For a long time now, I’ve been telling audiences that farmers don’t retire, they just re-invent themselves. Each generation wants a comfortable lifestyle.

The founders’ roles change when they work to let go of the management and ownership reins. Sometimes they are still holding on far too long and just won’t get off their high horse of “needing to be in control.”

Once cows were free animals that lived in groups and could decide when to stand up, when to walk and when to rest.

When resting, they of course chose quiet, ventilated spots that were soft and clean. Now dairy cows have a strict daily routine, mainly based on the rhythm of milking.

Cow comfort plays a critical role in your herd’s reproductive management. Comfortable cows are less stressed, making them healthier, which drives up pregnancy rates.

That’s why when you focus on cow comfort, your returns are more than just happier cows … Comfortable cows are profitable cows.

As herd sizes grow larger, it becomes increasingly more difficult to keep tabs on what is happening with each and every cow. But even a herd of one would struggle to know what is happening inside that cow.