What are the common characteristics of top-producing herds that best the competition?
Karen Luchterhand, PhD, C.O.W.S.® program manager for Novus International, Inc., shared her thoughts on the subject at the 2023 World Dairy Expo. Her observations were based on data from herds in the Midwest and Northeast collected via the NOVUS C.O.W.S. program, which utilizes individual-farm information – more than 600 data entry points per farm -- to guide management adjustments for herd improvement.
The C.O.W.S. database ranks herds by both milk production and combined fat and protein per cow. Luchterhand said those that are getting the most from their cows tend to:
- Milk 3 times per day.
- Prioritize heat-stress abatement by investing in mechanical ventilation, misters, soakers, and sprinklers to help assure a steady climate for cows year-around.
- Feed more than once per day.
- Utilize headlocks as a feed barrier to ensure more consistent feed access and consumption from cow-to-cow.
- Focus on stall management for cleaner, more comfortable cows that rest more easily.
- Manage time budgets so cows are away from their home pen only 3.5 hours or less.
- Dial in on nutrition, by balancing for amino acids; ensuring 24-hour feed availability; and feeding not only for production and stage of lactation, but also according to parity to accommodate specific needs of each stage of life.
Luchterhand noted all of the top-10 component herds in a recent C.O.W.S. assessment were Holstein-based.
