In the news as we approach the middle of December, a federal committee upholds dairy dietary guidelines, dairy farmers are invited to apply for financial incentives to implement climate-smart practices, farm income falls $41 billion in two years, and the first HPAI-positive dairy case is found in Nevada.

The USDA issued a new federal order on Friday, Dec. 6, that requires raw (unpasteurized) milk samples nationwide be collected and shared with the USDA to test for the prevalence of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1.

The burden and challenges of cow health monitoring is growing as qualified personnel becomes scarce, labor costs rise, and herd sizes increase. Minimizing disruption of cow routines is also important to support improved performance.

One possible use of wearable sensor devices, such as collars, ear tags or leg bands, is to leverage the prepartum information generated by these devices for predictive assessments of future health and performance and for targeted management.

Here’s an update on news impacting your dairy as October 2024 comes to an end.

One factor that plays a role in the success of the transition period is the cow’s body composition, more specifically the fat and muscle of the cow. Both fat and muscle tissues are mobilized during the transition period to compensate for the negative nutrient balances and provide precursors for milk and milk components.