The current VIN date & time: Eastern

VIN LAMS301-0922: Beer, Wine and Rumen Fermentation: Feeding Microbes for Profit

The lectures for this course will be presented in an audio format using a webinar platform.

Presenter: Robert Van Saun, DVM, MS, PhD
Course Open: September 28-November 5, 2022
Real Time Sessions (RTS): Wednesdays, October 5, 12, 19, and 26, 2022; 7:00-9:00 pm ET (USA) World Clock Converter
Total CE Credit: 8
RACE Category: 8 hours Medical


Enrollment is closed.  

Tuition: Member $184 ($166 early bird special if enrolled by September 14, 2022)
Non-Member $292 ($263 early bird special if enrolled by September 14, 2022)
Prices are listed in US dollars.


Course Information:
Nutrition is fundamental to animal health and performance. Ruminant animals have unique nutritional needs resultant from their forestomach fermentation system. How do we feed the bugs to support the animal? How do we use feed analysis information to improve feeding practices? What mineral supplements are needed and why? This course will introduce participants to the wonderful world of ruminant nutrition and provide you some confidence in evaluating ruminant diets.


Learning Objectives:
Upon completion of the course, the participant should be able to
  • explain and interpret the numbers on a forage test report relative to a feeding program.
  • understand how microbes contribute or alter nutrients supporting the host ruminant.
  • understand the range of feed ingredients and what they contribute to the ruminant diet.
  • describe causes and management of common nutritional diseases of ruminants.


Level and Prerequisites: This intermediate VIN CE course is open for enrollment to veterinarians actively interested in ruminant nutrition.
Accreditation: This course is approved for 8 hours of continuing education credit by RACE for veterinarians. (RACE 20-907431)


Course Agenda:

Week 1 (Real Time Session October 5, 2022): Practical Feed Analysis Interpretation
Required Reading (prior to October 5, 2022 Real Time Session):
Being able to use feed reports is essential to having control over a feeding program. Learn how to amaze your clients in how you can explain what the numbers on their feed test mean and how this impacts their feeding program.

Week 2 (Real Time Session October 12, 2022): Feeding the Microbes
Feeding for two, learn how to feed the rumen microbes and host animal. How can we optimize the nutrient flow from the rumen to support nutritional requirements of the host animal?

Week 3 (Real Time Session October 19, 2022): Microbes, Minerals and Disease
Mineral nutrition is geographically based but modified by the rumen microbes. Common issues relative to mineral nutrition and impacts of the rumen environment will be presented.

Week 4 (Real Time Session October 26, 2022): Nutritional Case Studies
Using what we have learned in the previous educational sessions we will work through a number of real case situations in sheep, goats, and cattle to integrate diagnostics (feed analysis) with feeding management to understand what went wrong and how it can be fixed.


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.
Required Textbook(s): There is no required textbook for this course.


Enrollment is closed.  

Tuition: Member $184 ($166 early bird special if enrolled by September 14, 2022)
Non-Member $292 ($263 early bird special if enrolled by September 14, 2022)
Prices are listed in US dollars.


*To ensure participants are ready and prepared for classes, enrollment will close on October 5, 2022 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 . 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:
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