GLOBAL FARMING DIGEST

Extended periods of high ambient temperature coupled with high relative humidity compromise the ability of cows in lactation to dissipate excess body heat. Cows with elevated body temperatures exhibit lower intakes and milk yields. Supplemental fan cooling in combination with low pressure feed bunk sprinklers can reduce the effects of heat stress on milk production and feed intake. Several key areas of nutritional management should also be considered for complementing environmental cooling during hot weather.

Intestinal barrier integrity plays a central role in the health and productivity of lactating dairy cows, particularly during periods of heat stress and metabolic strain. Distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS), traditionally valued for their protein and energy contribution, also deliver fermentation-derived bioactive compounds. These components position DDGS as a potential postbiotic feed ingredient, with implications for gut permeability, immune activation, and oxidative stress regulation in dairy nutrition.

Whether it’s the world’s best dairy depends on how you define best. This family-scale herd may not stand out on scale, but it does stand out in long-term cow health, comfort and productivity.

It's the time of the year to start thinking silage again. This one is also a particularly difficult year in some parts of the country due to the weather. Plants are suffering from warm, dry conditions and so are the native bacteria that live on them.