See All Dairy
Find educational material about dairy cattle, including nutrition and feed management, health and care, reproduction, facilities and technology, and business management from Penn State Extension.
- Articles
Dairy Sense: The Value of Optimizing Heat Abatement
The short-term duration of hot weather can have long-term ramifications to total milk pounds for the year, components, reproduction, and milk income. - Articles
Restraint and Treatment Facilities for Dairy Animals
Dairy animals must periodically be isolated and restrained for vaccinations, breeding, and examinations. Well-designed restraint facilities promote good calf, heifer, and cow care. - Articles
Interpretation of Milk Urea Nitrogen (MUN) Values
MUN is a breakdown product of protein and it can be used to monitor protein status of cows. - Articles
Feed Inventory for the Dairy Herd: Planning for Shortages
This article is designed to assist the dairy producer in determining if on-farm forages will meet the herd's fiber, energy, and protein requirements. - Articles
Feed Management: Phosphorus Levels in Component-Fed Herds
Herds with lactating dairy cattle exceeding fecal phosphorus levels from 0.55 to 0.80% on a dry matter basis have opportunity for improvement. - Articles
Dairy Sense: Troubleshooting Low Milk Production
Experience has shown that there is normally not just one area that is causing low milk production or performance. It is usually multifaceted. - Articles
Don't Let Floor Resurfacing Slip Your Mind
Good footing is essential to the health and performance of dairy cattle, especially in areas of high traffic. - Articles
Dairy Sense: Small Grain Silage for the Lactating Herd
Double cropping corn silage acres with a small grain is a strategy that provides additional forage inventory and maintains cover on fields. - Articles
Dairy Sense: Sustainability of Component Fed Herds
According to the 2017 National Agricultural Statistics Service the average number of milking cows is 76. - Articles
Dairy Sense: Reviewing the DHIA 202 Sheet
Records and data are commonplace when operating a dairy. The Dairy Herd Information Association (DHIA) provides both a holistic and current overview of what is happening with the cows. - Articles
Dairy Sense: More Sugar, Please
Adding sugar to the ration can complement many diets and takes the pressure off starch as the only energy source used to maintain production and components. - Articles
Dairy Sense: Keeping the Dairy Right Sized
Regardless of the dairy's herd size, there is one key theme that applies to everyone, a land base that matches the number of cows and heifers in the herd. - Articles
Dairy Sense: Heat Stress Aftermath
Heat stress can impact animal performance weeks beyond the initial occurrence, lingering in the fresh cow period and ultimately affect overall production. - Articles
Dairy Sense: Getting Those Extra Pounds of Milk
Focus on the first 100 days of lactation to find and fix bottlenecks that are limiting milk production. - Articles
Dairy Sense: Getting Lost in the Minutiae
Trouble shooting herd problems can be very challenging and difficult. Take the big picture approach to solving problems. - Articles
Dairy Sense: Facing Financial Angst
A good record keeping system and chart of accounts goes a long way to empower producers to take the first step in learning their breakeven cost of production. - Tools and Apps
Colostrometer Adjustment Spreadsheet
Adjust readings from a colostrometer to provide the value expected if colostrum was tested at 68°F. - Articles
Reoccurring Themes of Manure Gas Deaths
Manure gas deaths keep occurring around the world. What can we do to make manure handling safer? - Articles
Soybeans for Dairy: Heat Treatment and Protein Fractions
This is the second article in a series that discusses the effects of soybean processing on the performance of dairy cattle. - Videos
Using a Colostrometer
Length 3:10Demonstration of using a colostrometer to estimate IgG content in colostrum. - Articles
Ventilation Systems, Efficiency, and Maintenance for Dairy Housing
Well-built and efficient fans and maintenace goes a long way in helping to achieve ventilation needs while keeping energy costs in check on the dairy. - Articles
Trouble Shooting Colostrum Management: Colostrum Calculator
Use the Colostrum Calculator spreadsheet to investigate factors related to IgG absorption in calves. - Articles
Table: Comparison of Commercial Electrolyte Products
Summary of selected nutrients in commercial oral rehydration products. Table assumes products are mixed with water according the manufacturer's directions. - Videos
RFID: How to Apply the Tag
Length 4:12This video explains tagging requirements for livestock and demonstrates how to apply the RFID tag properly. - Articles
Precision is Key to Consistency in Calf Feeding
Consistent feeding temperature, total solids, and nutrient level helps calves perform at their best.
