Joe Ford was a small farmer with a big problem on his hands.
The owner of a modest Logansville, Wis., dairy farm, Joe depends on his 85 milking cows to support his family, and a nutrition problem was wreaking havoc on both his herd and his bottom line. Unsuccessful in finding a solution, Ford's veterinarian, Dr. Glenn Johnson, recommended the services of the experts'the UW-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine's Food Animal Production Medicine unit.
\We tried working through the problem ourselves and we just weren't getting anywhere,"" said Ford. ""They came out here and covered things top to bottom, and they solved the problem. I didn't realize they made house calls.""
The FAPM group does exactly that.
In a state boasting approximately 17,000 dairy farms, efficient dairy production is essential not only for producers, but for everyone living in America's Dairyland. Maintaining a high level of efficiency and production is the goal of the FAPM section.
Focusing on interactions between health and nutrition, facilities and management, the group visits approximately 30 to 40 farms every year. Investigative services are provided to dairy herds based on referrals from local veterinarians.
High-production dairy cows are ""metabolic athletes"" in constant need of care and supervision to maintain necessary high performance. Low herd milk production can be caused by a number of herd management factors and requires a broad, holistic approach to efficiently diagnose and treat problems.
FAPM instructors bring a group of veterinary students with them on ""house calls"" to provide a thorough investigation of the entire operations of a dairy farm, looking for ways to improve productivity at every step.
Students carry out a wide range of tests: collecting milk samples to test for high somatic cell count, checking teat ends, analyzing ""cow comfort""'enough bedding and space to move and rest. Milking systems and practices are analyzed, with the end goal of increasing the quality and quantity of milk production.
The focus is on diagnosing problems in a multi-factoral approach and working with the dairy farmers to establish preventative measures to keep the problems from returning. Dr. Ken Nordlund, the head of the FAPM section, believes this strategy is making a significant impact on dairy farms.
""Our program is entirely prevention medicine,"" said Nordlund. ""If we can identify problems in the system, including building, feedstuff, milking system, ventilation and the cow groupings and movements, we think we can prevent a tremendous proportion of disease and injuries that happen to cows and calves.""
Johnson, a veterinarian from Reedsburg, has referred several clients to the FAPM section for special attention, including the Fords.
""They provide an overview of the farm's situation, the big obstacles that prevent this farmer from experiencing a little more profitability,"" said Johnson. ""They assess the farm's strengths and weakness and do a very thorough job of putting that into dollars and cents.""
According to Johnson, the FAPM visits are not only of great value to the farms, but especially to the local veterinarians.
""It's a great opportunity for our practice, because each time they work out a problem it's a learning experience for us, and we use that as a how-to manual,"" said Johnson.
Johnson says he has referred several of his clients to the FAPM service, for everything from nutritional problems to mastitis, and will do so in the future.
""The staff is on the absolute cutting edge of what they do, they lead our profession at developing and delivering these programs,"" said Johnson. ""It's a wonderful opportunity to get these people out on your farm with the brightest students in Wisconsin to take a close look at your situation.\
