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Dairy Nutrition & Health: Analyzing Cow Wellness

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Dairy Nutrition & Health: Analyzing Cow Wellness

This course is part of Dairy Nutrition for Udder Success Specialization

Instructor: Juan Loor

Included with

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4 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

Intermediate level

Recommended experience

1 week to complete

at 10 hours a week

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

4 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

Intermediate level

Recommended experience

1 week to complete

at 10 hours a week

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

What you'll learn

Understand the physiological changes around calving and their impact on dairy cow health and nutrient needs.
Identify key biomarkers of health and disease and their roles in metabolism, immune function, and liver function.
Diagnose and manage common health problems in dairy cows using metabolic and immune biomarkers.
Apply a systems approach to nutritional management for optimal cow health and productivity.

Skills you'll gain

Details to know

Shareable certificate

Add to your LinkedIn profile

Assessments

6 assignments

Taught in English

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Build your subject-matter expertise

This course is part of the Dairy Nutrition for Udder Success Specialization

When you enroll in this course, you'll also be enrolled in this Specialization.

Learn new concepts from industry experts
Gain a foundational understanding of a subject or tool
Develop job-relevant skills with hands-on projects
Earn a shareable career certificate

There are 4 modules in this course

This course offers a comprehensive exploration of dairy cow health and nutrition, focusing on physiological changes around calving and their impact on nutrient needs. Students will learn about production diseases, major metabolic changes, and key biomarkers of health and disease. The course addresses common health problems in dairy cows and the role of biomarkers in diagnosis and management. A systems approach to nutritional management is emphasized, exploring how genetics, cellular networks, and dietary components influence cow health and productivity. Expert instructors will guide learners through practical applications to optimize dairy cow health and production

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 @ aces.illinois.edu/online.

In the course orientation, you'll get to know the course, your classmates, and our learning environment, and gain the technical skills needed. Then, learn about the significant changes in dairy cows around birth and their nutritional needs. We'll discuss homeostasis, homeorhesis, and the importance of good nutrition during this period. By the end of this module, you'll be able to identify these changes and manage cow nutrition effectively.

What's included

14 videos4 readings2 assignments1 discussion prompt

14 videos Total 61 minutes

Course Overview 3 minutes
Meet Your Instructor | Juan Loor 2 minutes
Module One Overview 1 minute
Homeostasis and Homeorhesis 3 minutes
How is nutrition related to homeostasis and homeorhesis? 3 minutes
Application of precision farming featuring Dr. Condotta 3 minutes
Major physiologic and metabolic changes 3 minutes
Mammary gland 4 minutes
Gut Tissues 2 minutes
Adipose Tissue, Muscle, and Liver 5 minutes
Immune Cells 4 minutes
Meet Massimo Bionaz 3 minutes
The "transition period": Past and Future Featuring Dr. Bionaz 24 minutes
Module One Wrap-up 1 minute

4 readings Total 40 minutes

Syllabus 10 minutes
Learn More About Flexible Pathways 10 minutes
Updating Your Profile 10 minutes
Role of nutraceuticals during the transition period of dairy cows: A Review 10 minutes

2 assignments Total 60 minutes

Orientation Quiz 30 minutes
Module 1 | Knowledge Check 30 minutes

1 discussion prompt Total 10 minutes

Getting to Know Your Classmates 10 minutes

In this module, you will look at common diseases that affect dairy cows and how to diagnose them. You will learn about tests that measure substances in the blood to find out if a cow is sick. We will also talk about the role of calcium and other minerals in keeping cows healthy, especially around the time they give birth. By the end of this week, you will be able to recognize key terms related to these diseases and understand how to use blood tests to diagnose them.

What's included

9 videos1 reading1 assignment

9 videos Total 34 minutes

Module Two Overview 1 minute
The concept of "production disease" and its diagnosis 4 minutes
The Liver Functionaility Index (LFI) Featuring Dr. Erminio Trevisi 10 minutes
Metabolism biomarkers 4 minutes
Calcemia 3 minutes
Immunity and inflammatory responses 5 minutes
Lipolysis, fatty acids and inflammation 2 minutes
Inflammation and oxidative stress 4 minutes
Module 2 | Wrap-up 1 minute

1 reading Total 10 minutes

Measuring urine pH as an indicator of calcium balance 10 minutes

1 assignment Total 30 minutes

Module 2 | Knowledge Check 30 minutes

In this module, you will study common health problems that dairy cows face after giving birth. You will learn about issues like mastitis, lameness, and ketosis, and understand what causes them. We will also cover how to prevent and manage these problems through good nutrition and care practices. By the end of this week, you will be able to identify these health problems and know how to help prevent and manage them.

What's included

13 videos1 reading1 assignment

13 videos Total 63 minutes

Module 3 | Overview 1 minute
Common Health Problems in Dairy Cows 2 minutes
Animal Disease Traceability Program for Dairy Cattle 3 minutes
Mastitis 5 minutes
Lameness 5 minutes
Using Machine Learning to Assess Lameness Featuring Dr. Condotta 4 minutes
Retained Placenta 4 minutes
Uterine Infections 3 minutes
Ketosis and Fatty Liver 6 minutes
Milk Fever 5 minutes
Acidosis 4 minutes
Past and future of disease/disorder diagnosis: what's the outlook for real-time monitoring of cows? Featuring Dr. Phil Cardoso and Dr. Isabella Condotta 18 minutes
Module 3 | Wrap-up 1 minute

1 reading Total 10 minutes

Major Advances in Disease Prevention in Dairy Cattle 10 minutes

1 assignment Total 30 minutes

Module 3 | Knowledge Check 30 minutes

In this module, you will be introduced to the concepts of systems biology and nutrigenomics. You will learn how scientists use computer tools to study the nutrition and health of dairy cows. We will also explore how nutrients can affect the genes of cows and impact their health and milk production. By the end of this week, you will understand these key concepts and how they can be applied to improve dairy cow nutrition and health. At the conclusion of this module, you will be ready to complete the final assessment for the course and earn your Coursera certificate!

What's included

13 videos4 readings2 assignments

13 videos Total 52 minutes

Module 4 | Overview 1 minute
The systems biology concept in dairy nutrition 3 minutes
Bioinformatics in dairy nutrition 4 minutes
Genes can impact health and production outcomes 3 minutes
Nutrition-gene interactions in dairy cows 4 minutes
Nutrition and nuclear receptors 3 minutes
Ketosis, fatty liver, and gene networks 2 minutes
Dietary energy density and hepatic gene networks 4 minutes
Nutrigenomics effects of rumen-protected methionine 6 minutes
Nutrigenomics and Milk Component Synthesis featuring Dr. Massimo Bionaz 2 minutes
Role of Nutrigenomics in Milk Fat and Milk Protein Synthesis featuring Dr. Massimo Bionaz 16 minutes
Module 4 | Wrap-up 2 minutes
Course Summary 3 minutes

4 readings Total 40 minutes

Nutrigenomics in livestock: potential role in physiological regulation and practical applications 10 minutes
Congratulations! 10 minutes
Stack Your Course Certificate toward Graduate Coursework 10 minutes
Getting Your Course Certificate 10 minutes

2 assignments Total 150 minutes

Module 4 | Knowledge Check 30 minutes
Final Assessment 120 minutes

Earn a career certificate

Add this credential to your LinkedIn profile, resume, or CV. Share it on social media and in your performance review.

Instructor

Juan Loor

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

2 Courses 756 learners

Offered by

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

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Frequently asked questions

Yes! Although completion of the Coursera course alone is not credit-bearing, it is a required component of a graduate-level Canvas course that can be "stacked" toward advanced credentials such as an academic (transcriptable) graduate certificate or a degree. If you decide to pursue further education, the credits you earn from this course can be applied toward a formal academic program, provided that you meet all the requirements of admission to the certificate or degree.

To access the course materials, assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience when you enroll in a course. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid. The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.

When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile.