In FY 2008, team members received $26,415 from grants and industry to investigate production parameters on dairy and beef operations relating to deworming and use of teat sealants in grazing dairies, and reproduction programs.
Veterinary Medical Extension and Continuing Education
Source: MU Extension Annual Report, FY 2008
During FY 2008, the program continued to teach Missouri residents and livestock producers through educational programs, multiple research efforts and nearly 30 on-farm visits. Encompassing interactions with a variety of groups as well as individuals, farm visit topics included milk quality, ultrasound, reproduction, nutrition, housing, calf health, herd health and culling. The most popular topics were milk quality and the protocols of ultrasound, reproduction and cow-calf vaccination.
Missouri farmers take pride in producing quality products for consumers. Reproduction programs have the potential to improve that quality while enhancing operations’ profitability on beef and dairy farms — by increasing the number of calves born, improving the genetics of the herds and increasing voluntary culling rather than involuntary. For example, increasing the number of pregnant dairy cows results in a greater percentage of cows lactating earlier and thus producing more milk per day. This leads to greater milk production for the herd. And milk quality increases profit through premiums paid, with increase in production in cows that have lower somatic cell counts.
Collectively, Veterinary Medical Extension and Continuing Education staff members spoke at 20 meetings sponsored by MU Extension specialists throughout the state, covering topics on beef and dairy cattle as well as goats. As was the case at the individual farms, reproduction was a major topic, particularly the “Pregnancy and Profit Go Hand in Hand” presentation given as part of the statewide Dairy Profit Seminars.
Staff also supported the Show-Me-Select Replacement Heifer Program development and the Missouri Premier Beef Program with technical and marketing advice for participants throughout FY 2008. Several veterinary medical research projects are helping answer questions that producers have regarding deworming and dry cow therapy in grazing dairy herds in Southwest Missouri, use of estrus synchronization on both beef and dairy herds, and the development of a beef cattle curriculum.
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MU Extension at work in the Southwest Region…
In fall 2007, cases of pneumonia in cattle were abnormally high all across Southwest Missouri, resulting in increased deaths, decreased performance and higher treatment costs for livestock producers. Extension’s veterinary team members advised livestock specialists during the outbreak and assisted with several meetings during the year to address why such outbreaks arise and what steps can be taken to reduce the likelihood of recurrences.
Veterinary Medical Extension and Continuing
Education Web site