Moving Beyond Basics: Dairy Nutrition and Diet Formulation

Overview

This course offers a comprehensive exploration of dairy cattle nutrition, focusing on feeding strategies for cows, calves, and heifers. Students will learn to formulate diets, identify key nutritional markers, and understand the impact of dietary choices on health and reproduction. The course covers colostrum management, liquid feeding strategies, and nutrient interactions to optimize dairy cow productivity. Expert instructors guide learners through practical applications, ensuring a thorough understanding of feeding practices during critical periods like the transition phase. This course is part of the College of ACES suite of online programs, including the graduate certificate, "Dairy Nutrition for Udder Success" that can be stacked toward an advanced degree in the College of ACES. To learn more about online programs from the College of ACES and explore ways to apply your Coursera work toward a degree program at the University of Illinois, visit ACES Online at acesonline.illinois.edu.

Syllabus

Orientation & Module 1 | Exploring the Main Nutrients in Dairy Rations

In the course orientation, you will become familiar with the course, your classmates, and our learning environment. The orientation will also help you obtain the technical skills required for the course. Then dive into the second part of this module to explore the essential nutrients required in dairy rations. You will learn how to effectively feed these nutrients to dairy cows, ensuring their health and productivity. By the end of this week, you will be able to understand and apply the concepts of nutrient feeding in dairy cow management.

Module 2 | What are the nutritional needs of youngstock?

In this module, you will explore the nutritional needs of youngstock, focusing on the essential concepts of feeding calves and heifers. You will learn how to apply these principles to enhance their growth and overall performance.

Module 3 | What is the transition period?

In this module, you will explore the critical phase known as the transition period in dairy farming. You will gain insights into the nutritional needs of cows during this time, understand the challenges they face, and learn effective feeding strategies to ensure their health and productivity.

Module 4 | Bringing it All Together in One Diet & Conclusion

In this module, you will consolidate all the knowledge gained throughout the course to formulate a comprehensive diet. You will learn to identify key markers essential for creating a balanced and complete diet for dairy cattle. At the conclusion of this module, you will be ready to complete the final assessment for the course and earn your Coursera certificate!