a man cares for a newborn calf in a pen

Herd Health & Management

The PRO-DAIRY Herd Health and Management program supports New York State dairy producers by leading educational programs, integrating research results, identifying research needs, collaborating on-farm with advisors, and participating in industry-wide initiatives. Dairy farmers take their responsibility to provide good care for their cattle very seriously and are always looking for new ways to keep the herd healthy.

Current areas of focus include: fresh cow management, prudent use of medications, calf health and reproductive management.

    Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in US Dairy Cattle

    On March 25, 2024, samples collected from sick cows on dairy farms in Texas and Kansas tested positive for HPAI.  Since that time, additional positive cases have been indentified in cattle on dairy farms in more states. This is a rapidly evolving situtation and updates will continue to be posted.  At this time, USDA states that there is no concern for the safety of the commercial milk supply and cooking meat to proper internal temperatures is known to inactivate microorganisms like influenza.  

    The recommendations linked below were compiled in March 2024 and are subject to change as more is known about this emerging situation.

    Education

    Organize and lead dairy herd health management programing.

    • Seminars/Conference Presentations
    • On-Farm Training
    • Online Courses

    Research

    Cornell University conducts a great deal of research focused on herd health and PRO-DAIRY’s statewide outreach to share the results of this research is critical. PRO-DAIRY also supports applied research at the college and in partnership with CALS and the College of Veterinary Medicine.

    Partnerships

    PRO-DAIRY’s Herd Health Specialist is engaged on the state and national level with dairy herd health issues.

    Engagement

    youth and instructor looking at cow repro tracts

    Dairy Management Online Learning

    • Milk Quality Online Course
    • Forage Management Online Course
    • Calf & Heifer Management
    • Dairy Cattle Reproductive Management
    • Dairy Cattle Reproductive Management (taught in Spanish)
    • Forage Management

    Learn More About Online Courses

    Recent Past Events

    Herd Health Resources

    Dairy cows in a barn

    General Resources

    skidsteer bucket

    Calf Management

    A man milking cows in a parlor

    Authored by Dr. Rob Lynch, DVM

    For More Information

    Rob Lynch, DVM

    B30 Morrison Hall
    Ithaca, NY 14853
    (607)882-5378
    rlynch [at] cornell.edu (rlynch[at]cornell[dot]edu)

    Available Throughout New York State

    • Assist in educational programming
    • Dairy consultation (in conjunction with herd veterinarian and other advisors)

    Available outside New York State (fees apply)