It is important to have a structure that allows you to see all aspects of the life a cow leads on your farm. You must pay attention to every little detail, as well as how each tiny detail feeds into the big picture and the health of the herd and its importance to the success and profitability of your farm. Your cows will tell you what you need to know, if you understand cow signals, what they mean, and how to improve a situation. Creating a clear strategy for your cows, as well as an environment that is fully clean and goes through a regular disinfection and cleaning process that includes the very latest in technology and cattle cleaning products.
You will of course have your own specialist knowledge of the cow, whether it is the feeding process, health, breeding, or the quality of milk. Whatever your area of expertise it is also important to understand the bigger picture, as there are many different aspects of a cows life that can influence other parts and the bigger picture. If a cow falls sick it is important to understand the cause and quickly, as to fail to do so could have a bigger impact on the larger herd. A healthy herd and a healthy environment is great news for the profitability of your farm over a long period of time.
One way to understand cow signals is to create a checklist to understand how the herd is performing, as well as each individual cow. If anything looks slightly ‘off’, you’ll then know about it a lot sooner due to a checklist. This list can be as extensive as you want, but in reality the greater the level of detail evident here the better for your ability to spot potential problems.
Start by looking at the big processes and aspects of your herd of cows, such as the feed alley and to check that everything is in working order. From here you can move on to walking between the cows and to see an overview of how they are currently moving. Lastly, you can begin to look at each individual cow and cover the checklists that are specific to each individual member of the herd. At this stage touch the cow, check for any wounds or irritated skin, but always be aware that you must conduct the checks in a manner that is stress free for the cows.
Alongside an implementation of a strategy that understands cow signals and the implicit nature of certain actions from a herd, it is vital that a farm and its workers has a process of cleaning and disinfectant that creates the optimum working and living conditions for its cows. Work with a supplier of cattle products that has a track record of high quality substances and success in assisting farms and those dealing with cows specifically. There are many different aspects of a herd of cows to consider, from hoof care, to the environment, as well as on-going health and conditions. Clever cattle disinfectant and cleaning procedures, processes and the substances used to create that will go a long way to creating a profitable farm that has a healthy herd of cows.