July 4 2024
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
June 27 2024
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...
June 24 2024
During the summer months, cow cooling becomes fundamental to animal care
June 20 2024
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
June 4 2024
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
April 18 2024
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
March 22 2024
It takes a lot of hours and manpower to run a dairy farm. It also takes a lot of energy
March 18 2024
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
Nov. 9 2023
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
Aug. 24 2023
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...
Aug. 21 2023
August is always a difficult month for a dairy cow. In my experience, heat stress seems to have some cumulative risk for cows
Aug. 17 2023
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
Aug. 7 2023
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...
June 22 2023
The calendar says it is officially summer, and temperatures in many parts of the country are heating up
Aug. 8 2022
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
July 21 2022
The best time to strategize about heat stress mitigation is early spring when there is still some frost on the ground in the mornings
June 7 2021
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
June 3 2021
Uncooled dry cows have lower milk production throughout their lactation, found a University of Florida study, but that’s not all
May 27 2021
As the hot summer months continue on, it is important to revisit the topic of heat stress
Sept. 3 2020
Nearly every year we have had severe heat stress within our dry cow group. This happened for the most part because they were used to living life