Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) remains one of the most common and costly health challenges in preweaned dairy calves. While traditional diagnosis relies on visual symptoms, such as coughing, nasal discharge, or elevated temperature, these signs often appear late in the disease process, after damage has already occurred. Even when calves appear healthy, subclinical lung infections — or non-visible forms of pneumonia — can compromise growth, feed efficiency, and future milk production. 

According to Dr. Terri Ollivett from the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine, the lungs can be considered an ‘indicator organ’ because respiratory disease often reflects broader management issues, such as poor passive transfer of immunity, poor nutrition, or environmental stressors. By using lung ultrasonography, producers and veterinarians can detect disease sooner and make better decisions to improve calf health.

Image A-normal lung. Image B-lobular consolidation. Image C-lobar consolidation.

Feed efficiency, and how we can use it as a management tool on dairy farms, has grown in interest.  As a part of a series discussing this topic, this article explores the key factors that influence feed efficiency.  

In this article, Feed Efficiency specifically refers to energy-corrected milk divided by dry matter intake (ECM/DMI), an on-farm metric to evaluate cows’ conversion of feed into milk. 

3rd Tuesday of each month from 11 am - 12 pm CT

Voices from Across Wisconsin: Workplace Dynamics and Herd Health

In this webinar, you’ll hear firsthand insights from dairy managers, employees, and veterinarians across Wisconsin as they reveal the workplace dynamics shaping today’s dairy farms. Learn how communication, teamwork, and daily management practices influence not only farm efficiency, but also the health and wellbeing of cattle. You’ll walk away with a clearer picture of the shared challenges and differing viewpoints found on Wisconsin farms along with practical, participant‑driven solutions. Whether you're looking to strengthen team relationships, boost productivity, or improve herd outcomes, this session offers fresh perspectives and actionable takeaways tailored to today’s dairy operations. 

A Clearer Picture: Using Ultrasound to Detect Respiratory Issues in Calves

Dr. Theresa Ollivett, Associate Professor at the University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Veterinary Medicine, dives into the hidden challenges of respiratory disease in young dairy calves. On-farm lung ultrasounds reveal that pneumonia often lurks beneath the surface—even after treatment—impacting calf growth, welfare, and profitability. In this session, Dr. Ollivett discusses the critical questions producers and veterinarians should be asking and demonstrates how lung ultrasound can provide answers. She shares practical applications for identifying risk factors, detecting problems early, monitoring treatment effectiveness, and tracking disease trends to improve herd health and performance.

Raising dairy calves and replacement heifers is a major expense for Wisconsin dairies; tracking these costs and benchmarking against peers supports better management decisions. Periodically, Wisconsin Extension Educators have collected farm level data to track these costs. Extension is currently seeking this information and needs your help.  If you are interested in having a dairy educator reach out to you, please provide your contact information by clicking the button below.

Information gathered includes average costs for the last complete month related to:

The NMC: The Global Milk Quality Organization (formerly known as the National Mastitis Council) invites dairy producers and industry professionals to attend the 2026 NMC Regional Meeting, June 16–18, in Green Bay, Wisconsin. With the theme “Tackling Milk Quality in Titletown,” this event brings together practical learning, valuable networking, and classic Wisconsin hospitality for an unforgettable experience.

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. 

This month: Trivia

"Wisconsin is home to more than 1 million dairy cows."

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