Thursday, December 3, 2015

DAIReXNET Upcoming Webinar: Using Social Media to Deliver Extension


DAIReXNET



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.

Follow us on Twitter for updates and conversation on the dairy industry.

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 page to see other relevant resources.

            Looking for another way to connect with us? Like the DAIReXNET Facebook Page!