As 2018 comes to a close, I’ve been asked to write about “balancing cow comfort and the bottom line.” This has certainly been a year when the focus has needed to be on making sure your operation was in balance, and there have been enough curve balls to test it.

Have you done something stupid lately? I have. I went away for the weekend and not only left the back door unlocked, I left it wide open.

As you’re working to improve cow comfort on your dairy, keep in mind what’s comfortable for you is not always comfortable for your cows. Dairy cows experience mild levels of heat stress when the temperature index is as low as 72ºF (see Table 1).

By now, your crops are fully planted, and you’re into rounds of cutting hay. Summer is in full swing. Days and nights are continually getting warmer.

Top bedding can make or break cow comfort, cleanliness and milk quality, but the materials used to top stall surfaces are not created equally.

We’re finding more dairy farmers are looking for experts in specific areas of barn design rather than accepting a “one-size-fits-all” approach. The best builders coordinate these experts, ensuring the new building will not just look good in the photo taken on day one but will continue to provide a return on investment 30 years later.

You’ve done your research, and you are ready to make a change in your stalls. Maybe you’re changing from one mattress to another. Sand bedding to manure solids. Or maybe you’re switching from a deep bedding to dual waterbeds.

Your replacement heifers are your next generation of milking cows. Take care of them. With the intense focus on cow comfort, we all know that milking cows need comfortable barns, adequate space, appropriate nutrition and a watchful, attentive eye to ensure consistency and identify issues before they cause problems.

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?

If you’re thinking about making a few changes to your freestall bedding area, take an extra peek at some commonly overlooked areas to ensure you don’t miss something in the planning steps.