While a surprise party might be fun for humans, unpredictability can get in the way of milk letdown and overall milking performance.

[Listen to this 3-minute podcast] Research has shown cows love using brushes. A study found that lactating cows were willing to push heavy gates to get access to an automatic rotating brush, indicating that having a brush was important to them.

Fresh cow diseases such as ketosis, milk fever, displaced abomasum, retained placenta, metritis, and mastitis have a huge impact on the overall health of an animal. In addition to the health of the animal there are other factors including lost milk production, longer days to cycle and get pregnant, plus the cost to treat these fresh cow diseases.

Early detection and treatment of sick cows are essential to minimize negative impacts.

The importance of the water and how by providing warm water for calves, especially in colder weather, can benefit rumen development, increase starter intake, and weight gain, and growth performance.

Dealing with a down cow can be frustrating, however with proper procedural practices in place, you will equip your team with the attitude and skillset to handle the situation.

This infographic will help you better understand if your dairy cattle are fit for transport.

Proper crowd gate functioning benefits both cows and dairy farm workers. For farm managers, effective staff training, regular crowd gate maintenance, and proper management are essential for ensuring successful crowd gate operation. While crowd gates help keep cows near the parlor entrance, it is crucial to avoid misusing them to promote positive animal welfare.

The Farmers Assuring Responsible Management (FARM) Animal Care program helps American dairy farms demonstrate their dedication to providing high quality animal care.

Mooving Cows™ is an educational game where you can practice moving cows around a dairy farm. Learn about cow behavior and practice basic cow handling skills to stay safe and keep cows calm.