Veterinary Diagnostic Support Available
Saturday, May 11th, 2019 -- 7:23 AM
The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture is notifying dairy farmers and local farm-service professionals that veterinary diagnostic support is available to help address herd-health and production concerns.According to Wisconsin Ag Connection, the herd-based Diagnostic Program, available through DATCP's Farm Center, serves Wisconsin dairy herds of all sizes and management types. It addresses production, milk quality, cow loss, and other concerns. To utilize the program, farmers complete an application that provides a description of the concerns to be addressed, contact information for local farm-service professionals, and a basic orientation to the farm. Upon receipt of the application, program staff will respond, with each response tailored to address the farmer’s specific concerns. In many cases, phone or e-mail pre-visit conversations are held with the farmer and all significantly involved local farm-service providers, and a farm visit is made as soon as possible.
Once on the farm, the investigative process looks at what diagnostic work has already been done by local professionals. Throughout the process, the emphasis is on team-building and enhancing local diagnostic capacity. Farmers rely on a team of local professionals to maintain herd health, from the nutritionist to the veterinarian. The Herd-based Diagnostic Program's assistance does not replace any one of these important players, but adds another member to the group. For more information, contact the Wisconsin Farm Center at 800-942-2474.
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