EAST LANSING, Mich.- Always important and increasingly high profile, the animal welfare subject area will be featured this year during Ag Expo.
Ag Expo features commercial farm equipment from throughout the Midwest and several Canadian provinces on the 35-acre main exhibition site and the 40-acre field demonstration area, as well as educational exhibits from several Michigan State University (MSU) colleges and departments.
Ag Expo is sponsored by the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. It runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., July 20 and 21, and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., July 22. Admission to the grounds and parking at Farm Lane and Mt. Hope Road are free.
Taking stock: Are you prepared for animal agriculture’s future?
Healthy and well-cared-for animals are critical to any livestock operation. With increased interest from the public in management and handling practices, and new regulations for livestock operations on the horizon, farmers have many questions. Janice Siegford, assistant professor in the Department of Animal Science, will lead this presentation.
This session is slated for noon, July 20-22, in the Farm Focus Tent on the Ag Expo grounds.
Cattle lameness: Causes, consequences and prevention
Kent Ames, D.V.M., will discuss cattle lameness – its consequences and its prevention. Find out more about laminitis and its long-term effects on cattle feet.
This session will take place at 2 p.m., July 20-22, in the Cattle Demonstration area of the Ag Expo grounds.
Good herd health is infectious: Preventing and controlling BVD and Johne’s
Infectious diseases such as Bovine Viral Diarrhea virus (BVD) and Johne's disease of cattle are a risk to both cattle and public health and can affect farm operations financially. During this presentation MSU College of Veterinary Medicine faculty members will discuss how to control and prevent these two important infectious bovine diseases.
This session is slated to take place at 11 a.m., July 20-22, in the Cattle Demonstration area of the Ag Expo grounds.
Pasture-based dairy production in Michigan
The Pasture Dairy Center at the MSU W.K. Kellogg Biological Station combines robotic milking technology with a pasture-based dairy management system. Development of this center allows MSU researchers to address the needs of small and mid-sized dairy farms in Michigan that are interested in pasture-based systems, robotic milking or a combination of the two.
The presentation, given by researcher Mat Haan, will provide an overview of the research and outreach programs at the Pasture Dairy Center. It is scheduled for noon, July 20-22, in the Livestock Central area of the Ag Expo grounds.
To learn more about the educational sessions being offered at Ag Expo this year, visit the website at www.agexpo.msu.edu.
By Michigan State University