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From robotic milking to renewable energy and genomics to grazing, producers attending the 2012 Pennsylvania Dairy Summit were offered a variety of topics to stretch their minds.
The event was held Feb. 8-9 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Those not able to attend the entire two-day conference in person could participate in the “Core Dairy Track for Dairy Managers,” new to the summit this year.
On Sep. 2, the U.S. Department of Labor issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that would make revisions to existing regulations pertaining to the employment of youth on farming and ranching operations.
Five months later, the Subcommittee on Agriculture, Energy and Trade met for a hearing titled “The Future of the Family Farm: The Effect of Proposed DOL Regulations on Small Business Producers.”
The hearing was held to examine these rules so that members may better understand their potential effect on small business farm operations as well as youths working in or training for occupations in agriculture.
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.
Johnny McConnaughhay’s receptionist’s eyes were wide open, wider than he had ever seen. She looked at him as if he had done something wrong.
The concern that filled her eyes told him that he should hurry. Two men were waiting to see him in the lobby.
McConnaughhay, a veterinarian at All Queen City Veterinary Clinic, came into his clinic’s waiting room and saw two men waiting for him that day in 1988 in Hastings, Nebraska. The men wore tailored black jackets and black pants.
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.
Metritis is a common and costly disease that affects dairy cows during the early postpartum period. Researchers at the University of British Columbia’s Dairy Center have completed a number of studies investigating the relationships between health and behavior (behaviour) of cows during the transition period and have found that both feeding behavior (behaviour) and dry matter intake (DMI) can be used in the early detection of disease.
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