Clinical Rotations

Clinical Rotations offered to 4th year students offers hands on experience with problem solving on commercial dairy farms.

Nutrition
Housing
Milk Quality
Calf Management
Transition Cow Management

Dairy Skills I

- First clinical rotation in Dairy Skills series

Dairy Skills 1

July 7-18, 2025
Aug 4-15, 2025

Week 1	AM Topics	PM Topics
Day 1	Introductions: Rotation Schedule, Expectations, Get Acquainted Microsoft Teams Intro Introduction to Herd Monitors	DHIA Records Bovine Reproductive Physiology Review
Day 2	Estrus cycle manipulation and palpation wet-lab	Review DHIA Herd Summaries Cow-side and herd-based testing Animal Welfare and Practice Models
Day 3	Group A – On-farm palpation lab Groups B & C – Excel Basics I Groups B & C – DC305 Introduction Groups B & C – DC305 work – top level monitors, transition, udder health, repro, egraph	Common drug indications for adult cows
Day 4	Group B – On-farm palpation lab Group A – Excel Basics I Groups A – DC305 Introduction Groups A & C – DC305 work – top level monitors, transition, udder health, repro, egraph	Injury Scoring Lameness: Locomotion Scoring, Hoof Trimming
Day 5	Group C – On-farm palpation lab Groups A & B – DC305 work – top level monitors, transition, udder health, repro, egraph	Summarize and Review Top Level Monitors for All Herds Fresh cow diagnostics and treatment protocols – Prep for Fresh Pen Visit
Week 2	AM Topics	PM Topics
Day 1	Group A – On-farm palpation lab Groups B & C – Introduction to the Data Set Groups B & C – Basic Statistics Videos Groups B & C – Develop Hypotheses and Conduct Statistical Testing	Feeding Management and Nutritional Troubleshooting – Farm Visit
Day 2	Visit Fresh Cow Pen – Group 1 Visit Fresh Cow Pen – Group 2	Return from Fresh Cow Visit – Online meeting to start data analysis
Day 3	Group B – On-farm palpation lab Group A – Introduction to the Data Set, Basic Statistics Videos, Develop Hypotheses and Conduct Statistical Testing Groups C – Continue Statistical Testing, Finish and Present Testing Results	Treatment and Vaccination Strategies in Dairy Calves
Day 4	Group C – On-farm palpation lab Groups A & B – Continue Statistical Testing, Finish and Present Testing Results	Group 1: Obstetrics Group 2: Captive Bolt Group 1: Captive Bolt Group 1: Obstetrics
Day 5	Groups Present Fresh Pen Visit and Risk Analysis	Complete on-line evaluations and turn in laptop computers and iPads

Dairy Skills II

- Second clinical rotation in Dairy Skills series. Prerequisite: Dairy Skills I
  - Oct 13-24, 2025
  - Nov 10-21, 2025

Week 1	AM Topics	PM Topics
Day 1	Introduction and summarize schedule and course expectations Repro disease review / vaccines	Vaccination protocols
Day 2	Group A – On-farm palpation lab Group B & C – Excel Exercise 2 Group B & C – Partial budget introduction	Synchronization program topics Transition Cow Risk Assessment (TCRA)
Day 3	Group A – Farm A Visit – TCRA Group B – Farm B Visit – TCRA	Summarize Farm A/B visit data – worktime
Day 4	Group B – On-farm palpation lab Group A – Excel Exercise 2 Group A – Partial budget introduction Group C – Partial budget work time	Final Prep for TCRA presentations TCRA Presentations
Day 5	Group C – On-farm palpation lab Group A & B – Partial budget work time	Parlor assessment approach – milking routines, procedure timing, teat scoring, machine testing
Week 2	AM Topics	PM Topics
Day 1	Group A – On-farm palpation lab Group B & C – Partial budget work time	Prepare for calf herd investigation
Day 2	Visit Calf Herd	Visit Calf Herd Calf investigation data analysis and report preparation
Day 3	Group B – On-farm palpation lab Group A & C – Partial budget work time	Final calf report preparation Calf investigation report and discussion
Day 4	Group C – On-farm palpation lab Group A & B – Partial budget work time	Abortion submission review lab – WVDL
Day 5	Present Partial Budgets	Feeds laboratory – sampling, visual evaluation, forage particle length, etc. at Charmany (by hay barn)

Dairy Skills III

- Third clinical rotation in Dairy Skills series. Prerequisite: Dairy Skills II
  Dairy Skills 3
  - Mar 30-Apr 10, 2026

Week 1	AM Topics	PM Topics
Day 1	Introduction and summarize schedule and course expectations Fresh cow diagnostics and treatment protocols Cow-side and herd based testing	Common drug indications and uses for adult cows
Day 2	Group 1 – Farm A Visit – Fresh Cow Pen Group 2 – Farm B Visit – Fresh Cow Pen	Group 1 – Farm A Visit – Fresh Cow Pen Group 2 – Farm B Visit – Fresh Cow Pen
Day 3	Group A – On-farm palpation lab Group B & C – Herd health data / AI tools	Work on fresh pen data and report
Day 4	Group B – On-farm palpation lab Group A & C – Herd health data / AI tools	Work on fresh pen data and report
Day 5	Group C – On-farm palpation lab Group A & B – Herd health data / AI tools	Fresh Cow Pen Presentations
Week 2	AM Topics	PM Topics
Day 1	Food Armor Training	Food Armor Training
Day 2	Group 1 – On-farm troubleshooting Group 2 – On-farm troubleshooting Group 3 – On-farm troubleshooting Group 4 – On-farm troubleshooting	Group 1 – On-farm troubleshooting Group 2 – On-farm troubleshooting Group 3 – On-farm troubleshooting Group 4 – On-farm troubleshooting
Day 3	Herd data analysis	Herd data analysis
Day 4	Farm Visit – Maternity Pen	Calf thoracic ultrasound: #WeanClean
Day 5	Herd data analysis	Present herd reports and summaries

Other Rotations

Other rotations

Calf Ultrasound June 2-6, 2025
Calf Ultrasound June 23-27, 2025
Artificial Intelligence June 9-20, 2025
Applied Epi Sep 15-26, 2025

Other Institutions

Iowa State University – Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine (VDPAM)

For more information contact:

Terry J. Engelken, DVM MS
Veterinary Diagnostics & Production Animal Medicine
1710 Veterinary Medicine
Iowa State University, College of Vet. Med.
Ames IA 50011-1250
Phone: 515-294-2192 (O)
Phone: 515-294-1072 (F)
e-mail: engelken@iastate.edu

Kansas State University

The Beef Cattle Institute

University of Minnesota

Cornell Summer Dairy Institute