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When given access to drinking water, lactating dairy cows can handle iron (Fe) concentrations of up to 4 parts per million (ppm) without decreasing the amount of water they consume, according to results of a recent study entitled, “Preference and drinking behavior of lactating dairy cows offered water with different concentrations, valences and sources of iron.”
Lactating dairy cattle require large amounts of water to produce milk. Though water is one of the most important nutrients for dairy cattle, water quality is often overlooked.
Water, other than providing hydration, can also supply minerals vital for bovine health. Mineral composition can vary in water based on region and water source.
In light of the fact that dairy cattle can survive up to 60 days without food, yet barely a week if deprived of water, the importance of clean water sources on a dairy farm will come as no surprise.
The details of what it means to “have clean water,” however, may hold some surprises even for veteran farmers.
There is nothing more frustrating than persistent high bacteria counts. The CIP detectives were recently called to a 249-cow dairy in Wisconsin facing just this problem.
Having healthy, well-grown replacements capable of replacing those who "retire" from the dairy herd is a critical ingredient in the success of any dairy farm operation. Learn what is needed on farms and in the industry to prepare that next generation in this month's column from John Frey.
Click here for the column. PD
Cow comfort has always been top priority at Sugar Creek Farms LLC, says one of the owners, Mike Bruette. The New London, Wisconsin, operation has used sand bedding for its 1,200-head herd and made an effort to keep hooves dry and clean at all times.
“I think the sand bedding helps keep hooves dry and offers better footing in getting up and laying down,” Bruette says.
The dry cow, in my view, is the most important care element for the dairy herd. What happens to the dry cow in that period makes or breaks a fresh cow.
For those farms that trim cows at dry-off and take the time to inspect feet, I commend your proaction, but I wish to point out a few subtleties that may give pause for thought.
Dairy cows are most susceptible to infectious diseases, such as mastitis and metritis, during early lactation. All animals on a dairy are being exposed to micro-organisms every day; however, most of them do not become clinically diseased.
Blanket dry cow therapy, the intramammary treatment of all quarters of all cows in the herd with a long-acting antibiotic formulation at dry-off, is one of the practices recommended by the National Mastitis Council for mastitis control.
If you are a football fan, you know that a successful year on the gridiron starts with summer training camp. Conditioning your star players and preparing them to hold up for a long season is a must in order to make it to the Super Bowl.
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