Summer Heat Stress and Rye Grass Staggers

Summer Heat Stress and Rye Grass Staggers

As we move into Jan, Feb and March the hot days of summer will challenge our dairy cows. Changes to the diets can help manage the stresses of heat and humidity. When cows actually feel heat stress it’s a function of heat and humidity. In very dry conditions, 10% to...
End of calving pre mating

End of calving pre mating

A kind Autumn and early Spring has seen many farmers off to a great start. Right now, however, many have experienced a slight check with the change in grass quality and weather conditions. Speculating ‘why the dip’ can often be oversimplified, so why not eliminate the...
Transitioning Cows

Transitioning Cows

‘Transitioning’ a cow is something that happens throughout the whole season as feeds change and cow’s requirements change. The pre-calving transition period presents one of the most important opportunities to substantially affect the subsequent lactation, including...
Return on Summer Feeds

Return on Summer Feeds

From now the 12/02/2021 to end of May there are still 108 days and that still leaves 6 weeks rest when dry for the earliest calvers if calving in middle of July. 108 days at 1.5kgms is potentially 162kgms/cow and at $7.20 is $1,166/cow. For the average farm of 300...
Summer Heat Stress and Rye Grass Staggers

Heat Stress

Over the Xmas New Year period there have been some cases of significant challenge due to heat stress. On some farms this has resulted in a severe production drops. While ‘heat stress’ in the cow may not be that apparent to the untrained eye, or seem that bad,...