Articles
Dealing with Hot Weather in Grazing Systems
Even in Wisconsin, summer days can be hot enough to cause heat stress for cows. The thermo-neutral range for cattle, in which they do not need to expend energy to keep their body temperature stable, is about 41°F to 77°F. When the temperature is above 77°F, especially with high humidity, cattle can have reduced production, […]
Dairy Cattle Ration Management During Summer
Dairy cattle are susceptible to heat stress during much of the summer. Dietary adjustments can help maintain nutrient intake and production.
Using DHI Herd Summary Report to Assess Potential Impact of Heat Stress on a Dairy
Farmers enrolled in DHI receive several reports regarding herd performance. The Herd Summary Report (HSR) encompasses three main sections: Milk Production, Reproduction & Genetics, and Inventory. The milk production section has eight blocks—the focus related to heat stress will be on Blocks D, F, and G. The Reproduction & Genetics section has five blocks—the focus for heat stress will be on Block L.
Feeding the newborn calf
Feeding high-quality colostrum to the calf as soon as possible after birth is the most important thing you can do for calf health. It is especially important for dairy and beef x dairy calves destined to leave the farm at a young age to receive colostrum.
▶️ Watch: Industry sponsored webinars featuring UW-Extension and UW-Madison Faculty
Topics include:
- Confined Animal Feeding Operations: Why, What…Pros & Cons
- Diagnosing and Monitoring Ketosis in Dairy Herds
- Managing Pain in Youngstock-Wisconsin Public Televisions’s University Place Series
- Strategies for Nonpregnancy Diagnosis in Dairy Cows
- The Role of Nutrition in Reproduction
- Treatment and Prevention of Subclinical Hypocalcemia
- Using Drugs Responsibly on Dairy Farms
- What the Cows are Telling us About their Transition Needs
▶️ Watch: Pregnancy Diagnosis in Dairy Cows using PAG Levels in Blood and Milk
Paul M. Fricke, Professor of Dairy Sciences, gives a talk about Pregnancy Diagnosis in Dairy Cows using PAG Levels in Blood and Milk.
▶️ Watch: Making Sense of Modern Feed Tests
With changes taking place in feed testing in commercial labs, Randy Shaver & Luiz Ferraretto help make sense of what’s showing up on the reports that nutritionists and farmers are looking at.
▶️ Watch: Impact of Bedding Choice on Udder Health of Freestall Herds
UW-Extension Milk Quality Veterinarian Pam Ruegg shares in this UW-Extension Dairy Science Webinar series research findings associated with the recently published Impact of Bedding Choice on Udder Health Freestall Herds.
▶️ Watch: Update on the project for genomic selection for feed efficiency in dairy cows
In this presentation, Dr. Kent Weigel discusses genomic selection for feed efficiency in dairy cows.
▶ Watch: Considerations for Landspreading Milk-NPM & UW-Madison Extension
A four part video series covering:
- Where We Are and Why We Are Here: A Look at the Dairy Markets, Nutrient Availabilitym
- Agronomics and Water Quality Issues Associated with Landspreading Milk
- Applicable Wisconsin DATCP and DNR Rules and Regulations for Landspreading milk
- Managing Milk in Manure Storage, Handling and Treatment Systems
Deciding when a dairy cow starts her second career
Body condition is an important consideration when deciding when a dairy animal retires into her “second career”. Thin cows with poor condition are often discounted at sale barns, so evaluating which cows may be candidates for improving condition is an important consideration prior to shipping a cull cow to get the most value. It is also important to note that adding condition may be necessary for animal well-being prior to transport.
Field Drying Forage for Hay and Haylage
If we understand and use the biology and physics of forage drying properly, not only does the hay dry faster and have less chance of being rained on, but the total digestible nutrients (TDN) of the harvested forage are higher.
