HERD HEALTH

It’s no secret the first few weeks after calving are critical for both the calf and its dam. Experience and research demonstrate this time and time again.

Talking about cow comfort involves listening to and understanding numerous opinions on this issue. Nevertheless, what is real cow comfort? How can it be judged? In addition, maybe even more importantly, how can it contribute to profitable dairy farming?

Top bedding can make or break cow comfort, cleanliness and milk quality, but the materials used to top stall surfaces are not created equally.

When I am traveling in Canada, I see a lot of nice barns that have been built; I see how the farmers focus on their cows to get the best out of them. As a foreigner, I see many good things in the Canadian way.

Summer is upon us. It is time to think about and be prepared for the stress that will live in our dairy herds in the coming months.

Heat stress reduces on-farm profits. Short-term impacts of heat stress can be easily measured by tracking milk shipments during and after a bout of excessive heat. During these periods, milk losses can reach up to 10 to 20 percent.