Dairy Notes (March)

Tip of the Month
Foot care needs to include preemptive practices to reduce incidence of lame cows.
- At least twice yearly, hooves should be examined and trimmed if needed. Routine hoof trimming corrects the claw angle so that weight is evenly distributed between the two claws of each foot. Cows should be evaluated and trimmed as needed around 80 to 120 days in milk and at dry off. Trimming only last 4-6 months.
- Minimize contact of hooves with manure through routine scraping of concrete surfaces.
- Footbaths are used 4 times weekly to prevent, not treat, hairy heel warts. Breeding age and older heifers should go through the footbath in addition to cows. Prevention starts with heifers!
Are You Competitive as a Dairy Manager?
One needs to objectively evaluate some key management-related areas which directly impact the financial bottom line. The top expense and controllable management-related categories on a dairy which directly impact the financial wellbeing and cow/heifer management should be reviewed.
Dairy Replacements - A Necessary, but Costly Investment
To best match heifer needs to those needed as replacements, one needs to estimate the number of heifers needed and then determine the best economic breeding program to rear an adequate, but not excessive, number of heifers.
Use Dairy Manure Nutrients Wisely
Understanding the fertilizer value of dairy manure and if you need additional nitrogen are important with current fertilizer prices.