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Left abomasal displacement (LDA) is a common and economically important disease in high-yielding dairy cows. Since the first description of LDA in 1950, many techniques for surgical correction of this disorder have been developed.
At Giessen University in Germany, the standard procedure to correct LDAs is the minimally invasive repositioning of the displaced abomasum according to the Janowitz method, first described in 1998.
Cattlemen and veterinarians primarily use commercially licensed vaccines to immunize livestock against common diseases. These commercial products are manufactured in USDA-licensed facilities, have been shown to be relatively safe when used as directed and have demonstrated some level of efficacy in controlled studies.
Once a bacteria or virus is isolated, modified and approved for use in a licensed vaccine, the vaccine may occasionally be updated with more recent strains from the field. Often vaccines continue to use the original isolates for several years without being updated.
After more than 28 years working as a hoof trimmer in the dairy industry and, like many others, seeing the many changes within the dairy industry, a simple question must be asked: “Why is lameness increasing as an issue?”
The answer is the modern dairy industry still has not recognized the requirements for the hoof to function “normally.”
Grooming has considerable biological importance to cows. The most obvious importance is in reduction of the number of parasites and organisms on the cow’s coat.
However, there is more to grooming than just the obvious.
Grooming is actually a social activity for cows. It allows cows to bond with their herdmates and reduces the impact of the boss cow/submissive cow hierarchy within the herd.
Antibiotic residues in milk and meat will continue to be a hot topic of discussion in 2012.
Dairy producers who have not done so already should review their residue avoidance programs to ensure compliance.
The use of antibiotic test kits by dairy farms is an important part of a comprehensive residue avoidance program.
One positive test can undo years of trust and confidence built with both industry partners and consumers. Residues remain a daily concern on every dairy farm, calf ranch and dairy business because of their direct effect on our ability to produce safe, wholesome dairy products for consumers.
A few basic residue prevention principles can increase residue awareness and provide simple solutions for responsible animal health product storage, use and management.
For dairy cattle, routine and stability are as necessary as feed and water. Likewise, mastitis treatment protocols can become second nature on a dairy operation, remaining unchanged for years.
Although stability can be good for milk quality – a consistent milking routine, for example, is vital – it is important to continually assess and adjust treatment protocols with your veterinarian based on culture records and treatment history.
Occasionally, other factors come into play that require a fresh look at treatment protocols.
Researchers from Cornell University and the University of Wisconsin recently published results from a field trial looking at the effects of propylene glycol on milk yield and resolution of ketosis in fresh cows diagnosed with subclinical ketosis in the Journal of Dairy Science.
Fresh cows are the real money makers on a dairy farm. Getting your cows to reach high peaks and to maintain those peaks for several months should be a high-priority goal for all commercial dairy farmers – regardless of which breed you favor.
The more cows that freshen during the course of a year, the greater your herd’s rolling herd average will be. Healthy fresh cows that have transitioned into their lactation with few health issues will become the most efficient milk producers in your herd.
As many veterinarians, nutritionists, farmers and students would agree, management during the transition period is one of the most crucial roles to produce a successful lactation. Making your transition cow program a success relies heavily upon proper body condition score at calving, minimizing pre-calving energy intake and maximizing feed intake throughout the freshening period.
Although special attention is commonly given to transition cows, heifers calving for the first time are often not seen as high-risk animals. This may be due to the fact that heifers often suffer from lower rates of milk fever, or displaced abomasum during the fresh period, when compared to animals in their second or third lactation.
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