As the summer heat continues, dairy farmers work to reduce heat stress on their cattle

The summer heat is upon us. As many readers are aware, we can monitor and anticipate changes to the dairy herd when the temperature-humidity index (THI) begins to climb above the comfort zone of 68

Dairy farmers invest a considerable amount of money and effort in fans, sprinklers, shade, and other animal-cooling methods in order to avoid the reduced productivity and well-being that comes from heat...

During the summer months, cow cooling becomes fundamental to animal care

As I watch the current marketing and other information on the modern world of cow cooling, I look back and smile at how we got here

For decades, dairy producers have recognized the struggle their herds experience through the summer months. Heat stress has been known to negatively impact milk yield as much as 40% if the heat and humidity

A growing number of research studies show that heat stress during the dry period impacts milk production in the subsequent lactation, and not in a good way

It takes a lot of hours and manpower to run a dairy farm. It also takes a lot of energy

Late gestation is one of the critical points of pregnancy when any positive or negative event that occurs can cause long-term effects on the fetus after birth

This summer was Earth’s hottest on record. For dairy cattle around the world and the farmers that take care of them, that heat made producing high-quality milk more challenging

The very best way to determine if your heat abatement tools are working is to ask the cows. During an Iowa State University Extension webinar, Jennifer Van Os shared signs that help evaluate the effectiveness...

August is always a difficult month for a dairy cow. In my experience, heat stress seems to have some cumulative risk for cows

The days are already getting a little shorter as we enter this late summer stretch, but for many across the United States, the temperatures are showing no hint of fall

Last week, Wisconsin experienced some pretty high temperatures that seem to be sticking around. I heard the phrase, “You should be used to the heat since you’re from the south,” multiple...

The calendar says it is officially summer, and temperatures in many parts of the country are heating up

Certain signs of heat stress are relatively easy to notice by simply looking around the barn – rapid breathing or panting, cows bunching, and reduced feed intake, for instance

The best time to strategize about heat stress mitigation is early spring when there is still some frost on the ground in the mornings

A common misconception is that calves don’t experience heat stress. They are more tolerant of heat than other age groups of cattle but can still experience heat stress losses from in utero