Dairy cows are very susceptible to heat stress and will adapt by reducing their milk production. Only half of that milk reduction is explained by a lower dry matter intake; other metabolic changes are involved, including a shift in the use of glucose by the mammary gland to other tissues, reducing its availability for milk production, a reduction in rumination and nutrient absorption, and an increase in maintenance needs to dissipate heat.

With monthly milk production reports suggesting weaker growth in milk per cow, the USDA’s latest World Ag Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report made further cuts to 2017-18 U.S. milk production forecasts. However, less production didn’t translate into a more optimistic outlook for farmer milk prices.

Compost-bedded pack barns are an alternative to traditional freestall barns, typically offering additional space for roaming and lying down for lactating, dry and special-needs cows.

Today’s technology is offering ways to enhance cow comfort using labor-saving robots, automated equipment and computerized health monitoring systems. With such a wide array of options available, selecting those that fit the individual needs of your dairy can be challenging.

We all need a good back scratch every once in a while, and cows are no different. In their natural environment, cows will rub up against trees and bushes. Around the farm, they will use other objects like walls, water troughs and fences.

Do you remember the last time you banged your head on something? Think of a time when you really gave it a whack. What was it?Where were you?

Here in Wisconsin, some farms are now falling under the jurisdiction of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) in regards to workplace safety, and I hear a large amount of pushback from my peers about how we as farmers don’t want and cannot afford more government regulation.

Producers should consider maternity care, dry cow health, overstocking and social stressors when looking for ways to improve cow comfort.

With thousands of robots in place on North American dairies, barn layouts and designs are becoming more diverse. The key to robot success is for the producer to be passionate about the barn layout and make sure the design fits the goals of the dairy.

We’re lying on the couch, watching Netflix. My girlfriend rests her hand on my belly. I shift on my side so her hand slides off. She puts her hand back on my stomach. I browse through the movies, reading the descriptions below the titles. She rubs my belly and sighs.