2005 Archives

Oral rehydration solutions are used to replenish fluids and electrolytes that are lost during the course of diarrhea. Also known as electrolytes, these solutions are a convenient way to treat calves with diarrhea.

Results of this study showed that the heifer raising operation could serve as a clearing house of S. Typhimurium var Copenhagen and perhaps other Salmonella serotypes.

One can get a whole new perspective while trying to locate a new dairy complex on a proposed site.

Most veterinarians and dairy producers are familiar with the use of blood mineral concentration determinations as an aid in disease diagnosis. Although it is useful to know what is responsible for a disease process, a preferred option is to determine if a cow is metabolically unstable and will ultimately succumb to some disease process.

Grasses are one of the predominant forages harvested in the northern and western regions of Pennsylvania.

Energy prices are going through the roof again this fall and winter! The best way to guard against high prices for energy is to make your farm and home more energy efficient.

With weaning, it is essential that adequate rumen development has occured. Without a fully functional rumen, calves will be unable to utilize nutrients provided in the post-weaning dry feed diet. The result is a growth slump for one to three weeks after weaning.

Stray voltage allows everyone to blame a variety of common dairy herd production problems on something out of their control and to discount other obvious changes or improvements under their control that could help cow productivity and thus farm profitability.

We are all aware of the dire constraints we may be facing this winter because of the dramatic increases in the prices of all forms of energy, except electricity. Fortunately, the autumn weather has been quite mild thus far, so we have not needed too much fuel for space heating purposes yet.

Diagnostic tests such as the Johne’s ELISA are used to tell us something about the “true” status of the animals being tested.

Updated dairy idea plans that include up-to-date research and field observations related to dairy cattle freestall design, dimensions and construction.

Using Resynchronization programs to efficiently manage open cows so fewer days are lost before rebreeding

Animals seldom get hurt when it is a convenient time or at a convenient location. The impact of animal injuries or disease can often be greatly reduced with prompt and appropriate treatment.

Selecting the best energy resources.

Helping your hispanic workforce understand our healthcare system and emergency protocol.

Ketosis is one of the most common metabolic disorders occur during the first month of lactation in high producing dairy herds. Ketosis is caused by negative energy balance due to insufficient energy intake to support energy output in milk after parturition.

There are varying opinions on the pros and cons of feeding straw, especially to the transition and high producing cow. When is the right time to consider using straw?

For many parts of Pennsylvania, drought has plagued crops since spring. It has been at least 2 years since many of us had to contend with drought stressed crops. As harvesting dates grow closer for corn and sorghum, keep in mind some points related to nitrate toxicity.

The heat and humidity this summer has severely affected reproductive performance. Lower pregnancy rates should be expected because of higher rate of fertilization failure and embryonic death.

You need to be aware that Pennsylvania enacted a new law called “Responsible Utility Customer Protection Act (RUCPA)” that enables utility companies to shut off utility services under certain circumstances.

Despite the cost and lower fertility of sexed semen, there are still many commercial applications with this technology.

Odor is a frustrating issue because we all have different opinions on what is a good or bad odor.

Think about the ramifications of dry weather on our haycrop forage, different feeding strategies will need consideration to compensate for the possible lower forage inventory.

You need to seek qualified legal advice on any contract that you are offered before signing.

They indicate that mycoplasma mastitis can be economically devastating to dairies because of its contagious nature and its resistance to treatment.

There is no simple answer to why reproductive performance is lowering for high producing cows.

A good freestall is important in milk production, reduced lameness and an overall healthy mobile cow.

The primary goals in milking dairy cows are to get as much milk as possible from each cow while keeping labor costs low and maintain high milk quality.

Attention to the increased impact of animal facilities to atmospheric conditions has been on the radar screens of local and state regulatory agencies in California for some time, but are now developing state implementation plans regarding air quality in several of their air management districts.

What is the criteria to think about to determine if you have an attractive location for wind machines?

EPA has extended the deadline for comments on the agreement until May 2, 2005 and the sign-up deadline until July 1, 2005

Timely and accurate determination of pregnancy status is crucial to a successful reproductive management program.

Achieving a tight pack is one of the most important aspects of harvesting and storing silage.

The PA Johne’s Disease Herd Certification Process (JDHCP) is based on the national program standards, which were developed by the USDA and the National Johne’s Working Group in an effort to bring uniformity to the Johne’s programs being developed by individual states.

The January 10, 2006 issue of the Hoard’s Dairyman contained a short article about the National Dairy Quality Award winners.

Evaluating and monitoring dehydration in your dairy calves is an important task for the dairy calf manager.

EPA has taken a giant step in the expected regulation of air emissions (especially ammonia) from AFOs (animal feeding operations) including dairies.

Are you one of the many producers who have been practicing good conservation for at least the past few years? Now a new USDA program, the Conservation Security Program (CSP), is available to reward you for your efforts.

How would you rate the respectability of your dairy farm in relation to your environment, neighbors, cows and workers?

Leptospirosis is a worldwide infectious bacterial disease of many animal species causing abortion, stillbirths, milk loss and reproductive inefficiency. Leptospiral organisms can infect humans, thereby becoming an important zoonotic disease.

Evaluating the feed bunk of high producing dairy cattle is important to help determine if they are being fed in a manner that meets their nutrient needs. Your feeding system along with your feeding strategy, or the way you manage the system, is crucial to providing the majority of your cows with balanced diets in adequate amounts.

When we discuss the effect of lameness on reproductive performance we generally focus on the concept that lame cows are generally less likely to engage in mounting activity. Cows need sound feet and legs to seek out cows in heat, mount them or be mounted if they are in heat themselves. If this basic requirement is compromised then efficiency and accuracy of heat detection will be low. On average, cows are in heat for approximately 7 to 8 hours. This is a narrow window of opportunity to detect healthy cows in heat and presents a real challenge to detect lame cows in heat.

Penn State researchers have developed a program to help you train employees responsible for calf care. The CalfTrack calf management training system includes standard operating procedures (SOPs) for many calf care tasks, an orientation video, a health scoring system, and a detailed reference manual. In addition, most materials are available in both English and Spanish.