Building longevity in dairy herds doesn’t have a sure-fire formula, however, production, fertility and replacement rate using a cow-specific metric balanced against economic and management impact should influence culling decisions.
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Transition cows
Dairy producers, researcher weigh in on how to increase longevity
Production, fertility and replacement rate need to be balanced against economic factors for dairy farms
Canadian Dairy Xpo, DLG launch new American show
The American Dairy Xpo will be based near Burlington, Vermont
The American Dairy Xpo was recently launched by the Canadian Dairy Xpo and its new owner, DLG, from Germany. It will debut during the first week of November 2025 in Burlington, Vermont.
Managing older cows
There’s lots we don’t know about how to keep older dairy cows productive
Demand for beef from dairy cows and expensive replacement heifers mean there’s economic incentive to understand how dairy cows age.
Dry hay can help with dairy transition
Research finds hay can help in some conditions where cows already have acidosis or inflammation
Hay fed to dairy cows for a couple of days after calving can help those that have health issues. Cows are fed high starch diets at calving as they ramp up milk production, which helps manage ketosis and fatty liver, but it also increases risk of acidosis and inflammation. Why it matters: Providing hay post-calving […] Read more
AUDIO: New thinking on health of transition cows
There’s now more concern about fresh cow blood calcium levels after day four post-calving
New research on transition cows shows that dairy farmers should adjust traditional ways to manage post-calving calcium levels and ketosis. More than half of dairy cows in high managed herds go through the transition period to milking with at least one health problem. Recent research shows those problems lower the cow’s chance of success throughout […] Read more
Updated Dairy Code of Practice released
The updated Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Dairy Cattle is now available from the National Farm Animal Care Council (NFACC) and the Dairy Farmers of Canada (DFC). It replaces its predecessor, developed in 2009, effective April 1, 2024 (unless indicated otherwise in Requirements with a later phase-in date). The 2009 dairy […] Read more
Every detail counts at Nieuwenhof farm
At Nieuwenhof farm, the attention is on the details. This is particularly the case for dry cows which are housed in small groups at the farm at Sainte-Agnès-de-Dundee, QC. And it pays off. The farm recently produced two kilograms of fat per cow per day for four consecutive months. How many groups of cows do […] Read more
Experts challenge understanding of transition dairy cow health
Science Notes: Conditions previously thought as indicating poor health may actually be normal, advantageous
For dairy cows, the transition period — the time between a cow giving birth and beginning to produce milk — brings the greatest possibility of health problems. The current widespread belief is that the effects of excess nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA) in the bloodstream and the ensuing hyperketonemia during this period, coupled with low levels […] Read more
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