Seeking what might be called the holy grail of dairy production, researchers at Cornell University recently completed a study to evaluate whether supplemental oxytocin at the first milking could improve colostrum volume, quality, or both. They found:
- First-calf heifers responded favorably to the highest dose of oxytocin
- Generally, multiparous cows did not show the same production response to oxytocin but the researchers noted some exceptions
- In terms of quality, oxytocin use had no influence on IgG levels in either first-calf or multiparous cows.
Source: Dairy Herd Management, May 5, 2025. Link.
Image: Link.