Better Conditions Make for Happier Cows and Farmers

Better Conditions Make for Happier Cows and Farmers

It turns out that happy cows produce better milk.

The finding is not new. The California Milk Advisory¹ Board has been saying it for years. But now a team of researchers, working with the University of Wisconsin’s Dairyland Initiative, is helping² farmers have happier herds⁴.

The researchers are visiting dairy farms and showing farmers how to improve their cows’ living conditions. Their advice and information is available around the world on their website.

One important area for discussion is how to prevent leg pain, a condition also called lameness⁵.

Nigel Cook is with the Dairyland Initiative.

"Lameness impacts everything a cow gets to do in her day. It impacts the way she rests, the way she milks, the way she eats, her ability to reproduce and ultimately her ability to stay on the farm.”

Speaking in a cow barn, Cook explains that a bed of sand can provide a good place for cows to lie down during the day.

“The deep, soft bedding of sand creates an environment where cows can rest half the day, and that is incredibly important to cows."

The researchers advise farmers to provide bigger stalls, the areas where cows are kept in a barn. They also say farmers should use more fans to keep the animals cool, and feed all their cows at the same time.

And researchers say it is a good idea to keep cows with their usual group of friends when it comes time for them to give birth. This helps lessen⁶ the stress for the cows.

Mitch Breunig owns the Mystic Valley Dairy in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. He says he used the advice to improve the conditions for his 400 cows.

"If you take away their stress, they actually produce more milk. And then the other thing that actually is interesting is they do it by eating less feed."

Since he made the changes, Breunig says the dairy’s production has increased. His cows have gone from producing 49 liters of milk a day to almost 57 liters.

Also, his cows have fewer injuries and live about a year longer than before. That is good for the animals, and for people, too.

I’m Anne Ball.

Words in This Story

herd³ – n. a group of animals that live together

lameness – n. pain in the legs that make walking difficult

impact – v. to have a strong, and often bad effect on something

ultimately – adv. at the end of a process

stress – n. a state of mental tension and worry caused by problems in your life, work, etc.

1 advisory   

adj.劝告的，忠告的，顾问的，提供咨询

参考例句：

• I have worked in an advisory capacity with many hospitals.我曾在多家医院做过顾问工作。
• He was appointed to the advisory committee last month.他上个月获任命为顾问委员会委员。

2 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

3 herd   

n.兽群，牧群；vt.使集中，把…赶在一起

参考例句：

• She drove the herd of cattle through the wilderness.她赶着牛群穿过荒野。
• He had no opinions of his own but simply follow the herd.他从无主见，只是人云亦云。

4 herds   

兽群( herd的名词复数 )； 牧群； 人群； 群众

参考例句：

• Regularly at daybreak they drive their herds to the pasture. 每天天一亮他们就把牲畜赶到草场上去。
• There we saw herds of cows grazing on the pasture. 我们在那里看到一群群的牛在草地上吃草。

5 lameness   

n. 跛, 瘸, 残废

参考例句：

• Having been laughed at for his lameness,the boy became shy and inhibited. 那男孩因跛脚被人讥笑，变得羞怯而压抑。
• By reason of his lameness the boy could not play games. 这男孩因脚跛不能做游戏。

6 lessen   

vt.减少，减轻；缩小

参考例句：

• Regular exercise can help to lessen the pain.经常运动有助于减轻痛感。
• They've made great effort to lessen the noise of planes.他们尽力减小飞机的噪音。