The solution: Dairy farmers in Africa will be wise to ensure there is enough time for the cows to rest
by limiting the milking time out of the shed, minimizing the distance cows need to walk to the milking
parlor, providing enough cow sheds for cows to rest, limiting overstocking and making sure that the
sheds are comfortable.
Inadequate stall surface: A recent analysis in the United States emphasized the influence of stall
surface on the time cows spend eating and resting (two important factors affecting higher milk
production). As it turns out, sand-bedded free stalls have significantly fewer lame cows. The
explanation given for this is that on a firm surface cows have a more difficult time rising and lying
down.
Another interesting conclusion from this analysis is that stall surface not only influences the amount
of milk produced in a dairy farm but also the quality of the milk.
The solution: This American Study by the Food Animal Production Medicine group recommends
that dairy farms utilize sand-bedded frees stalls but it is important to manage this kind of surface
properly in order to prevent organic material build up over time. Fresh sand must be added weekly,
the bed must be leveled daily, and other measures must be taken in order to benefit from the effect
of sand surface on milk quality.