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LAMS303-1023: Formulating Transition Cow Diets for Success and Profit

The lectures for this course will be presented via the Zoom webinar platform.

Presenter: Robert Van Saun, DVM, MS, PhD
Course Open: October 23-November 23, 2023
Real Time Sessions (RTS): Mondays, October 30, November 6, and 13, 2023; 7:00-9:00 pm ET (USA) World Clock Converter
Total CE Credit: 6
RACE Category: 6 hours Medical


Course has been cancelled.  

Tuition: Member $138 ($124 early bird special if enrolled by October 9, 2023)
Non-Member $231 ($208 early bird special if enrolled by October 9, 2023)
Prices are listed in US dollars.


Course Information:
Nutrition is a critical factor associated with cow health, productivity, and profitability. Veterinary education is most often limited in providing detailed information and application of nutritional concepts to dairy cattle management. Of greatest importance is understanding nutritional undertones of the cow’s transition from pregnancy into lactation. This course will provide an opportunity to learn and apply nutritional evaluation and formulation strategies for dairy cow transition diets. The course intent is not to make you a nutritionist but gain more confidence in your nutritional knowledge to provide more detailed assessment of transition cow diets and work better with a nutritionist in guiding on farm nutritional formulations focused on improving transition cow health and performance. Formulation approaches, supplements, software applications, and farm evaluation opportunities will be incorporated into course lessons. Participants successfully completing the course should be able to provide science-based assessment of farm transition cow diets and have an ability to provide formulation guidance or directly formulate transition diets.

A prerequisite (not required) course on understanding transitioning cows is available. Enrollment closes October 4th, 2023, 5 pm ET.
LAMS302-0923: From Pregnancy to Lactation: Understanding the Transition Cow Challenge


Learning Objectives:
Upon completion of the course, the participant should be able to
  • identify critical nutritional concepts related to the successful feeding of dry and early lactation dairy cows.
  • describe and formulate transition cow diets relative to energy, protein, and fiber amounts.
  • understand concepts of dietary cation anion difference and its nutritional application in addressing hypocalcemia prevention.
  • interpret available information provided on commercial mineral and vitamin supplements as components of the transition cow diet.
  • explain what dietary supplements might be useful in transition cow diets.
  • evaluate transition cow nutrition through the use of records, metabolic data, and dietary assessment.


Level and Prerequisites: This intermediate VIN CE course is open for enrollment to veterinarians actively interested in nutritional management of the transition dairy cow as a value-added service of their practice. Current nutritional service activity, prior enrollment in dairy cow nutrition courses (VIN or AABP), or both are suggested as prerequisites.
Recommended prerequisite course (not required - enrollment closes October 4th, 2023, 5 pm ET):
LAMS302-0923: From Pregnancy to Lactation: Understanding the Transition Cow Challenge
Accreditation: This course is approved for 8 hours of continuing education credit by RACE for veterinarians. (RACE 20-1089602)


Course Agenda:

Week 1 (Real Time Session October 30, 2023): Pathways to Transition Cow Feeding Success
Reading Assignment - Read at least one of the following articles prior to the October 30, 2023 Real Time Session.
  • Van Saun RJ, Sniffen CJ. (2014).
    Transition Cow Nutrition and Feeding Management for Disease Prevention.
    Veterinary Clinics: Food Animal Practice, 30(3), 689-719.
    Abstract
  • Roche JR, Bell AW, Overton TR, Loor JJ. (2013).
    Nutritional Management of the Transition Cow in the 21st Century – A Paradigm Shift in Thinking.
    Animal Production Science, 53(9), 1000-1023. doi.org/10.1071/AN12293
    Full Text
  • Cardoso FC, Kalscheur KF, & Drackley JK. (2020).
    Symposium Review: Nutrition Strategies for Improved Health, Production, and Fertility During the Transition Period.
    Journal of Dairy Science, 103(6), 5684-5693. doi.org/10.3168/jds.2019-17271
    Full Text
To make a successful nutritional intervention one needs to assess the current situation recognizing the critical control points, then decide on a path forward. An overview of key nutritional issues to address in transition diets will be discussed. Nutritional guidelines, based on current research, will be explored and demonstrated in dietary formulations.


Week 2 (Real Time Session November 6, 2023): Postpartum Disease Prevention Strategies
Reading Assignment - Read at least one of the following articles prior to the November 6, 2023 Real Time Session.
  • LeBlanc SJ, Lissemore KD, Kelton DF, Duffield TF, Leslie KE. (2006).
    Major Advances in Disease Prevention in Dairy Cattle.
    Journal of Dairy Science, 89(4), 1267-1279.
    Full Text
  • Goff JP. (2006).
    Major Advances in Our Understanding of Nutritional Influences on Bovine Health.
    Journal of Dairy Science, 89(4), 1292-1301.
    Full Text
  • Horst RL, Goff JP, Reinhardt TA, Buxton DR. (1997).
    Strategies for Preventing Milk Fever in Dairy Cattle.
    Journal of Dairy Science, 80(7), 1269-1280.
    Full Text
  • Block E, Sanchez W. (2000).
    Special Nutritional Needs of the Transition Cow.
    In Mid. South Nutrition Conference, Dallas, TX. 16 pp.
    PDF
  • DeGaris PJ, Lean IJ. (2008).
    Milk Fever in Dairy Cows: A Review of Pathophysiology and Control Principles.
    The Veterinary Journal, 176(1), 58-69.
    Abstract
Most veterinarians and producers are interested in preventing postpartum disease conditions. Although nutritional management is not the only potential cause, there are some opportunities to minimize disease risk with good nutrition practices. Nutritional strategies to prevent hypocalcemia will be detailed relative to advantages and disadvantages. Other potential nutritional interventions for disease control will be addressed.


Week 3 (Real Time Session November 13, 2023): Assessing Transition Cow Diets
Reading Assignment - Read at least one of the following articles prior to the November 13, 2023 Real Time Session.
  • Oetzel GR. (2014).
    Undertaking Nutritional Diagnostic Investigations.
    Veterinary Clinics: Food Animal Practice, 30(3), 765-788.
    Abstract
  • Nordlund KV, Cook NB. (2004).
    Using Herd Records to Monitor Transition Cow Survival, Productivity, and Health.
    Veterinary Clinics: Food Animal Practice, 20(3), 627-649.
    Abstract
  • Lukas JM, Reneau JK, Wallace RL, De Vries A. (2015).
    A Study of Methods for Evaluating the Success of the Transition Period in Early-Lactation Dairy Cows.
    Journal of Dairy Science, 98(1), 250-262.
    Full Text
  • Kerwin AL, Burhans WS, Mann S, Nydam DV, Wall SK, Schoenberg KM, et al. (2022).
    Transition Cow Nutrition and Management Strategies of Dairy Herds in the Northeastern United States: Part II—Associations of Metabolic- and Inflammation-related Analytes with Health, Milk Yield, and Reproduction.
    Journal of Dairy Science, 105(6), 5349-5369.
    Full Text
  • Overton TR. (2004).
    Optimizing the Transition Cow Management System on Commercial Dairy Farms.
    In Florida Ruminant Nutrition Symposium, Gainesville, FL, pp. 68-79.
    PDF
  • Drackley JK, Guretzky NJ. (2007, March).
    Controlled Energy Diets for Dry Cows.
    In Proc. 8th Western Dairy Mgt. Conf., Reno, NV, March 7-9, pp. 7-16.
    PDF
  • McCarthy MM, Dan HM, Overton TR. (2015).
    Feeding the Fresh Cow.
    In Proc. Cornell Nutrition Conference, Syracuse, NY, 13 pp.
    PDF
In this final session participants will have an opportunity to evaluate clinical cases presented relative to transition cow nutritional issues. Methods of assessing transition cow programs will be discussed. Application of metabolic profiling, records evaluation, and dietary evaluation will be presented to highlight potential methods for evaluating transition cow programs.


Successful completion (scoring 80% or better) on the end-of-course test is required to earn a certificate of completion for the course. To learn more about the requirements for earning a CE certificate, please refer to Receiving Your CE Credit and Course Completion Certificate.

Course Materials: Course materials will be available in the course library prior to each Real Time Session.
Course Materials: Course materials will be available in the course library prior to each Real Time Session.
Required Textbook(s):
  • Kerwin AL, Burhans WS, Nydam DV, Overton TR. (2023).
    Transition Cow Nutrition and Management Strategies of Dairy Herds in the Northeastern United States: Part III—Associations of Management and Dietary Factors with Analytes, Health, Milk Yield, and Reproduction.
    Journal of Dairy Science, 106(2), 1246-1266.
    Full Text
  • Redfern EA, Sinclair LA, Robinson PA. (2021).
    Why Isn’t the Transition Period Getting the Attention it Deserves? Farm Advisors’ Opinions and Experiences of Managing Dairy Cow Health in the Transition Period.
    Preventive Veterinary Medicine, 194, 105424.
    Full Text


Course has been cancelled.  

Tuition: Member $138 ($124 early bird special if enrolled by October 9, 2023)
Non-Member $231 ($208 early bird special if enrolled by October 9, 2023)
Prices are listed in US dollars.


*To ensure participants are ready and prepared for classes, enrollment will close on October 30, 2023 at 5 pm ET (USA) or when the maximum number of participants is reached.

*For more information on how online CE works, see the Participant Resource Center.


Enrollment qualifications:
  1. VIN CE Courses:
    1. VIN CE courses are open to VIN member, VIN student member, and non-member veterinarians.
    2. Veterinary support staff must be VSPN members in order to enroll in a VIN CE course open to VSPN member enrollment.
  2. VSPN CE Courses:
    1. VSPN CE courses are open to veterinary support staff and veterinarians.
    2. Only VIN and VSPN members can enroll in a VSPN CE course.
    3. Veterinarians will only receive credit for those VSPN CE courses that specify in the Accreditation statement that the course is accredited for veterinarians.
  3. Please check the course Level and Prerequisites, Accreditation, and Tuition before enrolling.
  4. Each enrollee must be able to receive emails from @vspn.org and @vin.com addresses.
    1. Email is our major form of communication with participants; personal emails are highly recommended rather than clinic/hospital email addresses.
  5. For further assistance call 800-846-0028 ext. 797 or email CEonVIN@vin.com. Please include the course title, your full name, and contact information in your correspondence.


Course withdrawal and refund policy: A complete refund of the paid course price will be issued when your withdrawal request is received prior to the listed start date of the course. If you wish to withdraw after the start date please contact the VIN office 800-846-0028 ext. 797 to discuss eligibility for a pro-rated refund.

*For more information on VIN's upcoming CE courses, check the VIN Course Catalog.

Katherine James, DVM, PhD, DACVIM (SAIM)
VIN Education Director

VIN CE Services: CEonVIN@vin.com
800-846-0028 or 530-756-4881; ext. 797
or direct line to VIN/VSPN from the United Kingdom: 01 45 222 6154
or direct line to VIN/VSPN from Australia: 02 6145 2357