We use cookies to provide you with a better experience. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies in accordance with our Cookie Policy.
As summer heats up, water becomes the number-one topic of conversation. The lack or abundance thereof is critical to farms and dairies alike and is particularly important when considering intake in relation to milk production.
While the first 85ºF day is a blessed event for beachgoers and sunbathers, it is equally unwelcome in the dairy production sector. From parlors and pens to fields and farms, heat stress is a major challenge for cattle and the people who work with them. This stress tends to be exacerbated when we see high temperatures dragging on for upwards of five consecutive months.
Warmer weather is nearly here, and with it comes high temperatures, high humidity and increased chances of heat stress. According to a 2019 Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research study, the U.S. dairy industry experiences $1.5 billion in losses to heat stress annually.
As we move into the new year, many take stock of goals, growth areas and opportunities for improvement across their dairy operations. In some cases, that includes making smart investments that leave a small financial footprint but have wide-ranging impacts throughout your dairy.
When discussing calf barn ventilation, invariably the topic of using four air exchanges per hour for cold-weather ventilation will come up. After all, we wouldn’t want “too much” of that cold air in the barn. Or would we?
High-pressure fogging (HPF) systems are not new to the dairy industry, but there are a lot of misconceptions and a lack of information when it comes to the proper application.
It is estimated that in the U.S., environmental heat stress in cows costs the dairy industry more than $1.5 billion annually due to decreased milk production, impaired reproductive performance, increased rates of illness and shortened life spans. But what effects does heat stress in pregnant cows have on the productivity and health of their female offspring in the future, and how much might this affect dairy producers’ costs?
The heat and humidity of a typical Arkansas summer combine to make a stressful environment for lactating dairy cows. During hot summer weather, milk production may decrease by as much as 50% and reproductive proficiency of lactating dairy cows is greatly diminished.
RSS
