Our International Workshops are a week long and very intense.
The following is our generic program. We may adjust according to the specific requirements of a certain group.
General information:
Israel has about 120,000 dairy cows kept in some 1,000 herds. More than 95% of these cows are Israeli-Holstein. Herd size varies from a few tens in the small family-owned farms to up to 250 – 1,500 cows in large Kibbutz farms. Overall average milk production in 2012 was 11,991 kg/cow. You may find more details about the Israel dairy industry in the attached summary.
Hachaklait is a veterinary cooperative currently employing 45 vets and has been serving the vast majority of the Israel dairy farms for the last 100 years.
Hachaklait has been implementing an intensive Herd Health and Production Management program for more than two decades. The program combines comprehensive clinical work on the individual cow in the barn with recording, gathering, monitoring and analyzing of the herd data. Interactions between veterinary medicine, nutrition, management, and economics are important facets of our approach and practice.
Herd Health and Production Management workshop is organized by Hachaklait and conducted by our Department of Herd Health and Epidemiology. Dr. Michael van Straten (DVM, Ph.D.), Head of the department serves as the Scientific Coordinator of the workshop. Michael has been working at Hachaklait for over 19 years as a bovine practitioner, consultant in the field of Herd Health and Production Management, and Epidemiologist. He also lectures at the Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
The main objectives of this workshop are to expose practicing veterinarians to a multidisciplinary and multifactorial approach to dairy practice and clinical entities. Furthermore, participants will have the opportunity to get “hands-on” experience with farm data analysis and our Herd Health program. Learning will take place mainly in class in the form of exercises and discussions in small working groups using participant’s laptops, combined with farm visits and lectures given by prominent guest lecturers.
Veterinarians with sound experience in the care of dairy cows and interest in Herd Health programs are welcome to join us for an intensive 6-day workshop including an extra one day tour (destinations will be determined according to season).
Herd Health and Production Management Workshop:
- Farm visits include both Family and large farms.
- The academic section of the workshop includes the following subjects:
- Integrated HH systems: The Israeli Experience
- Data, Variables & presentation
- Introduction to monitoring
- Monitoring Calving Diseases
- Introduction to Udder Health
- Reproduction
- Analyzing reproduction data
- Economic aspects of health & fertility
- Lactation curves
- Dry Cow & close up rations
- Lactation rations: Concepts & interpretations
- How much does it cost to be healthy?
The 6-day workshop will take place at a Hotel in Israel (including arrival the evening before the workshop and departure on the morning following end of the workshop). Costs include a one day tour, destination to be decided.
The workshop is conducted in English (without translation)