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.
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