Animal Comfort and Care

Animal comfort is not only good business, it's a value and way of life that has been passed down among generations of Oregon dairy farm families.

Housing with room to move

Free stall barns are a popular choice among dairy farmers to keep cows safe and dry when they're not in the pasture or exercising outdoors. Such barns allow cows the freedom of movement and ready access to feed, water, and bedding at all times. Bedding is usually sawdust, sand, recycled pulp, or grass seed hulls—always clean and comfortable.

As important as clean, dry stalls are the tall roofs and airy environments that dairy barns are built with—all with proper ventilation and comfortable surroundings in mind.

Nutritious feed

Cows need a complex diet that is nutritionally balanced and might include hay, grains, cotton seed, mineral supplements, and other feed like lush pasture grass or corn and grass silage. Dairy farmers are adept at sourcing other materials, too, such as spent malt barley from Oregon microbreweries.

Many Oregon dairies have access to pasture and our mild climate coupled with ample rainfall is ideal for growing lush, green grassland. So, when weather and pasture conditions permit, cows are let out to graze.

Indoors or out, cool, clean water is also essential and cows have access to plenty of it at all times.

Medical attention

Constant observation is the key to illness prevention. Dairy farmers keep close watch over their animals, inspecting them closely at each milking--two to three times a day—for any potential problems. Many dairies also used computerized milking systems that track volumes of milk per cow. A drop in volume may be a sign that something is wrong, and a medical checkup is needed.

Regular veterinary checkups are also routine on most dairies and help keep watch on animal health. Prompt treatment of illnesses help ensure a healthy herd.

Individual animals sometimes become ill and require veterinary care. In this case, they are often treated with the proper medication to help with a quick recovery. They are also removed from the herd at this time and their milk is discarded until they are well and the milk tests free of any antibiotics.

Some farmers opt to use organic methods for illness recovery and forego the use of most animal medications.

Another example of ongoing animal care is the trimming of a cow's hooves. Hoof trimming keeps the cows comfortable and is usually done once a year, but some dairymen opt for two to three times a year.