Posted by Since the 1970s it’s been a common practice on dairy farms to use “blanket” dry cow therapy; that is to administer antimicrobial drugs that prevent and treat costly mammary infections to all cows as they enter a dry off period. Although the practice may have been warranted as it began, animal care and the milking process have become much more sophisticated over time with many dairies keeping detailed cow specific records. With NYFVI funding, Cornell’s Daryl Nydam DVM, PhD and his collaborative team have harvested the power of that data to predict which cows do—and don’t—need treatment.
New York veterinary practices and the Center for Agricultural Development and Entrepreneurship (CADE) responded to a NYFVI request for proposals to help farms adopt this Selective Dry Cow Therapy (SDCT) approach. Three projects are now working with over 40 farms to learn how to use this approach.
This March 5th panel will discuss the success they’ve had in helping dairy farms adopt the practice and where they see the “watch outs” for others. It is the last in our series of Fridays with Farm Viability: Identifying Common Elements of Change.
Panelists include:
- Dr. Daryl Nydam, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University
- Dr. Mark Thomas, Dairy Health & Management Services, LLC
- Phoebe Schreiner, Executive Director, Cetner for Agricultural Development and Entrepreneurship (CADE)
The webinar was held on March 5th. A recording is available here.