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Prototheca bovis, an emerging threat to dairy producers

Prototheca bovis has been cultured in herds and is emerging as a threat to producers statewide. Prototheca has been linked to mastitis since 1952, however, within the last five years, the prevalence has significantly increased. Similar to Staph aureus and mycoplasma, Prototheca is hard to detect, has no known cure, and is contagious by intermittently shedding from cow to cow.

Prototheca is colorless, intracellular yeast-like microalgae that cause incurable acute or chronic mastitis in dairy cattle. There is no easy way to prevent Prototheca infections and no treatment for the mastitis. Frustration and economic losses are related to veterinary care expenses for treatment and services, reduced milk production, and premature removal of affected animals.

The randomness of dairy reproduction

Most dairy farms today collect data by which they attempt to make informed decisions about how to manage their herds. There is an adage:

If you can’t measure something, you can’t monitor it. And if you can’t monitor it, you can’t measure it.

The collection and interpretation of herd-level data is a positive trend throughout the dairy industry. The problem is there are many types of data, and a good manager must understand the nature and limitations of the types of data being monitored to make informed decisions. 

Reproductive data is particularly difficult to measure which makes it a challenge to measure and monitor, even on large dairy farms. Measuring reproductive performance is about measuring probabilities—the likelihood an event will occur. Unfortunately, the human brain is not very good at comprehending probabilities. Further, the nature of reproductive data involves a frustrating factor called randomness; hence the title of this fact sheet: The Randomness of Reproduction. The following points need to be considered and understood so good managers do not fall into incorrect conclusions about the reproductive data they collect on their farm. 

Matt Lippert is the dairy educator for Clark and Wood Counties.  He enjoys working with producers, helping them improve their farming operations, and make better feed for their herds.

Matt love to travel!  In the past few years, he has gotten to do more of it. Like many farmers, Matt likes to learn about agriculture wherever he go.  Ag based tours often have other farmers on the tour as well.  He intends to learn about the dairy industry in Australia next spring.

The price of barrel cheddar cheese strengthened to above $2 per pound from mid-September and continuing into October reaching as high as $2.2450. The price of barrel cheese was well above 40-pound cheddar blocks being as much as $02775 per pound higher. From mid-September and into October 40-pound blocks ranged from $1.9675 per pound to just $2.06. The price of dry whey weakened from $0.4875 per pound mid-September to a low of $0.41 in October before improving to $0.4425. higher average cheese prices will be enough to improve the Class III price from $19.82 in
September to around $21.80 for October. 

Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) webinar

DMC is a voluntary risk management program provided by the U.S Department of Agriculture (USDA) and is available to dairy producers. This program helps producers manage risks associated with changing milk and feed prices. The margin protection program utilizes the All-Milk price less a ration cost to produce 100 pounds of milk.  DMC ensures a producer-selected margin amount, thus providing both milk price and feed price risk management.

When electing coverage, producers have two main selection criteria to consider:

1.  Percent coverage of annual historic production

2.  Margin coverage level

All hay prices quoted are dollars per ton FOB point of origin for alfalfa hay unless otherwise noted. The information presented in this report is compiled from public and private quality tested sales and reports in the Midwest. 

November 9th, 1pm

Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) Update webinar

December 9th

Dairy Margin Coverage sign up ends

This program is sponsored by the University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension with special support from the following Extension Educators: 

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