AN 331 - Dairy Herd Management I

3 Credits
Outline Effective Date: 2021 Fall Version #16
Revised: Aug 17, 2021 Approved: Aug 30, 2021

Lecture Hours: 45 Lab Hours: 30

Course Description:
Successfully managing a profitable dairy herd requires knowledge of common diseases, their treatments and prevention. It also requires that managers monitor their herd health and production by using herd scoring systems. This course assists students to understand and effectively use all the technology available.

Rationale:
This course is a mandatory production course in the Animal Science Technology Dairy Major. This course investigates common diseases within the dairy industry, herd monitoring strategies and technology opportunities to make sound management decisions on a dairy operation.

Prerequisites: AN 330
Corequisites: None

Course Learning Outcomes:
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to

develop key performance indicators and herd goals for a dairy herd.
assess lameness in a dairy herd to determine possible causes, methods of prevention, and appropriate treatment protocols.
determine the cause and type of mastitis and develop protocols for prevention and treatment of mastitis on farm.
develop and assess goals, protocols, and performance of a herd health management program.
develop methods of prevention, control, and elimination of common dairy diseases.
incorporate precision technology tools into on-farm herd management systems and effectively interpret the data to ensure continual improvement.
evaluate production, health, and reproductive herd data against industry benchmarks and on-farm goals using common dairy herd management software.
evaluate Dairy Herd Improvement reports to monitor performance and progress against industry benchmarks and standards.
establish a dry cow management program that optimizes health and future production of both the cow and calf.
develop a culling strategy and protocol to ensure continual herd improvement and animal well-being.

Required Resource Materials:
None

Optional Resource Materials:
None

Conduct of Course:
This course involves 3 hours of lecture per week and 2 hours of lab every other week. Proper attire is required by students to be in labs.

Lab Objectives:

To provide an opportunity to learn by doing. The farm is your classroom for a major component of the course. Many important principles of dairy cattle production is taught in the context of real life situations on your designated farm.

Attendance

Classroom and laboratory attendance is considered vital to the learning process and as significant to the students’ evaluation as examinations and reports.

Students having a combination of excused and/or unexcused absence of 20 percent or higher for the scheduled course hours will be required to withdraw and will automatically receive a “RW” (required withdrawal) for the course, regardless of any other evaluation results. (RW is a failing grade).
An excused absence is one that is verified with your instructor. Verification should be prior to the absence or the next class day following the absence. Verification of the absence may take the form of a note from your doctor/College nurse regarding illness, or a note from another instructor regarding a field trip or other activity, or authorization by your instructor. An unexcused absence is anything NOT verified by the instructor prior to the absence or the next class day following the absence.

NOTE: Any exceptions to the above attendance policy (e.g. timetable conflicts, work-related issues) must be approved in writing by the Department Chair prior to the beginning of the course.

It is the students’ responsibility to know their own absentee record.

Normal hours are 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., with potential for evening courses, exams or extended field trips. Students are expected to be available for classes during these times.

Content of Course:

Key Performance Indicators and Goals
Hoof Health and Lameness
Mastitis
Dairy Herd Health and Diseases
Herd Management Technologies
Dairy Herd Improvement
Dry Cow Management
Cull Cow Strategies

Course Assessments:

Evaluation	Weight (%)
Term Test 1	15
Term Test 2	15
Term Test 3	15
Lab Competencies	21
Assignments and Quizzes	24
Project	10
TOTAL	100

Official final grades will be available on My Lakeland. Grades posted in D2L should be considered interim grades.
“Lakeland College is committed to the highest academic standards. Students are expected to be familiar with Lakeland College policies and to abide by these policies. Violations of these policies are considered to be serious and may result in suspension or expulsion from the College.”

Course Pass Requirements:
A minimum grade of D (50%) (1.00) is required to pass this course.

Letter	F	D	D+	C-	C	C+	B-	B	B+	A-	A	A+
Percent Range	0-49	50-52	53-56	57-59	60-64	65-69	70-74	75-79	80-84	85-89	90-94	95-100
Points	0.00	1.00	1.30	1.70	2.00	2.30	2.70	3.00	3.30	3.70	4.00	4.00

Students must maintain a cumulative grade of C (GPA - Grade Point Average of 2.00) in order to qualify to graduate.

Every effort has been made to ensure that information in this course outline is accurate at the time of publication. Lakeland College reserves the right to change courses if it becomes necessary so that course content remains relevant.

In such cases, the instructor will give students clear and timely notice of changes.

No part of this course outline may be reproduced in any form or resold without written permission from Lakeland College.

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