This specialization from the University of Illinois offers a comprehensive journey through dairy nutrition, cow health, and milk quality. Across six expert-led courses, learners will explore forage and feed fundamentals, diet formulation, cow wellness, artificial intelligence in dairy management, milk composition, and dairy economics. Designed for nutritionists, veterinarians, producers, and life-long learners, this program delivers practical insights and science-based strategies to optimize dairy herd performance and profitability.
Dairy Nutrition for Udder Success Specialization
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Dairy Nutrition for Udder Success Specialization
Dairy Nutrition for Udder Success. Advance dairy nutrition, health, & milk quality with science-based strategies & modern technology
Instructors: Phil Cardoso, DVM, MS, PhD
Included with 
Get in-depth knowledge of a subject
Intermediate level
Recommended experience
2 months at 10 hours a week
Flexible schedule
Earn a career credential
Share your expertise with employers
Get in-depth knowledge of a subject
Intermediate level
Recommended experience
2 months at 10 hours a week
Flexible schedule
Earn a career credential
Share your expertise with employers
What you'll learn
Formulate dairy rations using forage and feed analysis
Apply nutrition strategies to improve cow health and milk quality
Use AI tools to optimize dairy herd management
Analyze milk composition and economics to maximize profitability
Overview
Skills you'll gain
- Health Assessment
- Health Systems
- Environment
- Maternal Health
- Nutrition and Diet
- Molecular, Cellular, and Microbiology
- Market Dynamics
- Food and Beverage
- Infectious Diseases
- Operating Cost
- Food Safety and Sanitation
- Water Resources
- Behavioral Economics
- Consumer Behaviour
- Production Management
- Machine Learning
- Molecular Biology
- Business Economics
- Manufacturing and Production
- Predictive Analytics
What’s included
Shareable certificate
Add to your LinkedIn profile
Taught in English
Recently updated!
August 2025
36 practice exercises
Advance your subject-matter expertise
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- Earn a career certificate from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Specialization - 6 course series
What you'll learn
Identify the most common feedstuffs based on physical appearance and chemical analysis and understand their role in a typical dairy ration.
Describe the basics of forage growth, harvest, insulation, and storage connecting these principles to dairy nutrition.
Compare common cereal grains and oilseed meals used in dairy rations and understand key factors driving the economic value of feedstuffs.
Describe common feed processing techniques and the nutritional value of resulting byproducts incorporated in dairy rations.
Skills you'll gain
Category: Nutrition and Diet
Category: Food and Beverage
Category: Nutrition Education
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
Category: Nutrition and Diet
Category: Mathematical Modeling
Category: Nutrition Education
Category: Data Management
Category: Clinical Nutrition
Category: Food Quality Assurance And Control
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
Category: Nutrition and Diet
Category: Molecular Biology
Category: Systems Analysis
Category: Health Assessment
Category: Biology
Category: Laboratory Testing
Category: Biochemistry
Category: Clinical Nutrition
What you'll learn
Discover how AI technologies like IoT and data analytics can boost efficiency and productivity in dairy farming.
Learn to identify, collect, and manage dairy farming data using modern tools and software.
Gain the ability to use machine learning algorithms to analyze dairy farming data and enhance farming practices.
Skills you'll gain
Category: Artificial Intelligence
Category: Predictive Analytics
Category: Decision Support Systems
Category: Data Collection
Category: Internet Of Things
Category: Data Management
Category: Data Analysis
Category: Data-Driven Decision-Making
Category: Machine Learning
Category: Emerging Technologies
Category: Nutrition and Diet
Category: Health Assessment
What you'll learn
Understand mammary gland anatomy and development stages.
Analyze milk composition and its nutritional variations.
Evaluate mastitis prevention strategies and treatments.
Skills you'll gain
Category: Nutrition and Diet
Category: Child Health
Category: Anatomy
Category: Nutrition Education
Category: Biochemistry
Category: Preventative Care
Category: Maternal Health
Category: Biology
Category: Molecular, Cellular, and Microbiology
What you'll learn
Describe the immune mechanisms involved in intramammary infections.
Analyze the economic impact of mastitis and evaluate treatment decisions using decision trees and cost models.
Apply diagnostic tools such as somatic cell counts and on-farm culturing.
Identify common mastitis-causing pathogens and their characteristics.
Skills you'll gain
Category: Cost Management
Category: Microbiology
Category: Infectious Diseases
Category: Cost Benefit Analysis
Category: Medical Laboratory
Category: Expense Management
Category: Laboratory Testing
Category: Data-Driven Decision-Making
Category: Business Metrics
Category: Preventative Care
Earn a career certificate
Add this credential to your LinkedIn profile, resume, or CV. Share it on social media and in your performance review.
Instructors
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Frequently asked questions
This specialization consists of six 4-week courses. Each week may take approximately 2 hours.
No, you do not need to take the courses in a specific order.
Although completion of the Coursera Specialization alone is not credit-bearing, each course within the Specialization 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 Specialization can be applied toward a formal academic program, provided that you meet all the requirements of admission to the certificate or degree. Learn more about the Land, Agriculture and Alternative Investing Certificate.
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Financial aid available,