“Cows should not spend more than four hours a day away from food, water and resting areas. The dairy producer gets four hours a day . . . the cows get the other 20,” espoused Gordie Jones, DVM, at the recent Western Dairy Management Conference in Reno, NV. He added, “Bottom line, if I can get your cow to go to bed for one extra hour with a full stomach, she will give 3.7 pounds more milk, on average,” he went on to say in reconfirming the importance of meeting the cow’s time budget.
Source: Hoard’s Dairyman, July 15, 2017.
In closing Jones rhetorically asked a question on behalf of the audience, “As herds get bigger, what rules still apply?.” His answer? “Number 1: Cow comfort is first, Number 2: Forage is still king.”
INSIGHTS: Cory Geiger provides a compelling summary to Dr. Jones guidance. Sales reps, veterinary teams and retail associates will benefit from discussing the content with producers. Consider posting this on social media, websites and blogs.