Posted by Administrator on January 19 2012 09:42

Every fall brings an increase in calf respiratory disease. The weather fluctuations and dust levels contribute to calf stress and pneumonia. While we have enjoyed the mild winter, it has been a very long “fall” for calves and we have seen many cases of calf pneumonia that have responded poorly to treatment and recovery has been prolonged. While every farm’s situation is a bit different, there are several underlying factors to review in pneumonia outbreaks. First, review your va... [More]

Posted by Administrator on December 22 2011 16:23

Got Milk Fever? The downer cow--we've all had experiences with them, and everybody has their own remedies. Of course, there are many different causes including low calcium, magnesium, or phosphorus, trauma, septic shock, toxic mastitis, abscesses, or tumors . While each case has its own therapy, this month's edition of the Dairy Newsletter covers our treatment suggestions for the most common reason for the down cow: Hypocalcemia, better known as “Milk Fever.” Suggested treatments f... [More]

Posted by Administrator on November 22 2011 10:36

Now is the Time! Address your Calves Energy Needs Don’t let the mild fall weather fool you. Winter is coming and the baby calves on your farm are NOW in need of additional energy for maintenance and growth. When the temperature drops below 55 degrees F, the calves need to use energy to stay warm. That energy is no longer available for growth or to fight disease.  Now is the time to address your calves energy needs and increase energy so that calves continue to gain weight and have th... [More]

Posted by Administrator on November 01 2011 16:12

Welcome! This is the first edition of the Veterinary Medical Center Dairy and Dairy Calf News. This one-page newsletter will be published monthly. Our goal is to bring you timely information that will help your operation succeed. If you have any questions or comments on any item you see in the newsletter, please give us a call. We are proud to be your animal health service and product supplier. Quick Guide to Preventing Failure of Passive Transfer in Calves We get many calls regarding calf he... [More]

Posted by Dr. Sara Barber on February 04 2011 08:44

Do not OVER milk dairy cows!Veterinary Medical CenterAugust 2007Dr. Sara M. Barber Many people think that ALL the milk needs to be removed from the cow’s udder at milking time.  If all the milk is removed, the cow will actually take longer to milk, develop damage to her teat end, and be more likely to develop mastitis!  How do you know if cows are being overmilked?1. The teats may be red and sore after the milking unit comes off.2. Cows may be nervous or kicking near ... [More]

Posted by Dr. Sara Barber on February 02 2011 14:46

Fresh Cows ♦ Option One ♦  1. Test milk three days after calving.  2. Cows over 600,000 are considered for treatment.3. Compare the PortaCheck SCC to her dry-off SCC.4. If she was high SCC at dry-off, culture sample to determine bacteria type.5. If she was low SCC at dry-off, take sample for culture and either treat with Pirsue once a day for three days or wait for culture results before treatment. ♦ Option Two ♦ 1. After monthl... [More]

Posted by Dr. Sara Barber on February 02 2011 11:07

As summer comes to end, it is time to review your dairy’s parasite control program.  Any animal that was on pasture during the summer, even for a few weeks, was exposed to internal parasites.  These stomach and intestinal worms can cause a variety of problems depending upon how many parasites have infected the animal.  Severely infected animals can have diarrhea, weight loss, and be unthrifty.  Most infected animals do not show any physical signs of infection but will h... [More]

Posted by Dr. Sara Barber on July 14 2009 08:51

Why is lighting important? Increased milk production Improved heifer growth Better working conditions and safety Increased milk production Increased lighting in the fall and winter months increase milk production 5-16% Typical response is 5 lb/cow/day Increased feed consumption by 6% Increased milk production occurs over several weeks Improved heifer growth Increased weight gain Increased feed consumption Reduced body fat Improved mammary gland development Why ... [More]

Posted by Dr. Sara Hooge on July 13 2009 10:52

Clostridium Many types Clostridium perfringens Most common type in young calves Types A, C, and D Causes  Normally in intestines Commonly found in soil Disease occurs when some change allows growth of the bacteria Overeating Change in weather Abnormal feeding schedules Abrupt diet changes Clostridium Produces gases and toxins Gas-causes bloating Toxins are poisonous to the tissues Damages the intestinal wall Decrease motility in the guts ... [More]

Posted by Dr. Steve Dudley on July 13 2009 08:19

Diagnosis Veterinarian involvement send a fecal into diagnostic lab get your veterinarian involved. Not all scours are the same. What is Lost? Energy, electrolytes, energy, etc. visual of calf with scours Assessing dehydration Visual of dehydrated calf and techniques to assess Bullet % dehydrated Bullet additional electrolyte needed Electrolyte Visual electrolytes and esophageal feeder Treatments Antibiotic and drug therapies Breaking the Cycle Prevention hygiene disinfectants... [More]