HERD HEALTH

Management practices and nutritional strategies during the transition period have a significant impact on the health and productivity of the dairy cow and, as a consequence, influence both the profitability and longevity of the herd.

A healthy dairy cow herd is paramount to the success of a productive dairy operation. To address and maintain strong herd health, a multitude of factors are to be considered.

There is a growing understanding that lame cows, once identified, should be treated as soon as possible. This can be difficult when producers rely on hoof trimmers, which may not be available on short notice.

As producers are looking to make improvements on their operations, cow cooling strategies have quickly become the main topic of discussion on most of my farm visits these days.

No one wants to see cows standing when they should be lying comfortably in their stalls, making milk and resting.

Bedding choice directly influences cow comfort, but the decision on which material to put underneath cows must consider several other factors, such as cost, availability, ease of handling, udder health, pathogen growth and more.