December 21, 2022 | Volume 3, Issue 4
Greetings
As temperatures drop, keep a close eye on your animals housed outdoors. Be sure to check water troughs for ice at least once a day. Cattle will not break through ice to drink and can become dehydrated if water is inaccessible. Providing some type of shelter that can serve as a wind-break is also important during the winter, especially for younger animals.
If you haven’t already, don’t forget to sign up for the Dairy Margin Coverage Program. The deadline for 2023 enrollment has been extended to January 31, 2023. Visit your FSA office for additional details. A useful decision tool can be found at: https://dmc.dairymarkets.org/#/ to help determine the level of coverage that may be best for your farm.
We will be hosting two on-farm workshops in March, 2023 in Cecil and Washington Counties. These workshops will focus on animal care topics and are free. Additional details TBA.
In this issue, we focus on winter calf management strategies, body condition scoring, and tips for feeding hay in the winter. Please contact me if you have any comments, questions, or suggestions (sbpotts@umd.edu; 301-432-2767 ext. 324).
Wishing you all the best in the New Year!
Sarah Potts
Extension Specialist, Dairy & Beef
Winter Calf Management Strategies
By Jeff Semler Extension Educator, Washington County
As the temperatures drop, there is more to calf care than putting jackets on them. Winter is always a challenge to calf raisers. We want our animals to have plenty of fresh air, which means caregivers are also exposed to...Read more about Winter Calf Management Strategies
Body Condition Scoring is Important for Dairy Cattle, Too
By Sarah Potts, Ph.D. Extension Specialist, Dairy & Beef
You’ve probably heard it before: cows that are too fat or too thin will cause you problems. Body condition scoring can be used to subjectively assess the amount of external fat that an...Read more Body Condition Scoring is Important for Dairy Cattle, Too
By Amanda Grev, Ph.D. Extension Specialist, Pasture & Forages
When it comes to feeding hay during the winter, a variety of feeding strategies can be implemented. Hay can be fed in a confinement or field-based setting, with or without bale feeders, or by utilizing a strategy like...Read more about Winter Hay Feeding Strategies
Events and Announcements
- FSA Dairy Margin Coverage Program 2023 Signup Deadline - January 31st. Visit your FSA office or https://www.fsa.usda.gov/programs-and-services/dairy-margin-coverage-program/index for more details.
- Carroll County Mid-Winter Meeting - January 12th, 9 am-2 pm. Carroll County Ag Center - Burns Hall. 706 Agricultural Center Dr., Westminster, MD
- Southern Maryland Forage Conference - January 17th, 8 am. Calvert County Fairgrounds.
- Western Maryland Forage Conference - January 18th, 9 am. Garrett Community College.
- Central Maryland Forage Conference - January 19th, 9 am. New Midway Volunteer Fire Company.
- Cecil County Winter Agronomy Meeting - January 26th, 8:30 am. Calvert Grange Hall.
- Harford County Mid-Winter Agronomy Meeting - February 14th, 9 am. Deer Creek Overlook.
- Central Maryland Agronomy Meeting - February 22nd, 9 am. Urbana Volunteer Fire Hall.
- Save the Date! Dairy Animal Care Workshops (March 2023) - The program is free and runs 10:30 am - 1:45 pm. Visit go.umd.edu/dairy-workshops-2022 for more information and to register. Dates for the Smithsburg and Rising Sun Workshops in March 2023, TBD.
Maryland Milk Moos is a quarterly newsletter published by the University of Maryland Extension that is focused on dairy topics related to Nutrition and Production, Herd Management, and Forage Production. To view previous editions click here...
Comments and suggestions regarding the newsletter are always welcome. References to commercial products or trade names are made with the understanding that no discrimination is intended and no endorsement by the University of Maryland Extension is implied. Articles and photographs may be reprinted with permission.
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