For many years, the expectations for high milk production along with excellent herd health and reproductive performance were considered at odds with each other. It was believed you should not and could not expect to achieve high milk yields without compromising herd health and reproductive performance.

How cows are fed and managed through the transition period (generally accepted as the three weeks before and after calving) can determine how healthy, productive and profitable cows can be.

Like all well-run businesses, the management team of a well-run dairy operation will know and understand the key parameters that make them successful. When it comes to cow performance, these may include early postpartum health events, peak milk yield, total lactation milk yield, somatic cell count (SCC) and reproductive performance, just to name a few. To effectively manage these items, they must be measured.