Progress 09/01/22 to 08/31/23
Outputs Target Audience:The target audience reached during the reported period includeddairy veterinarians and consultants,the scientific community (including academia [facultyand students), and dairy farmers, in organic and conventional systems.This audience was reached through abstract presentations (2023 American Dairy Science Association Annual Meeting) and a series ofwebinars. In specific, the extension component led by Dr.Gustavo M. Schuenemannhas delivered atotal of 10 webinars (6 in 2022 and 4 in 2023) centered on multiple areas of best dairying practices,reaching an estimated of 3,083 participants (dairy producers, personnel, students, veterinarians, consultants, allied companies, Extension professionals, and academia) from 20 US states with ~3895 page views so far after presentations. Three additional webinars are scheduled for December 2023.In addition,a total of 28 in-person workshops were delivered from September 2022 to November 2023 reaching an estimated of 917 participants (Amish youth, dairy producers, personnel, veterinarians, consultants, students, allied companies, and Extension professionals) serving an estimated of 550,000 dairy cows from 10 US states (OH, IN, MI, MD, PA, TX, CO, SD, MN, VA, and WI). Several workshops are planned for 2024.Although the presentedtopics are not restricted to mastitis in organic dairies, all of them have an impact on health, welfare, and performance of the dairy cow. Changes/Problems:We have not faced specific challenges in developing the proposed objectives. However, checking compliance with the organic dairy certification in the therapeutics included in the field studies has taken some extra time and effort. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Graduated students have been involved in the development of the survey instrument (Colorado State University, University of Wisconsin, The Ohio State University). Grad students have also been involved in developingand coordinating the field studiesto be completed in CO (coordinating farm visits, IACUC updates, compliance with organic regulations, etc.). How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Study results have been mostly disseminated to the scientific community through presentations at scientific conferences (2023 American Dairy Science Annual Meeting). The extension materials have been disseminated by a series of webinars (n=10) and in-person workshops (n=28). What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Our first goal during the next reporting period is to complete the survey (100 dairies) and finalize the data organization originating from these visits (Objective 3). Second, the first field study on clinical mastitis therapy should be completed. Concurrently, a second study on dry-off preventive therapy should be initiated (Objective 2). Related to Objective 4, we will initiate the analyses on the associations between behavior indicative of individual cow comfort and the likelihood of developing mastitis by using precision technologies. We will expand the extension activities (Objective 1) focusing more specifically on mastitis and presenting our results from this project. In addition, as part of the efforts to disseminate best practices for milk production the following workshops are planned for 2024: 2024 Transition cow management. This 2-day event will cover nutrition-related information to optimize dry matter intake, health, and productivity of dairy cattle. The target audience are dairy producers, veterinarians, consultants, Extension personnel and students. Registration will open in December 2023. The workshop will be held in Columbus OH in Spring 2024 (Date TBD). 2024 Dairy heifer replacement program. This 2-day event will cover housing, nutrition, and management information to optimize health, growth, and productivity of replacement heifers. The target audience are dairy producers, veterinarians, consultants, Extension personnel and students. Registration will open in December 2023. The workshop will be held in Columbus OH in Fall 2024 (Date TBD). 2024 Scouting dairy tour. This is an educational multi-state tour with various educational workshops delivered at selected locations (TBD) across US addressing dairy cattle health, nutrition, reproduction, replacement heifers, sustainability, and precision technologies of dairy farming. The target audience are dairy producers, veterinarians, consultants, Extension personnel and students. Registration will open in 2024 (Date TBD). Finally, adatabase with data originating from the Dairy Herd Improvement Association (DHIA) including lactation records from both organic-certified herds and conventional herds in multiple regions from across the US will be constructed to allow for the identification of leading risk factors associated with mastitis and suboptimal milk quality in organic dairies (Objective 5).
Impacts What was accomplished under these goals?
Significant research efforts during the reported period have been focused on developing the survey instrument that will be applied through visits to 100 dairies in two seasons (cool and warm seasons). The information that will be collected at the farms is crucial for the completion of objective 3, which is focused on developing a mastitis index as a comprehensive financial and non-financial measure of the mastitis and low milk quality burden. The goal is toquantify mastitis levels in individual organic dairies and determinethe best opportunities for prevention and control through the use of field data.During this period, wehave developed a working relationship with the technical team at Organic Valley to identify and reach the organic dairy farms that will be included in the survey activity. Supporting objective 2, our first field study is organized in an organic dairy in CO to test a natural therapy for clinical and toxic mastitis. The objective is to test the efficacy of a treatment for clinical mastitis in organic-certified dairy cows, consisting of intra-oral bolus application of a natural product based on electrolytes and sugars (treatment). This is a commercial natural product that can be used in organic-certified cows. We will assess the efficacy of the treatment by performing milk bacteriological cultures post-therapy and completing a careful examination of the udder, where signs of inflammation will be assessed. Treated cows will be compared with affected control cows receiving the standard therapy, which consists of an increased number of milkings to maintain the mammary gland empty of milk. Depending on the results of this trial, we will test the efficacy of this treatment as a dry-offtherapy. The extension component (Objective 1, led by Dr.Gustavo M. Schuenemann) has established a series of webinars (6 in 2022 and 4 in 2023) centered on multiple areas of best dairying practices,reaching an estimated of 3,083 participants from 20 US states with ~3895 page views so far after presentations. A total of 28 in-person workshops were delivered from September 2022 to November 2023 reaching an estimated of 917 participants (Amish youth, dairy producers, personnel, veterinarians, consultants, students, allied companies, and Extension professionals) serving an estimated of 550,000 dairy cows from 10 US states (OH, IN, MI, MD, PA, TX, CO, SD, MN, VA, and WI).Although the presentedtopics are not restricted to mastitis in organic dairies, all of the contentshave an impact on the health, welfare, and performance of the dairy cow.
Publications
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2023
Citation:
Association between clinical mastitis and body condition score pattern and pregnancy at first artificial insemination. P. Munoz Boettcher*1, A. De Vries2, D. Manr�quez1,3, and P. Pinedo1, 1Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 2University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 3School of Veterinary Medicine of Toulouse, Toulouse, France. 2023 American Dairy Science Association Annual Meeting, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2023
Citation:
Benchmarking first-lactation organic Holstein, Jersey, and crossbred cows for production, somatic cell score, and days open in the United States. B. J. Heins*1, K. T. Sharpe1, P. J. Pinedo2, A. DeVries3, E. K. Miller-Cushon3, V. E. Cabrera4, E. M. Silva4, R. A. Lynch5, and G. M. Schuenemann6, 1University of Minnesota, Morris, MN, 2Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 3University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 4University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, 5Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 6The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH. 2023 American Dairy Science Association Annual Meeting, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2023
Citation:
D Kness, T Grandin, J Velez, J Godoy, D Manr�quez, F Garry, P Pinedo. 2023. Patterns of milking unit kick-off as a proxy for habituation to milking in primiparous cows. JDS Communications 4(5):385-389. doi: 10.3168/jdsc.2023-0384.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2023
Citation:
Risk factors associated with clinical mastitis in certified organic dairy herds.
P. Munoz Boettcher*1, A. De Vries2, E. Miller-Cushon2, B. J. Heins3, V. Cabrera4, E. Silva4, R. A. Lynch5, G. M. Schuenemann6,D. Manr�quez1,7, J. Velez8, and P. Pinedo1, 1Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 2University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 3University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, 4University of WisconsinMadison, Madison WI, 5Cornell University, Ithaca NY, 6The Ohio State University, Columbus OH, 7National School of Veterinary Medicine of Toulouse, Toulouse, France, 8Aurora Organic Dairy, Platteville, CO. 2023 American Dairy Science Association Annual Meeting, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
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