I polished up on my Spanish skills as I listened in on the Hispanic Fresh Cow Workshop at the Central Plains Dairy Expo in Sioux Falls this Thursday. This forum was tailored specifically for the Hispanic dairy employees, and the workshop was presented by Jorge Luna, Fresh Cow Reproduction Manager at Pfizer Animal Health. Luna told the group that it was very important to catch illness in a dairy cow early, and I think his strategies could help avoid illness problems on every dairy operation. Here is an excerpt from his presentation…

When a cow is sick, milk production decreases by at least 20%. It’s important to catch illness early on. A sick cow costs the dairy operation time, money and effort. Educate your co-workers about the signs to look for. A physical examination includes looking at the eyes, ears, tail and temperment. Work to improve and develop your operating processes in order to see these illnesses early. At the first sign of illness, communicate the problem to your supervisor or veterinarian.

The next step is bridging the gap of communication between the vet and yourself. How will you explain the illness to the vet? What is your impression of the vet? Does he see the same signs of illness as you? Make sure the cow gets adequate care. You are the first ones that will be able to see illness. You work with these cows on a daily basis. This is your job. Do it well.