“Genetics are so important because when you breed for healthier, fertile, longer-lasting cows, that’s going to give you a better ROI for the dairy in the future.”

– Craig Gerrits, Country Aire Farms, Greenleaf, Wis.

Every dairy has traits that matter more than others. At Country Aire Farms, those priorities include health, fertility, longevity, and components. Their breeding program is built around producing cows that stay healthy, breed back efficiently, work well in their rotary parlor, and remain productive for multiple lactations.

That focus has helped build a herd where 34% of cows are in their third lactation or greater, despite ongoing herd growth. Those mature cows are often the most productive and profitable animals in the herd.

Country Aire Farms uses genomic testing and places a strong emphasis on Herd Health Profit Dollars® (HHP$®), an index that rewards traits related to health, fertility, and longevity. The impact can be seen throughout the herd. A comparison of second-lactation cows (Table 1) showed those ranking in the highest HHP$ quartile had lower mastitis incidence, fewer abortions, higher pregnancy rates, and greater energy-corrected milk production than cows in the lowest quartile.

These results reinforce a simple principle. Identify the traits that create value in your operation and make them a priority in every mating decision.

Read the full Country Aire Farms story and watch the video.

The goal of electronic calf monitoring is not to treat more calves, but to identify behavioral changes earlier, understand what those changes mean, and make better decisions when intervention is needed. This is where technology and the skill of the caregiver come together.

We cannot have eyes on calves 24 hours a day. In many operations, the amount of direct observation each calf receives may only be 10–15 minutes per day. Within that short window, caregivers are managing feeding, cleaning, treatments, and many other responsibilities. Catching subtle behavioral changes consistently can be difficult, especially as herd sizes continue to grow.

Every calf has its own normal. Activity patterns, resting behavior, drinking behavior, and rumination development change as calves grow. For example, calves naturally spend a large portion of their day lying down, often 70–80%, but what matters is when there is a change from that individual calf’s normal behavior.

CowManager helps bridge the gap between visual observations by continuously monitoring calf behavior, identifying changes that may otherwise be missed, and notifying you of changes with a health alert. Instead of relying only on visual observations during scheduled checks, CowManager gives caregivers additional information to help prioritize which calves need attention. The value is not simply in receiving an alert. The value comes from asking: Why is this calf behaving differently, and what action should we take?

By identifying changes earlier, farms can focus their time and resources where they matter most. This can improve labor efficiency, help identify subclinical disease before it becomes a larger issue, improve treatment success, and support better calf outcomes.

Calf monitoring and early detection can be especially valuable during weaning transition. Calves that experience health challenges during this period may struggle to maintain growth and performance. Having insight into individual calf progress allows caregivers to make more informed decisions and provide support when needed.

Ultimately, calf monitoring is about combining experience with data to better understand each calf as an individual. That understanding helps producers become better caregivers by making more informed decisions about calf health, growth, and development. By improving visibility into calf behavior, farms can spend less time searching for problems and more time focusing on improving health, growth, and future performance.

The future of herd profitability starts with the next generation. Better calf monitoring with CowManager, today, helps build stronger cows for tomorrow.

Author: CowManager Specialist Nicole Pralle-Nepermann

Johne’s disease and leukosis (BLV) are two diseases that often spread through a herd long before infected cows show clinical signs. By the time a cow appears sick, she may have already exposed other animals or contaminated colostrum and waste milk.

Testing cows before dry-off helps identify infected animals early, giving you time to adjust management before they enter the next lactation. Those results can help determine whether a cow’s colostrum should be fed to calves, identify cows that need special attention after calving, and support future culling decisions.

If you use DHI, adding Johne’s or BLV ELISA testing is straightforward. The milk sample is already being collected during your regular test day, so no additional cow handling is required. Your DHI Specialist can coordinate the testing, and results are typically available within five days of the lab receiving the sample. Those results can also be uploaded into herd-management software, including DART, where they become part of the reports you already use.

For producers who are not using DHI, these diagnostic tests are still available. However, incorporating them into a DHI-testing program eliminates the need for separate sample collection while keeping production records and diagnostic results together. Having both in one place makes it easier to identify cows that need additional management before calving.

No two herds manage disease the same way, but every herd benefits from timely information. Whether you’re already testing through DHI or looking for ways to gather more information from your herd, combining production records with diagnostic testing gives you another tool to make informed decisions before the next lactation begins.

Because when it comes to managing your dairy herd, the question is not just what information you have, it’s what information you may be missing. DHI paired with diagnostic testing gives you a more complete picture of your cows and the decisions that can impact their next lactation.

Author: Customer Solutions Advisor Michelle Kaufmann

I began working with a 4,000-cow dairy that was already using CowManager but was not yet using the Transition Monitor feature of the system. I talked with the herd about activating this feature, because it can help identify transition cows with early, subclinical health issues before calving. By treating these cows sooner, it minimizes clinical sickness after calving.

This winter, we began using CowManager’s Transition Monitor to watch dry cows for changes in eating and rumination behavior. The system identifies underperforming cows compared to their pen mates.

The dairy was already locking up dry cows twice a week for routine vaccinations and movement to the close-up calving pen. Rather than creating additional work, we decided to build a treatment protocol for cows with transition alerts directly into their existing process.

The practice we agreed on included any cow that triggered a transition alert within the previous seven days was treated during those routine lockups. We excluded cows with obvious lameness issues and focused on supporting rumen health and encouraging feed intake before calving.

For the treatment, the farm team administered two Tri-Start Bolus. We chose this direct-fed microbial, because it supports rumen function and feed intake, giving cows extra support before calving and helping them maintain the intake needed for a successful start to their lactation.

What I liked most about this approach was its simplicity. There was no additional labor required at the farm and no disruption to cow comfort. The protocol was easy for employees to follow and helped maintain consistency over time.

Once implemented, we quickly saw results. Within the first month, postpartum-health events decreased compared to the months prior with no transition alerts being acted on. The first month’s trend was encouraging and reinforced what we often see with CowManager monitoring: When we identify at-risk cows sooner, farms have a better chance of preventing problems before they become costly health events.

Four months of acting on transition alerts pre-calving resulted in a 24% reduction in health events in the first 40 days post-calving, with the largest improvements seen in ketosis, retained placenta, and metritis cases. Table 1 summarizes the average monthly incidence rates before and after implementing transition-alert-driven treatment protocol.

The impact becomes even more meaningful when the results are projected across an entire year. For this dairy, the reduction equates to approximately 156 fewer health events annually, a 3.9% decrease. Fewer sick cows mean less time spent treating animals and fewer disruptions to production and reproduction This ultimately adds real dollars to the dairy’s bottom line.

Using industry estimates for the cost of common transition disorders (Table 2), the reduction in ketosis, retained placenta, metritis, and other health events represent thousands of dollars in potential annual savings. Beyond direct treatment costs, healthier cows are more likely to maintain milk production, breed back efficiently, and remain productive in the herd longer, creating additional value that extends well beyond the fresh period.

During the treatment-protocol trial, what really stood out to me wasn’t how the technology performed, but how the dairy used the information and implemented a near labor-free plan, leading to healthier cows. By combining CowManager’s behavioral data with a simple, repeatable protocol, they were able to take action earlier and improve fresh-cow outcomes, without adding an additional lockup.

With four months under their belt, the dairy is invested in continuing to use CowManager’s Transition Monitor, and I’m excited to see what long-term improvements emerge.

Author: Area Sales Manager and CowManager Specialist Sawyer Johnson

One physiological factor that plays an important role in animal health is cow body temperature. Because temperature reflects internal biological processes, monitoring it can provide useful insights into the condition of individual cows and the overall herd.

When combined with behavioral monitoring, cow body temperature data helps producers make faster and more informed herd management decisions.

Temperature as health indicator
Temperature is one of the most widely recognized indicators of health in animals. When a cow experiences stress, illness, or metabolic challenges, changes in a cow’s body temperature may occur as part of the body’s natural response.

When a cow’s body temperature rises, it usually means the immune system responds to stress, infection, inflammation, or heat. The body increases temperature to help support immune activity, which can lead to reduced feed intake, lower milk production, and lethargy.

When a cow’s body temperature drops, it often indicates that the cow is struggling to maintain normal body functions. This can happen during severe illnesses, metabolic disorders, or after calving, when blood flow shifts toward vital organs and the body tries to conserve energy.

Cow body temperature in dairy herd monitoring
Modern cow monitoring systems often track behavioral indicators such as eating behavior, rumination patterns, activity and inactivity.

Adding cow body temperature monitoring to this data can strengthen the overall understanding of herd health. When producers have access to multiple indicators, they can better interpret what is happening within the herd and respond quickly when conditions change.

For dairy producers managing large herds, it can be difficult to detect subtle health changes through observation alone. Monitoring technologies that track indicators such as activity, rumination, and cow body temperature trends can provide valuable insights that support early intervention.

Cow ear temperature
Tracking cow body temperature alongside behavioral indicators contributes to a more complete picture of cow health. Continuous monitoring helps producers detect changes sooner and respond more effectively.

Even better, the CowManager system measures ear temperature as well, making cow monitoring much more accurate and actionable with early alerts.

Whenever a cow develops an infection, blood flow in the ears shifts toward vital organs. By monitoring ear temperature, this change can be detected early, potentially preventing more serious issues for both you and the cow later on.

A peer reviewed study conducted by Iowa State University found evidence of ear hypothermia as an effective diagnostic tool for significant health events. Or, as they cite in their research findings; a ‘problem indicator’.

Supporting better herd management
Cow monitoring innovations continue to change how dairy farms manage animals. Monitoring technologies allow producers to move from reactive management to proactive herd care.

It may seem tooling makes herd management more complex, but systems that provide reliable data are an important part of driving herd management forward.

With real-time data, herd management teams can make more informed decisions about herd health, reproduction, and overall management.

Beef on dairy calves are different

One thing became glaringly clear during this meeting of the minds: beef on dairy calves do not fit the same management practices used for traditional dairy replacements or native beef calves. The good news is that scientists, professionals, and industry leaders are actively working to build a blueprint for success. New research is helping answer some critical questions.

Younger animals are typically genetically superior

Genomic testing remains one of the fastest ways to drive genetic progress and weed out inferior animals. However, implementing a breeding strategy with the oldest half of the herd bred to beef has been shown to make similar growth in genetic merit over time. Dr. Chad Dechow, from Penn State University, discussed research suggesting that younger dams may offer a more favorable epigenetic state, the hypothesis being that the highest producing cows do not necessarily produce the highest milking daughters, as more energy is directed to milk production rather than fetal development.¹

Genetic potential sets the ceiling; management sets the floor

Nutrition and management in the first days of life have a very visible and long-lasting impact on lifetime performance. According to Dr. Pedro Carvalho, from Colorado State University, calves with poor transfer of passive immunity from colostrum were 13 pounds lighter at 180 days of age and experienced a 15% higher mortality rate compared to their better managed counterparts.² Calves that gain the most weight in the first six weeks of life tend to perform better in both milk production and carcass yield later on. This solidifies the importance of a strong start for these animals. Calves that get a rough start will almost certainly never reach their genetic potential.

Feeding frequency matters

Beef calves nurse four to eight times per day while on their dams and are typically weaned between four and six months of age. In contrast, dairy replacements often receive two large feedings per day and are rapidly transitioned to solid feed by around 60 days of age. Dr. Tom Earleywine, with Purina Mills, presented research showing that calves fed three times daily gained 20.7 pounds more through 12 weeks of age.³

His take-home message was clear: the most vulnerable group of animals on the farm tend to draw the short straw as time, labor, and resources are stretched thin. Rushing the transition phase from preweaning to ruminant compromises gut health and predisposes calves to liver abscesses later in life.

Even if calves are leaving the farm as day-olds, investing in tight colostrum protocols and smooth transitions from milk to starter feed pays off, building a reputation for strong, healthy calves that will keep buyers knocking at your door regardless of what the cattle market does.

What beef sires do and don’t change

There is often concern over the negative implications of beef on dairy crossbreeding. Despite some beef breeds having a slightly longer gestation length, using beef sires does not increase calving difficulty, the occurrence of any health event, or reduce performance during the first 60 days of the subsequent lactation.⁴ Beef-sire genetics did, however, significantly influence performance and carcass quality, where much of the added value lies.

Liver health

The exceptionally high prevalence of liver abscesses in feedlot cattle was a major topic of discussion, and rightfully so, as it costs the industry a whopping $683 million annually. Researchers consistently linked liver health to overall performance and carcass quality, reinforcing the importance of proactive management strategies.

A quality study, in cooperation with Texas Tech University, found that while liver abscesses occur in more than 40% of beef on dairy animals industry wide, ProfitSOURCE® cattle showed a dramatically lower incidence at just 6%.⁵ In this study, ProfitSOURCE animals were raised on the dairy of origin from day one through finishing. Their exceptionally low rate of liver abscesses speaks volumes to the consistent nutrition and management throughout their life and circles back to the importance of superior genetics, high quality colostrum, and good passive transfer of immunity at birth.

The bottom line

Beef on dairy isn’t just a trend: it’s a strategic investment. The research reinforces a few key priorities.

• Colostrum matters: Failure of passive transfer reduces growth and increases death loss.
• Feed for growth: Calves fed 3x daily gain more weight early, setting up future performance.
• Manage early life well: Better transitions and nutrition can reduce issues like liver abscesses later.
• Genetics matter: Beef on dairy does not increase calving difficulty, but it does add value through carcass quality.

Whether calves leave as day-olds or stay through finishing tightening protocols from day one pays. The opportunity is clear: raise healthier calves, capture more value, and build a program that performs from start to finish.

Author: Allyse Stafinski, CentralStar Genetic and Reproductive Consultant

References:
¹Dechow, C. (2025). Genetic Considerations for Beef x Dairy [Unpublished].
²Carvalho, P. (2025). Extended colostrum/preweaning nutrition management [Unpublished].
³Earleywine, T. (2025). Beef x Dairy – Start with the finish in mind! [Unpublished].
⁴Basiel, B.L. et al. (2024). The impact of beef sire breed on dystocia, stillbirth, gestation length, health, and lactation performance of cows that carry beef × dairy calves. Journal of Dairy Science, Volume 107, Issue 4, 2241 – 2252
⁵ProfitSOURCE: Your source for proven carcass quality. (2024). https://www.selectsires.com/article/ss-blog/2024/11/01/profitsource-your-source-for-proven-carcass-quality

The impact of higher SCC went beyond milk production. These cows also averaged 15 more days open than cows with a lactation average SCS below 4.0. While only 7% of the herd is represented by SCS of 4.0 or higher, it all adds up and highlights how subclinical mastitis can decrease profitability even in herds with excellent bulk-tank SCC. There can be high SCC cows that are heavy shedders but can be diluted in the bulk tank, especially in larger herds.

This example clearly shows that even herds with low bulk tank SCC can incur hidden losses that quietly erode performance. The key is knowing where to look and using the right tools and metrics to uncover what the bulk tank alone can’t reveal.

Beyond the bulk tank
Frequently monitoring bulk-tank SCC is an important indicator of overall milk quality, but it does not tell the whole story. In a 2025 Hoard’s Dairyman webinar on milk quality¹, Michigan State University’s Pamela Ruegg, D.V.M., shared it’s not enough to only use bulk-tank SCC to monitor a herd’s milk quality; it is also important to monitor subclinical and clinical mastitis. Following are several valuable key performance indicators (KPI’s) Ruegg shared that are important for managing your herd.

• Percent of herd with subclinical mastitis (SCC >200,000): <15%
• New infection rate: <8% (SCC <200,000 on prior test and >200,000 on current test)
• Percent of cows with chronic infection: <8% (SCC >200,000 on prior and current test)\
• Fresh infection rate, 1st lactation: <10% (SCC >200,000 on first test)
• Fresh infection rate, 2nd+ lactation: <15% (last test previous lactation <200,000 and first test current lactation >200,000)

It’s impossible to calculate or manage these metrics without routine monthly DHI testing.

Do something with the data
Pathogen identification is an important next step which helps guide the course of action. For individual cows it leads to treatment or culling and can identify if adjustments need to be made with bedding-management practices, teat-dip products, etc., for groups or the whole herd. CentralStar has created a resource to help guide the next steps. Review this guide to learn more about effectively managing mastitis pathogens, from identifying the source to key prevention strategies.

The importance of pathogen identification is underscored in the 2025 Hoard’s Dairymen Round Table² featuring National Dairy Quality award winners. All six herds represented identified routinely DHI test to monitor subclinical mastitis and also perform pathogen identification testing to determine if and how a cow should be treated.

The role of genetics
Managing subclinical mastitis today is critical, but genetic selection can help reduce risk over the long term. The Herd Health Profit Dollars® (HHP$®) index places 13% emphasis on mastitis resistance for Holstein sires. The top 100 Holstein sires for HHP$ have an average SCC of 2.84 compared to the top 100 Holstein sires for NM$ which average 2.93. The same top 100 HHP$ bulls are also a full point higher for mastitis resistance.

Obviously, genetics alone won’t eliminate mastitis challenges, but incorporating mastitis resistance into selection can support ongoing management efforts and protect future production.

Hidden losses
While an average case of mastitis costs around $250³, subclinical mastitis is just as costly at $110⁴/cow/year because it often goes unnoticed. This herd example is proof that low bulk-tank SCC doesn’t tell the whole story.

Identifying these losses requires looking beyond the bulk tank, using monthly DHI testing, monitoring key mastitis KPIs, and following up with pathogen identification when needed. Connect with your CentralStar team to identify opportunities in your herd and put a plan in place to reduce these hidden losses.

Author: Emily Middleton-Gyomory, Regional Consulting Manager

References:
¹https://hoards.com/article-37346-put-that-data-to-work-manage-milk-quality.html
²https://www.nmconline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Making-the-most-oftheir-milk-RT.pdf
³https://www.agproud.com/articles/62526-dollars-down-the-drain-what-one-caseof-mastitis-can-cost you#:~:text=The%20average%20cost%20of%20a,make%20decisions%20regarding%20mastitis%20difficult.
⁴Ott SL 1999: Cost of herd level production losses associated with subclinical mastitis in U.S. dairy cows NMC annual Meeting proceedings 199:152

It isn’t caused by just one thing, but rather by what’s known as the bovine respiratory disease complex – a mix of stress, viruses, and bacteria that can quickly take down even healthy-looking calves.

The most common bovine respiratory disease symptoms include coughing, fever, and labored breathing. Calves may lose their appetite, lie down more, experience accelerated breathing, a change in temperature and generally look dull. The real challenge is that by the time you notice these visible signs, the disease is often already well advanced. Early detection and quick bovine respiratory disease treatment are critical to saving calves and preventing serious losses.

The economic impact
For farmers, BRD isn’t just an animal health issue; it’s an economic one. Calves that battle pneumonia often struggle to catch up in growth, which means they won’t perform as well later in life. This is why bovine respiratory disease prevention matters so much.

Cows have a relatively limited lung capacity in proportion to their body weight. Therefore, it’s crucial to maintain good lung health throughout their life. Issues like BRD translate into lower milk yields, higher veterinarian bills and in some cases, calf mortality.

The role of animal monitoring in early BRD detection
Relying on visual checks for BRD can be a tricky business. Coughing, nasal discharge, or falling behind compared to the rest of the herd can be signs of BRD. But calves and cows, prey animals by nature, are experts at hiding weaknesses. This makes it harder to spot bovine respiratory disease symptoms.

That’s where cow monitoring technology makes a real difference. By keeping track of activity and behavior around the clock, these systems can identify early warning signs that would otherwise be missed.

For example, opting for an ultrasound at an early state can detect budding pneumonia. Something that sometimes occurs when calves and cows receive health alerts and nothing comes out of the clinical examination.

Early BRD prevention with CowManager®
A great example of a BRD prevention tool is CowManager’s Youngstock Monitor, designed specifically to track calf health. The system collects detailed data on ear temperature, eating and rumination time, behavior and activity and flags anything unusual. When a calf shows changes that could indicate the bovine respiratory disease complex, the system alerts the farmer early, giving time to act before the disease becomes severe.

This approach supports earlier bovine respiratory disease treatment, which improves recovery rates, reduces antibiotic use, and ultimately lowers mortality. Healthier calves grow into healthier, more productive cows – and that protects your bottom line.

The CowManager system enables farmers to keep an eye on their herd’s entire life cycle, monitoring them from calf to cow with just one ear sensor. Comparing groups, diving into the data and making sure their herd gets everything they need.

When calves become cows, CowManager’s Health solution continues to track their health, ensuring a lifetime of monitoring.

Best practices to minimize the impact of BRD
Monitoring is powerful, but it works best alongside strong everyday management. Good bovine respiratory disease prevention practices include ensuring calves get enough colostrum, reducing stress during weaning and transport, maintaining proper ventilation, keep group changes at a minimum and manage them well, and following vaccination programs.

When these are combined with technology like CowManager’s Health monitor, it’s the best defense against BRD.

Using their DHI data to guide breeding, nutrition, and strategic-culling decisions, the 450-cow Holstein and Jersey herd in Pound, Wis., shifted its focus to producing richer milk. The result has added more than $5 per hundredweight in premiums to Class 3 pricing.

Rather than growing cow numbers, D & L Rusch Dairy used its data to pinpoint where improvements could be made, especially in components. The focus on genetics, nutrition, and removing low-component cows has driven steady progress over the past several years.

“Some cows just won’t produce high-component milk,” Arren notes. “But for those that can, it’s amazing to see what they’ll do when fed properly.” Nutrition adjustments, including feeding palm fat and balancing methionine and lysine, helped cows reach new levels.

And while nutrition unlocks potential, genetics guide which cows can truly excel in fat and protein production. Previously, the herd’s genetic selection focused on improving feet, legs, udders, and longevity. Today’s plan includes those traits, but with a big focus on positive fat and protein percent.

With DHI data in hand, Arren began tracking and making breeding decisions to reach their new goal of producing higher-component milk. High-component cows are bred to sexed- or conventional-dairy semen, while lower-performing and lower-component cows are bred to beef and gradually culled.

Culling, whether for dairy or beef purposes, became a strategic tool during this time. “It wasn’t drastic, just a few cows a month, but over time, you could really see the bulk tank change,” Arren says. Today, the herd averages 4.7% fat and 3.4% protein, a substantial increase from just five years ago.

The results speak for themselves. Since the change in focus to increased-component production, the premium the dairy gets paid has made a real impact on the milk check. “When we were getting $20 (per hundredweight) for Class 3 Base Price, we were up to $5.50 in premiums,” says Arren. “That’s a game changer on the milk check.”

By pushing fat and protein percentages and using DHI data to make more informed breeding and culling decisions, Arren and his family found a way to increase profitability per cow without increasing herd size.

“DHI testing has been key for us to understand every cow’s potential,” shares Arren. “By looking at individual performance over the years, we can make smarter breeding decisions. With all the data from CentralStar and DART, we can rank cows by energy-corrected milk (ECM) and make informed choices. Every report helps us get better and keeps our herd moving in the right direction.”

Author: Kelly Bristle, CentralStar Director of Member Relations and Promotions