Cow Comfort: Focus On The Basics

Several studies have proven there is a positive relationship between cow comfort and milk quality and yield. The cow's environment is something the farm controls so make sure it's designed for optimum production. Below is a list of basic environmental factors that have been proven to impact production:

  Resting Time - Cows Should spend the majority of their day
    lying down resting to better utilize energy toward milk
    production. A minimum of 12 hours/day is recommended
    for lying time.

Research from the Miner institute has shown a cow produces up to four more pounds of milk/day for every  extra hour of lying time.

Feed and Water Access - Are cows wasting valuable resting
time standing around waiting to get to feed and water?
Adequate space is crucial to cow comfort in order to maximize
time spent resting.

People - Employees can be a source of fear or comfort to the
cows. When evaluating cow comfort pay attention to the type
of environment your employees are creating for your animals;
simple fixes in attitude and handling can make a difference
in production.