Articles
Calcium And The Transition Cow
Click here to view as a pdf: Calcium And The Transition Cow: Diet Strategies For Smooth Transition and Profitable Cows By Erik Brettingen, B.S. The transition period—defined as approximately three weeks before calving through three weeks after—represents the most critical phase in a cow’s lactation. While it accounts for less than 10% of the lactation…
Checking Forage Dry Matter: A Boring Magic Bullet
Click here to view as a pdf: Checking Forage Dry Matter: A Boring Magic Bullet By Erik Brettingen, B.S. In working with clients to continually improve performance and success on their dairies, conversation often turns toward looking for one ingredient or tweak, that “silver bullet”, that could be added to the ration to make more…
Common Questions About Ketosis
Click here to view as a pdf: Common Questions About Ketosis By Carley Ciolkosz, B.S. Livestock Nutritionist What is ketosis? What are the types of ketosis and how are they different? What are the options for treating cows if they do have ketosis? What preventative measures can be taken to ensure cows don’t get ketosis?…
Milking Older Cows- Why Parity Matters
Click here to view as a pdf: Milking Older Cows- Why Parity Matters By Ryan Leiterman, D.V.M. In the world of dairy farming, the concept of parity—referring to the number of times a cow has calved—can be a crucial tool to optimize herd productivity. As cows age and go through multiple lactations, their productivity trends…
Products To Always Have On Hand – Cow Toolbox
Click here to view as a pdf: Products To Always Have On Hand – Cow Toolbox By Alex Austin When it comes to owning dairy cows, the question is not if there will be a health challenge, but when. Most producers carry tools on hand to be prepared for a variety of potential issues, from…
Know Where You Stand: Helpful Benchmarks To Track On Your Dairy
Click here to view as a pdf: Know Where You Stand: Helpful Benchmarks To Track On Your Dairy By Erik Brettingen, B.S. “You can’t manage what you don’t measure.” An arguably overused but truly powerful statement. When evaluating dairies and looking for ways to improve on client farm successes, tracking performance over time and comparing…
Understanding Milk Pricing- If That’s Even Possible: Part 2
Click here to view as a pdf: Understanding Milk Pricing- If That’s Even Possible: Part 2 By Ryan Leiterman, D.V.M. In the previous article, we discussed the history of milk pricing in the United States, the equations that govern milk price and how end-product pricing works. This article will be the final part of a…
Ask The Vet- Why Aren’t My Cows Cleaning, Doc?
Click here to view as a pdf: Ask The Vet- Why Aren’t My Cows Cleaning, Doc? By Darren Zimmerman, D.V.M. Retained Placentas: The Basics First, let’s define what is normal. Expulsion of the placenta normally happens within 12 hours of the calf being born. The same uterine contractions that helped push out the calf, will…
Understanding Milk Pricing-If That’s Even Possible: Part 1
Click here to view as a pdf: Understanding Milk Pricing- If That’s Even Possible: Part 1 By Ryan Leiterman, D.V.M. There is an old saying in the dairy industry that there are two people who understand how milk is priced, and that one of them is dead and the other is retired. I’ve never understood…
Nutritional And Management Considerations In Robotic Milking Facilities
Click here to view as a pdf: Nutritional and Management Considerations In Robotic Milking Facilities By Erik Brettingen, B.S. Robotic milking systems are becoming increasingly common in the dairy industry. Milking with robots provides benefits for both the dairy farmer and the cow. For the dairy farmer, robots take stress off a difficult labor situation…