“Any health challenge in early lactation is a concern,” says Trevor DeVries, PhD. He discusses the importance of space including:
- room to lie down
- feed bunk space of 30 inches per cow
- 120 to 150 square feet of bedding space
- water in multiple places with minimum of 4 inches of drinking space per cow
Source: Hoard’s Dairyman, March 17, 2022. Link. Any setbacks at the start of lactation put cows at risk for lower milk production, reduced reproductive efficiency, and potential culling.