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Moving Beyond Basics: Dairy Nutrition and Diet Formulation

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Moving Beyond Basics: Dairy Nutrition and Diet Formulation

This course is part of Dairy Nutrition for Udder Success Specialization

Instructors: Phil Cardoso, DVM, MS, PhD

1,641 already enrolled

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4 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

17 reviews

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.

17 reviews

1 week to complete

at 10 hours a week

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

What you'll learn

Analyze feeding strategies to optimize dairy cow, calf, and heifer health and productivity.
Evaluate key nutritional markers and formulate balanced diets for dairy cattle.
Apply colostrum management and nutrient interactions to enhance cow and calf health.

Skills you'll gain

Details to know

Shareable certificate

Add to your LinkedIn profile

Assessments

6 assignments

Taught in English

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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.

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Earn a shareable career certificate

There are 4 modules in this course

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.

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.

What's included

20 videos5 readings2 assignments1 discussion prompt

20 videos Total 127 minutes

Course Overview 2 minutes
Instructor Introduction - Phil Cardoso 1 minute
Instructor Introduction - James K Drackley 1 minute
Module 1 | Overview 1 minute
Energy 16 minutes
Carbohydrates 8 minutes
Lipids 4 minutes
Protein & Amino Acids 3 minutes
Macrominerals 9 minutes
Macrominerals | Strong Ions 8 minutes
Microminerals 11 minutes
Vitamins 6 minutes
Water 6 minutes
Requirements 11 minutes
Additives 6 minutes
Dry Matter 5 minutes
Dry Matter Intake 9 minutes
Physical Appearance 4 minutes
Key Changes from NRC 2001 to NASEM 2021 14 minutes
Module 1 | Conclusion 2 minutes

5 readings Total 26 minutes

Syllabus 5 minutes
Learn More About Flexible Pathways 3 minutes
Updating Your Profile 3 minutes
Are your cows drinking enough water? 10 minutes
Defining physically effective fiber (peNDF) in your cow’s diet 5 minutes

2 assignments Total 45 minutes

Module 1 | Knowledge Check 30 minutes
Orientation Quiz 15 minutes

1 discussion prompt Total 5 minutes

Getting to Know Your Classmates 5 minutes

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.

What's included

11 videos2 readings1 assignment

11 videos Total 62 minutes

Module 2 | Overview 2 minutes
Why Colostrum is Critical | Refractometer 6 minutes
Quickly, Quantity, Quality, and Cleanliness 5 minutes
Whole Milk | Calf Drinking from Bottle 6 minutes
Milk Replacers | Mixing Milk Replacer 6 minutes
Calf starter and Rumen Development 6 minutes
Limited use of Forage 3 minutes
Heifer Growth Principles 6 minutes
Heifer Grouping and Rations 6 minutes
Calf Nutrition: Past and Future 13 minutes
Module 2 | Conclusion 3 minutes

2 readings Total 20 minutes

Feeding for Calf Growth, Even in the Winter 10 minutes
Economic Comparison of Conventional vs. Intensive Heifer Rearing 10 minutes

1 assignment Total 30 minutes

Module 2 | Knowledge Check 30 minutes

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.

What's included

18 videos4 readings1 assignment

18 videos Total 108 minutes

Module 3 | Overview 3 minutes
DMI | Maximize while Controlling Nutrients and Energy Intake 7 minutes
Energy Requirements 3 minutes
Protein and Amino Acids 9 minutes
Starch 7 minutes
Fiber 7 minutes
Minerals 8 minutes
Sorting 4 minutes
Total Mix Rations 1 minute
Fresh Pens and Body Condition Scores 3 minutes
Additives 4 minutes
Impact of the Transition Period on Cow Health 9 minutes
Impact of the Transition Period on Reproduction 6 minutes
Protein Mobilization 7 minutes
Metabolic Disorders and Fertility 12 minutes
Nutrition strategies During the Transition Period 6 minutes
Global Solutions for the Transition Period 12 minutes
Module 3 | Conclusion 2 minutes

4 readings Total 40 minutes

Ten steps for a successful transition period: Part 1 10 minutes
Biology of Dairy Cows During the Transition Period 10 minutes
Ten steps for a successful transition period: Part 2 10 minutes
Learners Guide Case study: Should we blame the nutritionist? 10 minutes

1 assignment Total 30 minutes

Module 3 | Knowledge Check 30 minutes

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!

What's included

25 videos8 readings2 assignments

25 videos Total 129 minutes

Module 4 | Overview 1 minute
The 4 Rations in the Farm 4 minutes
Models 5 minutes
Barn Description 5 minutes
Cow Description 4 minutes
Feed Inputs 2 minutes
Feed Mix 2 minutes
Feed Delivery | Mixers 3 minutes
Keep the Goal in Mind | Least Cost Optimization 4 minutes
Predicted Dry Matter Intake 8 minutes
Predicted Milk Output 5 minutes
Grouping Strategies 8 minutes
Group Prepartum 7 minutes
Dairy Eefficiency Calculator 5 minutes
Printing the Diet Report 3 minutes
Introduction to Dairy Formulation Software AMTS 9 minutes
Walking the Cows 6 minutes
Manure Evaluation 5 minutes
Body Condition Score and Manure - Field Evalation 2 minutes
Case study | Bad vs Good Forage in a Lactation Cow Diet 4 minutes
Case study | High vs Low K in a Dry Cow Diet 4 minutes
Opportunities & Mistakes in Formulating Dairy Diets 12 minutes
Addressing Feeding Variations 17 minutes
Module 4 | Conclusion 2 minutes
Course Summary 2 minutes

8 readings Total 31 minutes

Dairy Cow Comfort | Free-Stall Dimensions 5 minutes
Wheat Straw in Dry Cow Diets | A Dairy Tech Tour Experience 5 minutes
Learners Guide | Bad vs Good Forage in a Lactation Cow Diet 3 minutes
Learners Guide | High vs Low K in a Dry Cow Diet 3 minutes
Lessons Learned from the 2023 Illinois Dairy Technology Tour 5 minutes
Congratulations! 2 minutes
Stack Your Course Certificate toward Graduate Coursework 3 minutes
Getting Your Course Certificate 5 minutes

2 assignments Total 110 minutes

Module 4 | Knowledge Check 20 minutes
Final Assessment 90 minutes

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Instructors

Instructor ratings

(7 ratings)

Phil Cardoso, DVM, MS, PhD

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

2 Courses 2,349 learners

Offered by

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

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Reviewed on May 7, 2025

Excellent course for working nutrition professionals

Reviewed on Dec 14, 2024

I enjoyed it, found it very helpful and interesting, and learned a lot. I was looking forward to each new video.

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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.