Yes, cows are easily stressed. The issue with stress is the release of adrenaline, cortisol and other hormones. These hormones are needed for the fight-or-flight response but can also cause oxidative damage to cells – meaning they slow down and impair immune system function.

As we continue to improve on-farm efficiencies, it’s important to look at new areas of opportunities. One area needing review is manure management, specifically the process of converting manure solids, separated or not, into safe, high-quality bedding.

Editor’s note: This article is part two in a two-part series on what to look for during a calf pen walk-through. Part one: Indoor calf pen walk-throughs: What you need to look for. In the previous article, the focus was on looking at calves with some simple ways to identify a potential problem.

On December 11, 2012, Jeffrey Bewley and Joseph Taraba from the University of Kentucky led a webinar on the topic of compost bedded pack barns. Throughout the hour-and-a-half long presentation, the presenters covered different areas relating to this type of system, such as the benefits, design considerations and costs. “It’s important to recognize upfront that the management of the system is the most important part to its success,” Bewley, assistant professor in the Department of Animal and Food Sciences, says.

to jump to the article. Summary: The August 11th issue, with a topic of facilities and business planning, highlighted a bedded-pack barn in western Ohio that's providing optimal cow comfort. Producer Doug Boots joined forces with consultant Don Themm in Michigan to design a barn that keeps cows cool in the summer and warm in the winter with minimal labor. Because this article was so popular, we asked Boots a follow-up question: Q: Since the article appeared, has anyone visited your place to see the barn for themselves? What has been some of your advice? A: Since our farm was featured, we have received numerous inquiries about the facility. We received calls from interested dairymen from coast to coast. Many dairymen from the Grand Lakes St. Marys watershed area in Mercy County, Ohio, visited and expressed a real interest in the facility because they are experiencing enforcement of stricter government regulations regarding manure runoff. Many of the dairymen had freestall barns for their housing and were interested in the use of loose housing (manure pack) facilities.