Heifers

This past spring, we initiated a study at the Central Maryland Research and Education Center Clarksville Dairy farm to investigate the effects of improved grazing management on bred heifer performance. The objectives were to determine the effect of improved grazing management on heifer growth characteristics and first lactation performance, as well as the economic feasibility of a using a grazing system to mitigate costs associated with the replacement program.

The Maryland Milk Moos is a quarterly newsletter published by the University of Maryland Extension that is focused on dairy topics related to Nutrition and Production, Herd Management, and Forage Production.

There is no question that heat stress can negatively impact animal performance. Exposure to heat stress reduces daily gains, milk production, and reproductive efficiency, though specific impacts on production varies depending on the magnitude and duration of heat exposure. Prolonged exposure to heat stress is much more detrimental than short-term heat stress and its effects linger long after temperatures drop back below the heat stress threshold.

Winter cover crops can be a good forage source for dairy cattle. Harvesting in the early boot stage will generate a quality forage that can be incorporated into the lactating cow diet. Here we will compare the nutrient profile for various silages produced from winter annuals with the more traditional corn and alfalfa silages.

Topics include the cost of production, heifer benchmarks, fly control, and pasture management.

Recent research suggests numerous benefits to housing pre-weaned calves in small groups, such as improved starter grain intake and greater social flexibility.

While it has been demonstrated that feeding hay is not needed to support adequate rumen development before weaning, there are some occasions when feeding a small amount of forage before weaning can be beneficial.

Summer is here and with that comes, what sometimes seems, a never-ending battle with flies. Flies can pose a significant problem for all animals on the farm. Following a (usually much welcomed) bout of wet summer weather, fly populations sometimes seem to explode. There are three major types of flies with economic significance to the U.S. dairy industry: horn flies, face flies, and stable flies. Control measures vary somewhat depending on which type of fly is causing issues. Below are four steps you can take to help reduce the fly load for your animals.

Raising a replacement heifer to first calving is often the second or third largest expense on the dairy. Thus, it is important to fine-tune the heifer program to optimize heifer productivity and economic return. While the pre-weaned calf management program is a critical component of good heifer management, remember that management after weaning is also important.

Heat stress can have dramatic and lasting impacts on the performance of dairy cows, heifers, and calves.