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DAIReXNET
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The source for reliable dairy information.
Upcoming Webinar: Using
Social Media to Deliver Extension
The use of social media in public engagement and extension is a
relatively new phenomenon, and many scientists are cautious about using it
professionally. Dr. Alison Van Eenennaam will join us on December 15th to
discuss the prevalence of social media in extension work, how she and her
colleagues at UC Davis have used it, and some of the potential risks and
pitfalls of using various platforms.
Watch the recording of Dr.
Proudfoot’s webinar, in which she discussed what makes animal handling so
important! In addition to the whys, you can also learn how to tell when your
farm could use a training program.
New Feature Article: Simplified Scoring System to Identify
Respiratory Diseases in Dairy Calves
Bovine respiratory disease (BRD), also known as shipping fever or
pneumonia, is a significant problem for dairy replacement heifers. According to
reports from the National Animal Health Monitoring System (NAHMS), 18.1% of
pre-weaned dairy heifers experienced respiratory disease (USDA 2012), but
respiratory problems accounted for 22.5% of deaths in unweaned heifers and
46.5% in weaned heifers (USDA 2010). That means respiratory disease is the
single greatest cause of heifer deaths after weaning.
Bovine Leukosis Virus
Bovine Leukosis Virus, also sometimes referred to as “Bovine
Leukemia Virus” or BLV has been recognized as a cancer-causing virus in cattle
for over 4 decades. Despite widespread distribution in the United States, the
virus usually has a minor economic impact on commercial dairies and has thus
been ignored while attention is focused on more obvious issues such as
lameness, mastitis, breeding problems, and infectious diseases such as BVD
(Bovine Virus Diarrhea) or Johne’s disease (Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis).
However, with a recent report that BLV could be associated with breast cancer
in women, we may no longer have the luxury of treating BLV as a virus confined
just to animals. Now we may be forced to deal with it as a public health
concern.
Feeding Frosted Forages
During the fall of the year, the risk for frost poses some
concerns for forages fed to dairy cattle. The damage from the frost can
certainly affect the levels of dry matter (DM) and nutrients in the plants, but
depending on forage type, the risks for prussic acid or nitrate poisonings may
exist.
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Information on upcoming
webinars and everything you need to know to attend.
An archive of all of our
past webinars, with recordings and PowerPoint files.
Visit the DAIReXNET home
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