Digital dermatitis (DD) is the number one cause of lameness among dairy cows around the world, but some herds are saying “no” to these painful lesions with a “zero tolerance” policy that works.

It’s no secret the first few weeks after calving are critical for both the calf and its dam. Experience and research demonstrate this time and time again. The problem: Absolutely none of this research has asked if the current industry practice of separating a calf from its dam right after birth contributes to or might even be the root cause of postpartum issues.

Determining the true cost of a mastitis cure requires more than just comparing the price per box of mastitis tubes. Consider these five factors when weighing treatment options:

When dairy farmers tell their stories of animal care and well-being to the public, there are a few things to consider to make sure those messages don’t fall on deaf ears.

Training employees in the basics of dairy cattle handling can do more than save hours of labor; it can even save a life.

Not every down cow can or should be saved. It’s a harsh truth, but sometimes euthanasia is in the animal’s best interest. However, euthanizing every down or sick cow isn’t the right answer either.

During the Fifth Annual Southeast Quality Milk Initiative Meeting held in Nashville, Tennessee, in November 2017, three representatives from two milk cooperatives sat down in an open panel to discuss current trends of the U.S. milk market.

Winter is upon us. Many areas of the dairy need extra attention during the winter months to prevent broken pipes, sick calves, frozen water and, of course, mastitis.

Since the introduction of the Babcock butterfat tester almost 130 years ago, dairy producers and milk processors have been analyzing the content of milk to improve quality and profitability. More recently, tools have been developed to monitor pregnancy-associated glycoproteins (PAGs), beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) and milk urea nitrogen (MUN) to better manage the health status and nutrition of dairy cows.

There have been many different programs developed over the years targeting improved udder health and the production of high-quality milk. Some of the programs have been around for a while and others, which had soft funding sources (e.g., state budgets), have come and gone.