Furthermore, the mating cycle often leads to an overlap between lactation and draught activities early in the wet season when the fields are being ploughed in preparation for rice planting. It is not unusual early in the rainy season to see cows ploughing the field while being followed by milking calves. Additional stress can occur about this time of year when the diet changes from primarily dry forage to green forage as the wet season takes hold. This cycle leads to declines in the condition of lactating cows, calf growth rates and the reproductive ability of cows.