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 are susceptible to heat stress during much of the summer. Dietary adjustments can help maintain nutrient intake and production.
As summer temperatures rise, dairy cows are at greater risk for heat stress. Heat stressed dairy cows suffer from reduced dry matter intake, leading to reduced milk production. Farmers may also see reduced fertility or loss of a pregnancy and increased metabolic and lameness issues. Combating heat stress in the herd requires an action plan to prevent heat stress and address heat stress-related issues.
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 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.
Topics include:
Paul M. Fricke, Professor of Dairy Sciences, gives a talk about Pregnancy Diagnosis in Dairy Cows using PAG Levels in Blood and Milk.
Kevin Herb, Becky Larson, Cheryl Skjolaas, John Shutske, and Jeff Nelson discuss what you need to know to keep yourself, your employees, and your livestock safe.
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.
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.
