Cows

This goal of this pilot study was to examine the effect of making moderate improvements to pasture management on dairy heifer performance. Producers looking to improve grazing systems on their farm should begin by exploring simple management changes such as fertilizer application and the implementation (or increased intensity) of rotational grazing practices. Incorporation of an annual forage into the grazing system may also help improve performance by offsetting the reduced summer growth (i.e. summer slump) in perennial pastures and mitigating palatability and forage intake issues associated with endophyte-infected fescue pastures during the summer.

The Maryland Milk Moos (March 10, 2022, Vol. 3, Issue 1) 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.

Information on the detection, the causes, and the approaches to reduce subclinical mastitis.

Many dairy producers grew up during a time when all heifer calves born on the farm were retained and reared as replacement candidates. However, improvements in pre-weaned calf management, heifer nutrition, and reproductive management have enabled dairy producers to maintain herd size while raising fewer replacements.

Whether you are a dairy producer or a beef producer, raise your animals on pasture or in confinement, or prefer crossbreds to purebreds, at the end of the day, a bovine is a bovine. Regardless of your goals or operation size, calving is a universal process and its physiology is essentially the same for all bovines. Understanding the physiology of calving can help you better understand when and if intervention is necessary to ensure the health and wellbeing of your cows and calves.

The 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.

There is no question that heat stress can negatively impact animal performance. Exposure to heat stress reduces daily gains, milk production, and reproductive efficiency, though specific impacts on production varies depending on the magnitude and duration of heat exposure. Prolonged exposure to heat stress is much more detrimental than short-term heat stress and its effects linger long after temperatures drop back below the heat stress threshold.

Winter cover crops can be a good forage source for dairy cattle. Harvesting in the early boot stage will generate a quality forage that can be incorporated into the lactating cow diet. Here we will compare the nutrient profile for various silages produced from winter annuals with the more traditional corn and alfalfa silages.

How many animals will my pasture support? This is a common question, especially for the first-time livestock producer. Unfortunately, it is a complex and often difficult question to be answered.

Topics include the cost of production, heifer benchmarks, fly control, and pasture management.