“If you look at modern, large or expanding farms, the ‘big three’ headaches are transition problems, excessive calf death loss and mastitis,” points out James K. Drackley, professor of animal sciences at the University of Illinois – Urbana-Champaign.

What have we learned in the last five years? In this first of a two-part series, the authors detail the challenge of subclinical hypocalcemia.

How to control digital dermatitis (DD) is probably the most frequently asked question a hoof trimmer gets. The quick answer is: DD will always have to be dealt with, and your trimmer and trim day can do little to nothing to control it. So how do we break the cycle of digital dermatitis?

When severe cases of digital dermatitis (DD) are identified in the field, it is common to find “square” feet, characterized by overgrown heels and shortened claws. These animals typically exhibit visible signs of lameness due to active, painful DD lesions (M2 stage), as well as a marked transformation of the original claw shape.

Few things hurt a dairy producer more than sending a pregnant cow milking 100 pounds of milk a day on a trailer to slaughter because she is severely lame, but in herds that battle thin soles. However, this emotionally and financially painful scene occurs more often than one may think.

Ketosis has garnered a lot of interest in the last few years. Recent research has pointed to the role of ketosis as a gateway condition for transition cow health events and loss of milk production.

It is estimated that out of every 100 calvings, about half of the cows will develop one or more fresh-cow problems, including displaced abomasum, ketosis, dystocia, retained placenta or others.

For all dairy farms, big and small, managing and disposing of manure is a never-ending job. It’s bothersome to have around and the odor can be offensive, by far the number one reason the non-farming public criticizes animal agriculture.

According to a recent article in Psychology Today, laughter is the best medicine:It reduces pain and allows us to tolerate discomfort.It reduces blood sugar levels, increasing glucose tolerance in diabetics and non-diabetics alike.