NEWS for North Dakotans
Agriculture Communication, North Dakota State University
7 Morrill Hall, Fargo, ND 58105-5665
May 11, 2000
Springtime changes in weather, environment, feed supply and scheduling can create situations that compromise dairy cow health, comfort and production. Periodic troubleshooting can keep herds on track, says a North Dakota State University dairy specialist.
"The demands of the typical dairy farm requires operators to stay organized seven days a week. Springtime, with the start of the cropping season, is exceptionally busy. Consequently, they get spread a little thin and sometimes problems develop in the cow herd due to oversight," says J.W. Schroeder of the NDSU Extension Service.
Troubleshooting problems on the farm is a combination of observation, listening, information collecting, data calculation and integration, Schroeder says. The key is to obtain enough accurate information to allow correct evaluations to be made.
"Your challenge is to ask the right questions, write down your observations and think through possible solutions," he says. "Your veterinarian, feed supplier and extension agent can also provide invaluable assistance in solving problems."
A number of potential springtime problems may be related to nutrition. For example, dirty feed bunks, too much grain, too little forage and moldy feeds can reduce feed intake. Likewise, not enough grain, protein or energy can depress milk production. Other factors can affect milk protein, milkfat or bring on ketosis.
The accompanying table offers other troubleshooting tips.
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Source: J.W. Schroeder (701) 231-7663
Editor: Tom Jirik (701) 231-9629
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