.cfm?entry=666242C0-D24C-B7AF-0B63FFA6F2051CE0&mode=entry The dairy expansion era in North America, which gathered pace throughout the nineties and continues to this day, has resulted in the migration of dairy cattle from traditional tiestall and stanchion barns to the freestall facility, which has emerged as the dominant form of dairy cattle housing worldwide.

In this article, Dr. Nigel Cook will attempt to summarize the aspects of freestall design that are failing the cow, and justify the solutions we have found and the current trends emerging in the dairy industry of the Upper Mid-West. The challenge presented is to find the balance between excellent cow comfort and manageable cow cleanliness.

]]> Housing/Facilities Dairy Herd Management Wed, 11 Feb 2009 11:20:00 -0600 http://dairyteam.uwex.edu/index.cfm?entry=666242C0-D24C-B7AF-0B63FFA6F2051CE0&mode=entry <![CDATA[Arlington Dairy Day]]> http://dairyteam.uwex.edu/index.cfm?entry=AC07AA88-AC82-9E6D-F8D1ADA53845FADC&mode=entry The 12th Annual Arlington Dairy Day is schedlued for Wednesday, December 10. The program will be held at the Arlington Ag Research Station (AARS) from 10 AM to 3 PM.

A program brochure is attached or can be found at the Dairy Science website: http://www.wisc.edu/dysci

 If you have any questions regarding this program please contact me at:

920-386-3790   M W F

608-263-9412    T  Th

robert.kaiser@ces.uwex.edu

]]> Dairy Herd Management Mon, 17 Nov 2008 13:43:00 -0600 http://dairyteam.uwex.edu/index.cfm?entry=AC07AA88-AC82-9E6D-F8D1ADA53845FADC&mode=entry <![CDATA[September/October Issue of the Dairy Partner/El Companero]]> http://dairyteam.uwex.edu/index.cfm?entry=54B316F9-0052-428C-2C1E09977ED46A65&mode=entry The September/October 2008 edition of the Dairy Partner/El Companero is now available with attached pdf. Previous issues are available online at:

http://www.uwex.edu/ces/cty/fonddulac/ag/DairyPartnerElCompaneroPreviousIssues.html

The Dairy Partner is a bimonthly bilingual employee newsletter that goes out to 550 farms (1200 copies) in 15 counties.

Paul Dyk - Dairy and Livestock Agent
Email:       paul.dyk@ces.uwex.edu

 

]]> Dairy Herd Management Fri, 31 Oct 2008 15:56:00 -0600 http://dairyteam.uwex.edu/index.cfm?entry=54B316F9-0052-428C-2C1E09977ED46A65&mode=entry <![CDATA[Profit Opportunity Analyzer]]> http://dairyteam.uwex.edu/index.cfm?entry=8EDE0A57-A31A-1269-E9CA986533640B99&mode=entry For those of you interested in the Profit Opportunity Analyzer (POA) tool from AgSource, I have posted in my webpage a power point presentation that explain the details of it. this presentation was used in the Four-State Dairy Nutrition and Management post-conference workshop in Dubuque, IO, June 2008.

]]> Dairy Herd Management Mon, 04 Aug 2008 12:56:00 -0600 http://dairyteam.uwex.edu/index.cfm?entry=8EDE0A57-A31A-1269-E9CA986533640B99&mode=entry <![CDATA[Feeding high priced feed]]> http://dairyteam.uwex.edu/index.cfm?entry=C60236A1-E594-2999-C9657105195B29A4&mode=entry

Attached is a paper I have been working on the last couple of weeks in response to concerns about high feed costs. My intent in writing this paper is to remind people of the economic principle that says as long as dairy producers can cover feed costs and other variable costs, it makes economic sense for them to continue to keep their dairy cows in production. So with milk prices up at record highs, it still makes sense for dairy producers to keep producing milk even though some rather expensive feed is being fed to dairy cows.

I hope you find this paper useful.

BJ

 ]]> Dairy Herd Management Thu, 26 Jun 2008 12:50:00 -0600 http://dairyteam.uwex.edu/index.cfm?entry=C60236A1-E594-2999-C9657105195B29A4&mode=entry <![CDATA[Minimizing Mastitis Concerns in Response to Flooding on Dairy Farm]]> http://dairyteam.uwex.edu/index.cfm?entry=A661BE81-BFFA-3464-C88E7F15F8C02F59&mode=entry Recent weather has resulted in ideal  conditions for the growth of bacteria associated with environmental mastitis.  The attached 2 page article gives some background concepts related to preventive strategies for reducing the risk of mastitis.  Here is a summary of the:

Take Home Message:

  • Wet pastures & bedding in combination with summer temperatures will result in increased opportunities for cows to develop environmental mastitis
  • Increased cases of clinical mastitis caused by Gram negative pathogens may be expected as a result
  • Preventive strategies should include

]]> Milk Quality Animal Health/Biosecurity Dairy Herd Management Milking Management Fri, 20 Jun 2008 09:20:00 -0600 http://dairyteam.uwex.edu/index.cfm?entry=A661BE81-BFFA-3464-C88E7F15F8C02F59&mode=entry <![CDATA[Lactation Benchmark Curves]]> http://dairyteam.uwex.edu/index.cfm?entry=9854EEA5-D70D-3903-DFA3E2912B97B403&mode=entry As requested, a spreadsheet has been created to compare producer lactation curves with benchmark data. The spreadsheet uses summary of test records kindly provided by AgSource.  The spreadsheet is available in the the Dairy Management webpage under the section: Management Tools.

Instructions for its use are minimal and self explanatory. It only requires to enter days in milk (DIM) and their corresponding milk yields of a group or individual cows to be compared. The application calculates the difference between the benchmark curve and the provided data at a specified RHA and parity.

 

]]> Dairy Herd Management Tue, 17 Jun 2008 15:48:00 -0600 http://dairyteam.uwex.edu/index.cfm?entry=9854EEA5-D70D-3903-DFA3E2912B97B403&mode=entry <![CDATA[Tips for Keeping Dairy Cows Dry]]> http://dairyteam.uwex.edu/index.cfm?entry=829D7DE6-F91A-7A2D-FF4609C9E3C0D1DA&mode=entry The U.W. Extension Office in Jefferson County publishes a Dairy Newsletter titled COWSCOPE by Ken Bolton.  You can access all issues at http://www.uwex.edu/ces/cty/jefferson/ag/Cowscope08.html

Covered in the June 2008 issue are the following:

  1. Tips for Keeping Dairy Cows Cool
  2. Feed Sorting and Acidosis
  3. Dairy Partner / El Companero Newsletter
  4. Test your Agricultural IA
  5. Dairy Producers are beef Producers Too
]]> Dairy Herd Management Fri, 13 Jun 2008 10:39:00 -0600 http://dairyteam.uwex.edu/index.cfm?entry=829D7DE6-F91A-7A2D-FF4609C9E3C0D1DA&mode=entry <![CDATA[May 2008 Issue of Dairy Partner / El Companero]]> http://dairyteam.uwex.edu/index.cfm?entry=12526E64-A197-3D98-8A7CD5EB05ABAAC3&mode=entry The May 2008 edition of the Dairy Partner/El Companero is now available with attached pdf. Previous issues are available online at:

http://www.uwex.edu/ces/cty/fonddulac/ag/DairyPartnerElCompaneroPreviousIssues.html

The Dairy Partner is a bimonthly bilingual employee newsletter that goes out to 550 farms (1150 copies) in 15 counties.

Paul Dyk - Dairy and Livestock Agent
Email:       paul.dyk@ces.uwex.edu

]]> Dairy Herd Management Thu, 22 May 2008 15:22:00 -0600 http://dairyteam.uwex.edu/index.cfm?entry=12526E64-A197-3D98-8A7CD5EB05ABAAC3&mode=entry <![CDATA[January/February 2008 Issue of Dairy Partner/El Companero]]> http://dairyteam.uwex.edu/index.cfm?entry=84F86540-B1C0-5CC3-807C1AE561E48769&mode=entry The January/February 2008 edition of the Dairy Partner/El Companero is now available with attached pdf. Previous issues are available online at:

http://www.uwex.edu/ces/cty/fonddulac/ag/DairyPartnerElCompaneroPreviousIssues.html

The Dairy Partner is a bimonthly bilingual employee newsletter that goes out to 550 farms (1150 copies) in 15 counties.  The current issue includes information on:

Ketosis detection, Keeping warm in cold weather, Badger Care + (health care for employees and their children)

Any questions, please contact,

Paul Dyk - Dairy and Livestock Agent
UW Extension - Fond du Lac County
Email:       paul.dyk@ces.uwex.edu
Web:        UWEX Fond du Lac Ag Web Page

    University of Wisconsin, U.S. Department of Agriculture and Wisconsin counties cooperating. UW-Extension provides equal opportunities in employment and programming including Title IX and ADA.

 

 

]]> Dairy Herd Management Thu, 06 Mar 2008 10:31:00 -0600 http://dairyteam.uwex.edu/index.cfm?entry=84F86540-B1C0-5CC3-807C1AE561E48769&mode=entry <![CDATA[Commingling Dairy Cows: Pen Moves, Stocking Density, and Health.]]> http://dairyteam.uwex.edu/index.cfm?entry=760C7DAC-AFAF-38C6-8D5AEFBEAAB0FE85&mode=entry As a followup to Dave Kammel's  post for Transition Cow Facility Design on
Feb 8th, this posting discusses our findings from 17 years of clinical farm
investigations for the School of Veterinary Medicine; in particular pen
moves and stocking density around the time of calving and it's influence on
cow and herd health.

http://www.vetmed.wisc.edu/dms/fapm/fapmtools/tci/commingling.pdf

For more information related to Transition Cow Management follow this link:

http://www.vetmed.wisc.edu/dms/fapm/fapmtools/transition_cow.htm

 

]]> Housing/Facilities Dairy Herd Management Mon, 03 Mar 2008 13:01:00 -0600 http://dairyteam.uwex.edu/index.cfm?entry=760C7DAC-AFAF-38C6-8D5AEFBEAAB0FE85&mode=entry <![CDATA[Cowscope Newsletter]]> http://dairyteam.uwex.edu/index.cfm?entry=2DB8F76C-F414-3E79-2053BFB4D7CBD109&mode=entry The Cowscope Newsletter is a monthly newsletter that is produced by Ken Bolton, Dairy and Livestock Agent at the UW-Extension, Jefferson County Office. This issues features articles on:

  • A Management Approach for the Control fo Mastitis Infections in Dairy Cattle - Part 3
  • What Does it Cost to Raise that Heifer
  • Revised Udder Health Management (UHM) Reports - Part 2
  • Bovine Somatotropin (BST) Safety Around the World
  • Glycerin as a Potential Feed Ingredient for Dairy Cattle

For complete newsletter, please refer to the webpage at:

http://www.uwex.edu/ces/cty/jefferson/ag/Cowscope08.html

]]> Calves/Heifers Animal Health/Biosecurity Dairy Herd Management Mon, 18 Feb 2008 11:51:00 -0600 http://dairyteam.uwex.edu/index.cfm?entry=2DB8F76C-F414-3E79-2053BFB4D7CBD109&mode=entry <![CDATA[Dairy Employee Survey in Eastern Wisconsin]]> http://dairyteam.uwex.edu/index.cfm?entry=F5BC1D7B-AB3D-7F17-711ADF4694E3E10C&mode=entry In the summer of 2007, 309 employees on 34 dairy farms in Eastern Wisconsin were interviewed.  This survey yielded results about demographics, safety, wages, training and goals of employees.  A bilingual moderator interviewed the employees in a few successive months in the summer of 2007.  Native and immigrant (mostly Hispanic) employees varied widely in job descriptions, earnings, and fluency in a second language.

Link:  Dairy Employee Survey

 

Paul Dyk - Dairy and Livestock Agent
UW Extension - Fond du Lac County
Room 227 Admin/Extension Bldg|
400 University Dr.
Fond du Lac WI 54935-2998

Phone:      920-929-3171
FAX:         920-929-3181
Email:       paul.dyk@ces.uwex.edu
Web:        UWEX Fond du Lac Ag Web Page

]]> Dairy Herd Management Thu, 07 Feb 2008 15:03:00 -0600 http://dairyteam.uwex.edu/index.cfm?entry=F5BC1D7B-AB3D-7F17-711ADF4694E3E10C&mode=entry <![CDATA[Evaluating and Addressing Teat Condition Problems]]> http://dairyteam.uwex.edu/index.cfm?entry=F229C397-05C3-33D0-D3A0EA2CBAB0E520&mode=entry Visit this page for helpful tips on how to score teat condition to determine if your farm has a problem and what do do about it if you do. 

 http://www.uwex.edu/uwmril/milking_machine/teat_condition.htm

This is a collection of materials from a group of international experts and includes items on:

Teat Evaluation Pictures to help develop your scoring skills

2004 Simplified Teat Scoring and Strip Yield Statistics An Excell spreadsheet to help you collect data and perform statistical anslysis

2001 Relationship Between Teat-End Callosity or Hyperkeratosis and Mastitis

2001 Evaluation of Bovine Teat Condition in Commercial Dairy Herds: 1. Non-Infectious Factors  A users guide to identifying teat skin conditions

2001 Evaluation of Bovine Teat Condition in Commercial Dairy Herds: 2. Infectious Factors and Infections A users guide to help you identify teat skin infections

2007 Addressing Teat Condition Problems, suggestions to solve various teat condition problems

2007 Latest Thoughts on Methods for Addressing Teat Conditions, A case study

]]> Milking Management Dairy Herd Management Wed, 06 Feb 2008 22:20:00 -0600 http://dairyteam.uwex.edu/index.cfm?entry=F229C397-05C3-33D0-D3A0EA2CBAB0E520&mode=entry <![CDATA[Mastitis and the Dry Period]]> http://dairyteam.uwex.edu/index.cfm?entry=79271636-BE97-4CFA-1534280E731B708D&mode=entry Many of you may be familiar with the "Fresh Start" programs that some farmers are using.  In brief, these programs usually consist of the use of CMT or another SCC measurement device to screen cows after calving for mastitis.  Most of these fresh start" type programs advocate the use of lactating cow intramammary antibiotics to treat quarters that show evidence (increased CMT scores or SCC) of infection.  While the definitive work on the cost-effectiveness of these programs is not yet complete, preliminary studies have NOT demonstrated that these programs are cost effective.  We have just completed some research that has looked at the relationship between subclinical mastitis across the dry period and the development of clinical mastitis in the first 4 months of the next lactation.   The research papers will be submitted for peer review in the next couple of months but the attached proceedings paper gives a good overview of our results and also contains preliminary recommendations for applying our results on dairy farms.  There will also be a Hoards Dairyman article released in the next few months that will summarize this data in a more practical manner.

]]> Milk Quality Dairy Herd Management Milking Management Mon, 14 Jan 2008 10:32:00 -0600 http://dairyteam.uwex.edu/index.cfm?entry=79271636-BE97-4CFA-1534280E731B708D&mode=entry