The transition dairy cow continues to be somewhat of an unsolved mystery. We continue to learn that how cows are fed, handled and managed during the three weeks before through three weeks after calving can have a definite influence on production, health and reproductive performance. We know that reproductive performance can be directly influenced by metabolic disorders, early lactation performance and nutrition. The dairy is responsible for helping transition cows navigate a myriad of challenges leading up to calving through the initial weeks in the milking herd. And when properly handled, the returns in production, health and breeding pen performance can be great.

There’s an old saying, “A mule is as good as a horse, till you need a horse.” Or, of course, the revorse! I saw a photo in the newspaper of a man standing in the surf trying to throw a rope around the tail of a beached baby humpback whale. My first thought was, “A marine mammal biologist is as good as a cowboy, till you need a cowboy.”

Feed efficiency can be defined as the amount of milk produced per unit of feed intake during a normal lactation, and will be affected by bodyweight changes and environmental factors (e.g. heat stress).

The oldest family farm in the U.S. will be sold. The Tuttle family has owned the farm in Dover, New Hampshire, for nearly 400 years. The news article appeared in many national press newspapers including the New York Times (published Aug. 1, 2010). The agricultural and naturalist writer Merlyn Klinkenborg wrote of the sale in his weekly column.

You already know that managing your herd to produce more milk per cow can make you more money. But did you know that it is also an excellent way to decrease the carbon footprint of your dairy? The bottom line (when it comes to the environment) is that using fewer resources to produce more milk will improve your herd’s carbon footprint.

I have often made the statement, “the more feed an early lactation cow eats, the more milk she can produce and the more profit she can potentially make for her owner.” This statement emphasizes the importance of managing dairy cows to optimize feed intake, especially in early lactation and during the pre-fresh period. Why is this?

Dairies have been adopting new technologies for generations. Our grandparents or great-grandparents may have been among the first in the area to use a milking machine or A.I. Can you imagine dairying today without bulk tanks and refrigeration, or automatic waterers? Now, robotic milkers and computerized calf feeding systems are becoming common. Makes you wonder what tools the next generation of progressive dairies will use. Which brings us to some critical questions: How do you, as a dairy manager, decide which technologies are right for your operation? Do you go with something that has the most enticing advertising? Or the one recently purchased by the most innovative dairy you know?