HOW DAIRY COW NUTRITION CAN HELP TO COOL YOUR HERD

HOW DAIRY COW NUTRITION CAN HELP TO COOL YOUR HERD

With summer drawing near, it is key to assist put together your dairy farm and cows for the rising temperatures and humidity tiers. Heat stress can seriously impact each production and replica in dairy cows. Despite the fact that great advances had been made in cow cooling, reduced feed consumption and milk yield nonetheless occur in the course of hot weather. Now could be the time to mitigate the consequences of heat stress with the aid of making plans heat abatement techniques earlier than temperatures boom.

The regular temperature of a dairy cow is 101.5°F. Whilst temperatures exceed about 77°F or whilst the temperature-humidity index exceeds 72°F, cows display symptoms of warmth pressure. Signs that cows are suffering the results of warm, humid climate include:
  • Body temperature exceeding 102.6°F
  • Panting extra than 80 breaths/minute
  • Decreased interest
  • Feed consumption reductions more than 10 to fifteen%
  • Milk yield decreased by means of 10 to 20% or more
Similarly, to adding greater heat abatement techniques like cow cooling or go back lane waters, specializing in nutrients can help restrict the reduction in milk manufacturing and feed intake visible in hotter months. Preparing your dairy herd via a valid nutrition strategy, which include a balanced ration, might also restriction the outcomes of warmth strain. A focus on potassium within the food regimen and adding buffers are two crucial nutrition elements to recall in the course of summer time months.

Energy consumption is directly associated with DMI, and sensible procedures to preserve DMI encompass extra frequent feeding, use of top notch forage, making sure that the food regimen is palatable, proper nutrient balance, and greater nutrient density. A reduction in feed consumption is common at some stage in warmness stress durations that can lead to a lower in rumination and saliva. Subclinical and acute rumen acidosis can occur when there may be decreased feed consumption. The addition of buffers to a dairy cow’s food plan can assist improve feed consumption and rumen performance with the aid of stabilizing

rumen acids. Due to the fact feed intake declines all through warm weather, ration nutrient density should increase to supply sufficient vitamins. Similarly, modifications in eating styles from day to night feeding occur with hot days and cooler nights. The fine of feed introduced for the duration of warm weather is of tremendous importance. Following advocated degrees of feed buffers is key to optimizing cow achievement. The endorsed inclusion price is up to 1 lb. of sodium bicarbonate or 1.5% of overall combined ration (TMR) dry count, or enough sodium bicarbonate to increase nutritional sodium to 0.8% as dietary cation-anion difference (DCAD) requires. Any other important element to do not forget is diets with extra fermentable carbohydrates need greater buffering.

Remember that each pound of dry be counted intake can be well worth 2 to three lb. of milk.
Mineral desires for cattle exchange at some point of hot weather. Cows sweat similar to other mammals, but their sweat includes a large quantity of potassium (k), in contrast to humans, whose sweat incorporates extra sodium (Na). Consequently, ok requirements boom throughout summer.
In instances of heat strain, potassium is vital in dairy farm animals’ diets. Potassium is the most not unusual mineral discovered in milk. However, within the summer season cows are susceptible to potassium deficiencies.

Because cows lose potassium via improved perspiration and urination it’s far critical to replace the lack of potassium by adjusting the diet.
A commonplace technique to improve nutritional power density in the course of warm climate is to reduce forage inside the ration and increase concentrates. The good judgment is that less fiber (less bulk) will encourage intake, whilst more concentrates boom the power density of the food regimen.
Growing a plan to stability the ration earlier than times of warmth pressure will assist make sure maximum production and productiveness on your herd. In the summer time, cows lose extra minerals thru sweating, urination, and saliva. The usage of buffers to assist stabilize rumen acids and adjusting the ration to account for the cow’s potassium discount ought to increase fats-corrected milk production.
Cows want an abundance of smooth, cool water. Water is closely related to overall performance, and cows devour 2 to 4 lb. of water for every pound of feed consumption and an additional 3 to five lb of water for each pound of milk produced.
Yeast cultures and fungal merchandise help to hold a strong rumen environment. Some have shown extra advantages all through warm climate. Higher protein use, solid rumen pH, and better fiber digestion are capacity advantages of those merchandise. One must depend on documented effects and no longer testimonials when thinking about those merchandise.
  • During hot climate some shape of cooling is important to reduce the reduction in consumption and to reap the desired reaction to nutritional modifications.
  • Plentiful drinking water is needed due to more consumption at some stage in hot weather.
  • Ration system may be used to minimize heat manufacturing ability of the weight-reduction plan thru using grains, fats, and awesome forage.
  • Adequate first rate fiber ought to be used to hold rumen function and cow health.
  • Ration power can be expanded via the usage of grains and other quite fermentable carbohydrates, and by the use of fats; acidosis is a capability problem to be averted.
  • Ration protein content and high-quality must be altered with heat strain. Excess degradable protein can have bad consequences on intake and efficiency.
  • Mineral content (mainly potassium, sodium, magnesium) ought to be accelerated. Other elements and vitamins need to be adjusted to offset decreased feed consumption.
  • Use components which have a verified motive and benefit for your herd scenario.
  • We are producing best quality Dasan dairy feed / Dasan Wanda using top quality feed ingredients and state-of-the-art technology. We are contributing in farmer trainings, animal welfare and sustainability of our planet, that are the major contributors of quality feed production leading to healthy food for our community on one side and prosperity of our farmers on the other side.