Identification of Immune Traits Correlated with Dairy Cow Health, Reproduction and Productivity

Identification of Immune Traits Correlated with Dairy Cow Health, Reproduction and Productivity

Detailed biological analyses (e.g. epidemiological, genetic) of animal health and fitness in the field are limited by the lack of large-scale recording of individual animals. An alternative approach is to identify immune traits that are associated with these important functions and can be subsequently used in more detailed studies. We have used an experimental dairy herd with uniquely dense phe...

Dairy Cow Welfare & Udder Health

Introduction Maintaining consumers trust is essential to ensure the future of the dairy industry. Production of high quality milk from healthy, well cared for animals is the goal of most dairy farmers. However, as fewer and fewer consumers are familiar with dairy farming, they have become more skeptical about the ability of farmers to properly care for farm animals. Public attention about the w...

Mycotoxins in Dairy Cow Health and Production

Extended lactation may improve cow health, productivity and reduce greenhouse gas emission from organic dairy cows

The concept of extended lactation should improve cow health and productivity while reducing greenhouse gas emissions per kg milk produced in high-yield organic dairy herds. This is achieved through fewer calvings per year and hence production of fewer replacement heifers. Combined with fewer days dry per cow per year, this will reduce the annual herd requirement for feed while maintaining milk ...

Strategies for managing reproduction in the heat-stressed dairy cow.

Establishment and maintenance of pregnancy is difficult in lactating dairy cows exposed to heat stress because of reductions in estrous detection rate and the proportion of inseminated cows that maintain pregnancy. The most common approach to ameliorate heat stress in developed countries has been to alter the cow's environment through provision of shade, fans, sprinklers, and so on. Nonetheless...