Hot summer weather isn’t far off. Kansas State dairy specialist Mike Brouk says there are several things dairy producers can do now to help avoid summer slump in milk production. He covers several actions that can be taken before the summer heat arrives in the recent “Milk Lines” podcast, “Prepare for Summer Now.”
Consider these questions as you make your summer heat-abatement plan:
- Are fans cleaned?
- Are fans operational?
- Are repairs needed in the cooling system?
- Are curtains operating properly on curtain-sided barns?
- Have you started putting portable shades or shade cloth in place?
- Are feedline soakers in need of repair, or do they need to be upgraded?
- Are supplemental water tanks in place around the farm?
- Do you have heat-abatement systems for dry and transition cows?
- Have you thought about fly control? Have you started a feed-through product or have you chosen an insecticide for use later?
- Have you thought about your summer feeding strategy?
- Are you going to increase silo-face management to reduce secondary heating?
- Do you have changes in mind for minerals and feed additives?
- Have you cleaned and checked milk-cooling equipement?
“Milk Lines” is co-produced by the Kansas State College of Agriculture and the Kansas State Radio Network.
Source: Dairy Herd Network
(T1, D1)
