200-plus pounds of milk each day from a single cow? Astounding! It’s all the more reason I often see the dairy cow as a living manufacturing plant, or a milk-making machine.
Stories like this underscore the continuous need to maintain preventive health protocols, in addition to optimizing nutrition. In a cow like Gigi, even the slightest health problem could negatively affect production for days or weeks.
Source: Dairy Herd Management, January 22, 2016.
A 20,000 pound (305 days) cow was a great goal just a few decades ago. On Wednesday, Holstein Association USA confirmed that the breed hit a new milestone with Bur-Wall Buckeye Gigi, who produced 74,650 pounds of milk with 2,126 pounds of fat and 2,142 pounds of protein.
INSIGHTS: Stories like this make great discussion starters for DVMs and sales representatives who service dairy clients. As VFD discussions take place, this article provides a perspective on the importance of maximizing production and correct inputs.