Merck Launches Dry Cow Management Training Module
The new online course on dairy cow care at dry-off is the eleventh in Merck Animal Health's DAIRY CARE365 e-learning series.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Pet Health
Merck Animal Health has launched Dry Cow Management, an online training module in its DAIRY CARE365 series focused on cow care at dry-off and during the dry period. The module was developed with Lent Hill Dairy and Perry Veterinary Clinic.
Why it matters
Proper care during the dry period is critical because the cow is building reserves and preparing for birth and a new lactation. The module gives dairy producers and their staff a structured way to learn these practices.
The module consists of five lessons, each with a six- to eight-minute video led by Dr. Lowell Midla, and is the eleventh course in the DAIRY CARE365 series launched in 2012. Whether the training has measurably changed herd health results has not been reported.
The players
Merck Animal Health
The animal health division of the pharmaceutical company Merck, which develops veterinary products and training resources for livestock producers.
Lent Hill Dairy
A dairy operation in Cohocton, New York, that collaborated with Merck Animal Health in developing the Dry Cow Management module.
Perry Veterinary Clinic
A veterinary practice in Perry, New York, whose veterinarian Dr. Tom Wakefield serves as herd veterinarian for Lent Hill Dairy.
The details
Each lesson is followed by an interactive quiz testing specific learning objectives, and the module includes standard operating procedures and a certificate of completion. Merck Animal Health developed it with Lent Hill Dairy of Cohocton, New York, whose herd veterinarian is Dr. Tom Wakefield of Perry Veterinary Clinic.
Timeline
2012: Merck Animal Health launches the DAIRY CARE365 platform.
November 3, 2026: Merck announces the Dry Cow Management module.
Season Trajectory
The module extends Merck's DAIRY CARE365 series, begun in 2012, by adding its eleventh course on dry-cow care in the same lesson-and-quiz format. It continues a series-based approach to producer education rather than a standalone product launch.
Dairy producers and farm staff can complete the five-lesson module at their own pace and receive a certificate documenting the training. The quizzes and standard operating procedures give a practical checklist for dry-off routines.
The takeaway
Consistent dry-cow management prepares animals for calving and the next lactation, so structured training can help producers apply those routines reliably on their own farms.
Further reading
Explore more on Pet Health for related animal care coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Feedstuffs.
