dairy cattle – EDIS Update

How Are Cows Cooled on Dairy Farms in Florida?

While hot and humid conditions cause grief for dairy producers, additional impacts of heat and humidity on the dairy cow are sometimes overlooked. These conditions and their associated losses in productivity pose a growing concern to dairy producers, as more frequent and severe fluctuations in temperature, precipitation, and droughts are predicted to occur in the United States. This new 4-page document discusses heat stress in the dairy industry, the Florida dairy heat stress abatement survey, and heat stress abatement for lactating cows, dry cows, and dairy calves. Written by Bethany Dado-Senn, Geoffrey E. Dahl, and Jimena Laporta, and published by the UF/IFAS Department of Animal Sciences, April 2019.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/an355

Economic Selection Indices: The Best Tool for Dairy Cattle Selection

An economic selection index combines multiple traits into a single value, facilitating the identification of the best animals. This new 3-page document discusses economic selection indices, their changes in the US, and a 2018 update. Written by Francisco Peñagaricano, and published by the UF/IFAS Department of Animal Sciences, March 2019.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/an353

The Value of Milk Fat

In the Southeast, milk is priced based on fat and skim milk value, with additional bonuses for somatic cell and bacterial counts. In recent years, butterfat has become more valuable. This 7-page document discusses some of the history behind the changes in milk fat consumption, management factors that influence milk fat content and yield by dairy cattle, and economic implications of changing fat content through the diet in two case scenarios. Written by José E. P. Santos and Albert De Vries, and published by the UF/IFAS Department of Animal Sciences, January 2019.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/an350

Common Hazards to Consider During Manufacturing of Feed for Beef and Dairy Cattle

This 6-page document provides a list of common hazards to consider in the manufacturing of cattle feeds. It discusses the importance of preventing hazards, methods of prevention, and common physical, biological, and chemical hazards. Written by Taylor Langford, Matthew Hersom, Luiz Ferraretto, Antonio Faciola, Chad Carr, and Jason Scheffler, and published by the UF/IFAS Department of Animal Sciences, March 2018.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/an343