Published October 1984. Facts and recommendations in this publication may no longer be valid. Please look for up-to-date information in the OSU Extension Catalog: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog
Milk production can be increased by managing dairy cows’ exposure to light. Photo period is defined as the duration of light exposure within a 24-hour period. A long-day photo period (LDPP) means exposure to 16–18 hours of continuous light followed by 6–8 hours of continuous darkness. A short-day photoperiod (SDPP)...
Revised April 2004. A more recent revision exists. Please look for up-to-date information in the OSU Extension Catalog: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog
The dry, or nonmilking, period late in pregnancy is critical to preparing a dairy cow for the next lactation. Dry cows have special nutritional and management needs.
The following are 10 important measures of a herd’s production performance, including milk, butterfat and protein production, breeding efficiency, milk quality as it relates to udder health, and cow turnover.