In this episode of The Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Gerard Cramer, Professor at the University of Minnesota, explores the economic and welfare considerations involved in preventive hoof trimming for dairy cattle. He discusses the delicate balance between preventing lameness and the associated costs, and how strategically allocating resources can improve animal health and labor efficiency on farms. Listen now on all major platforms!

"Trimming programs should be based on data, ensuring they benefit animal health while also considering economic and welfare impacts."

Meet the guest: Dr. Gerard Cramer is a Professor of Dairy Production Medicine at the University of Minnesota. He holds a DVM and a DVSc in Ruminant Health Management from the University of Guelph. With a strong focus on hoof health, Dr. Cramer has led numerous studies and initiatives on dairy cattle lameness. He is deeply committed to advancing the diagnosis and management of lameness through both preventive and therapeutic strategies.

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What you will learn:

• (00:00) Highlight
• (00:49) Introduction
• (02:08) Preventive hoof trimming
• (02:59) Economic impact of trimming
• (06:09) Frequency of hoof trimming
• (08:12) Identifying lame cows
• (10:00) Strategies for pasture-raised cows
• (11:08) Closing thoughts

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.

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In this episode of The Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Sandra Godden from the University of Minnesota explores how bedding materials influence udder health in dairy cattle. She shares key findings on bacterial risks, monitoring protocols, and hygiene management for both organic and inorganic bedding types. Learn practical strategies to reduce mastitis through better bedding decisions. Listen now on all major platforms!

"High bacteria counts in bedding are strongly associated with increased risk of both clinical and subclinical mastitis in dairy cows."

Meet the guest: Dr. Sandra Godden earned her DVM and DVSc at the University of Guelph. She is Professor of Dairy Population Medicine and Associate Dean of Graduate Programs at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine. Her research career centers on colostrum management, mastitis control, and calf-health innovation.

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What you will learn:

• (00:00) Highlight
• (01:07) Introduction
• (02:31) Bedding hygiene risks
• (03:24) Monitoring bacterial counts
• (05:57) Quality of bedding
• (06:11) Bedding treatment techniques
• (09:56) Inorganic bedding
• (12:22) Closing thoughts

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.

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In this episode of The Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Stephen LeBlanc from the University of Guelph explores ketosis in dairy cattle. He shares key insights from decades of research into BHB thresholds, risk factors, treatment strategies, and the herd-level implications of metabolic disorders. Discover practical ways to manage and reduce ketosis risks. Listen now on all major platforms!

“Elevated BHB levels in early lactation significantly increase the risk of displaced abomasum, early culling, and other complications based on timing and severity.”

Meet the guest: Dr. Stephen LeBlanc is a Professor at the University of Guelph and Director of the Centre for Dairy Research & Innovation. His research primarily focuses on dairy cattle health, particularly in reproductive performance and metabolic diseases. Dr. LeBlanc's work integrates animal science, applied physiology, and veterinary medicine to improve dairy cattle management and productivity.

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What you will learn:

• (00:00) Highlight
• (00:40) Introduction
• (01:56) Ketosis insights
• (03:59) Research findings in ketosis
• (07:30) Understanding timing and BHB levels
• (08:52) Herd-level testing
• (10:57) Treatment strategies
• (13:04) Closing thoughts

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.

Website: The Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast

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