National Dairy FARM Program Continuing Education
The FARM Animal Care Program helps to demonstrate dairy farmers’ commitment to providing excellent care of their dairy cattle and producing safe, wholesome milk. Supported by Dairy Management, Inc. and managed by the National Milk Producers Federation, FARM details animal care guidelines using the latest research and best management practices. On-farm evaluations conducted by trained evaluators help identify strengths and outline improvements for dairy farms while third party verification ensures integrity of the program.


FARM Animal Care standards outline the need for annual continuing education for family and non-family employees with responsibilities in the following areas:

•Stockmanship/Handling

•Calf Care

•Fitness to Transport

•Non-Ambulatory Animals

•Euthanasia

Ease the weaning transition
Sept. 25 2024
There are three critical periods for dairy calves. The first is around calving and includes the cow, the environment, and the colostrum feeding and management
Tip the scale of calf health in your favor
Sept. 25 2024
Managing livestock is complex. A dairy farmer is constantly trying to move the seesaw of health and disease in favor of animal health
Make scour events a rare occurrence
Sept. 25 2024
The author is an associate editor for Hoard’s Dairyman. Preventing calf disease like scours starts before calving and becomes more crucial in the first days of life
Calf care standards continue to climb
Aug. 22 2024
I was recently asked what significant changes I have seen in calf nutrition and growth over my nearly 35-year career at the University of Illinois
Take a look at transition milk
June 15 2024
DAIRY producers are aware of the importance of feeding quality colostrum within the first two hours of birth (and surely within six hours). Colostrum provides immunity as antibodies
Make calves a part of herd health
May 15 2024
My predecessor started the concept of herd health checks in our area over 50 years ago. Cows and heifers were checked for their reproductive status on a schedule
Building strong immunity in calves
Nov. 15 2023
Calves enter a world filled with bacteria, viruses, and parasites. These organisms can make them sick or even lead to death
Colostrum: A proven solution
Oct. 15 2023
A silver bullet is a simple and seemingly magical solution to a complicated problem. Many would maintain that they exist only in fiction, but colostrum is a real life example
Should we start feeding transition milk again?
Sept. 25 2023
At the 2006 American Dairy Science Association (ADSA) conference in Minneapolis, a speaker presented some unique findings from their human milk studies
Understanding the colostrum production slump
Sept. 25 2023
Feeding high-quality colostrum is recognized as a critical factor to raising healthy calves. In addition to supplying important immunological components, colostrum is rich in nutrients, hormones, and and...
Less stress benefits both cows and caretakers
Sept. 25 2023
With so much attention placed on animal welfare, the perspective of farmers is often overlooked, even though they are the ones who provide care to animals daily and have the greatest impact on animal welfare
When and how should they go?
Sept. 11 2023
Our emergency calls rarely come midmorning. Even more rare, my scheduled work was cancelled so I could attend this difficult calving. I arrived at Dan’s calving pen to see Cow 569 in trouble
Consider other methods of euthanasia
Sept. 11 2023
We have a separate barn for our show animals. Our show cattle are our pets, and when needed, we euthanize them with our veterinarian using an injection rather than another method.However, the company
Always use enough gun
Sept. 11 2023
While most euthanasia protocols prefer the use of captive bolt pistols to kill cows, bulls, and calves, these specialized instruments can be expensive and require particular ammunition and training in...
Calves still need water in winter
Nov. 15 2022
How important is it to provide water to my young calves when it’s cold outside?