Late gestation heat stress in dairy cows: Effects on dam and daughter

Heat stress during the dry period has dramatic negative impacts on the cow and her offspring. Cows that experience heat stress in late gestation make less milk and are at greater risk of disease and nutritional issues. The calves from heat-stressed dams make less milk at maturity. The economic impact of late gestation heat stress is clear and providing heat stress abatement to dry cows should be profitable in almost every situation.

By V. Ouellet, J. Laporta, G.E. Dahl