Upcoming Courses

Fall 2008 dates to be announced

DairySMART Management: "COMPLETE HERDSMAN" 
Training Program

Building practical skills to effectively work with dairy cattle takes time and effort.  Herd owners and managers often don't have the time or expertise to teach and train workers.

DairySMART management is offering: "The Complete Herdsman".  This is a 6-part herdsman training program.  Each part can be taken separately or you can enroll for the complete course for a 20% savings on tuition fees.

We are excited to announce that our courses are eligible for Canadian Agricultural Skill Service (CASS) funding.  Course costs, travel expenses and other costs arising from being absent from the farm (a replacement milker etc.) are covered by this program.

Course dates and times:

·   Milker Training Refresher:

    Monday, November 24, 2008:  Noon - 3 PM ($80) Dr. Dan McDermid

· Calving Management:

    Tuesday, November 25, 2008:  11 AM - 3 PM ($150) Dr. Dan McDermid

·   Dairy Reproduction and Cow Comfort:

    Wednesday, November 26, 2008:  10 AM - 3 PM ($150) Dr. John Dick

· Basic Examination and Treatment of the Cow:

    Thursday, November 27:  11 AM - 3 PM and Friday, November 28: 9 AM - 3:30 PM

    ($300) Dr. John Dick

·   Health Management of the Young Calf:

    Monday, December 1, 2008:  Noon - 4 PM ($150) Dr. Dan McDermid

· Trimming and Treating the Lame Cow:

    Tuesday, December 2, 2008:  Noon - 4 PM ($170) Dr. Dick Clegg

  Learn more about the program at:  www.dairysmart.ca
or contact us at:  office@dairysmart.ca
or phone:  604-792-0113

"Education is always a good investment"

More information on the DairySMART Course Lineup

(Note:  all DairySMART Courses can be taken "on-farm"

 and targeted specifically to your farms needs!)

Calving Management

    Dr. Dan McDermid will be offering this four-hour course that will focus on the practical management of the calving cow.  It will review when to move a cow to the freshening pen, the signs of normal calving progress and when to check the cow or assist.  Common obstetrical problems will be reviewed and tips presented on how to correct them.  There will be an opportunity to work on calves in an "artificial" birth canal  to practice recognizing the correct position of the calf and how to safely manipulate it in the uterus. After calving problems like uterine prolapse and bleeding will be reviewed. 
    Cost: $150
    Instructor:  Dr. Dan McDermid
    Contact Dr. Dan McDermid dan@dairysmart.ca or phone 604-792-0113

Health Management of the Young Calf

    The course will begin with the birth of the calf and progress through till breeding age.  The focus of the course will be practical techniques that you can implement to prevent disease and raise healthy, strong calves.  Topics covered will include:

• colostrum and the baby calf

• feeding

• calf housing

• scours prevention and treatment

• pneumonia prevention and treatment

• examination of the sick calf

    Group discussion is encouraged and participants are encouraged to bring questions.  Participants will be able to practice on live calves.  Contact Dr. Dan for more information and to sign up.

Cost:  $150

Instructor:  Dr. Dan McDermid dan@greenbeltvet.com  

Dairy Reproduction and Cow Comfort

    Dr. John Dick will review the importance of reproduction on a dairy farm.  Dr. Dick will provide practical tips on assessing reproduction how to monitor and improve pregnancy rates.  Timed insemination protocols will also be discussed.  He will explain the principles of cow comfort and key ways to monitor how comfortable your cows really are.  Methods to evaluate and improve cow comfort will be discussed.

Cost:  $150

Instructor:  Dr. John Dick

Contact Dr. John Dick john@dairysmart.ca or phone 604-792-0113

Examination and Treatment of the Cow

    Dr. John Dick will be repeating this popular course.  The objective is to teach a systematic approach to examination of the sick cow.  Identification and treatment principles of some common problems such as mastitis, ketosis, displaced abomasums, down cows, and metritis will be discussed.  Treatment techniques such as IV injection, stomach pumping, blood collection etc. will be demonstrated and practiced.

   The course’s focus is “hands on” with a barn session at UBC where participants practice what we has been discussed in the classroom.  Full course outlines are available at the office. 

Cost:  $300

Instructor:  Dr. John Dick

For more information contact John Dick: john@dairysmart.ca 

Trimming and Treating the Lame Cow

   Dr. Dick Clegg will be repeating this very popular course.  The course focuses on the practical management of hoof health in the dairy herd.  Trimming techniques on normal, overgrown and lame cows will be demonstrated and each student will have an opportunity to practice on cadaver feet.  Further one-on-one training will be available on your farm to reinforce the classroom material.  Please contact the office if you are interested so course dates and times can be arranged.

Cost:  $170

Instructor:  Dr. Dick Clegg

Milker Training:  Refresher

    The objective of the 3-hour course will be to refresh and enhance knowledge in: 

• The goals of milk harvesting.

• Milk letdown biology.

• Efficient, effective milking routines.

• Mastitis recognition and treatment protocols.

• Basic milking equipment function and troubleshooting.

    There will be plenty of opportunity for questions and discussion.  Please contact the office if you are interested.

Cost:  $80. 

Instructor:  Dr. Dan McDermid
   

For further information on any of these courses or seminars, please phone our office at 604-792-1501 or email:  office@dairysmart.ca.