Nigel Cook
Department of Medical Sciences
Office: 2031
Education
- 1986-1990 Bachelor of Science (BSc) Zoology with 1st Class Honors
University of Bristol, School of Veterinary Science, England. - 1986-1992 Bachelor of Veterinary Science (BVSc) with Honors
University of Bristol, School of Veterinary Science, England. - 1995 Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons Certificate in Cattle Health & Production
- 1998 Diploma in Bovine Reproduction (with Distinction), University of Liverpool.
- 2007 Diplomate of European College of Bovine Health Management
Research
Dr. Cook has spent over a decade examining the impact of the environment on the well-being of dairy cattle. Current research interests include evaluating the performance of the Wisconsin dairy industry using cluster analysis and examination of causal networks. In collaboration with Dr. Dorte Dopfer, he is also identifying optimal control methods for digital dermatitis infection.
Responsibilities
Dr. Cook is head of the food animal production medicine group, current Chair of the curriculum committee and President of the American Association of Bovine Practitioners for 2012/2013. He teaches in the Core Skills and Advanced Skills in Production Medicine final year elective rotations and lectures on bovine mastitis, lameness and animal welfare.
Clinical Interests
Dr. Cook manages The Dairyland Initiative: The guide to welfare friendly dairy cattle housing, a unique outreach program aimed at ensuring Wisconsin dairy producers build and remodel dairy cattle facilities with the most up to date information to safeguard well-being while optimizing productivity. He provides facility planning and a clinical troubleshooting service to dairy farmers and remains committed to reducing the incidence of production related diseases in dairy cows.
http://www.thedairylandinitiative.vetmed.wisc.edu
Recent Publications
Cook, N.B. and K.V. Nordlund. (2009). The influence of the environment on dairy cow behavior, claw health and herd lameness dynamics. The Vet. Journal 179:360-369.
Gomez, A and N.B. Cook. (2010) Time budgets of lactating dairy cattle in commercial freestall herds. J. Dairy Sci. 93:5722-5781.
Calderon, D and N.B. Cook. (2011) The effect of lameness on the resting behavior and metabolic status of dairy cattle during the transition period in a freestall housed dairy herd. J. Dairy Sci. 94:2883-2894.
Gomez, A., Cook, N.B., Bernadoni, N.D., Rieman, J., Dusick, A.F., Hartshorn, R., Socha, M.T., Read, D.H., Dopfer, D. (2012) An experimental infection model to induce digital dermatitis infection in cattle. J. Dairy Sci. 95:1821-1830.
Cook, N.B., Rieman J., Gomez, A., and K. Burgi. (2012). Observations on the design and use of footbaths for the control of infectious hoof disease in dairy cattle. The Vet. J. In Press at http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tvjl.2012.06