http://onassignment.disqus.com/enFri, 03 Sep 2010 15:57:36 -0000http://blogs.nashuatelegraph.com/onassignment/2009/04/22/the-udder-side-of-dairy-farming/#comment-74878206<p>A cow needs proper nutrition to produce her best and to stay healthy. Farmers strive to give cows what they need to keep their cows healthy and producing more. No farmer would want to continue practices that took away from a cows milk production or ones that would increase somatic cell count. Silage and other forages are mixed with essential minerals and supplements for the cow. Hay provides the cow with more fiber. A cow's digestive system is greatly different from our own. Cows are ruminants and thus have rumens which contain microbes that break down feed so diets greatly depend on this. Also, if every cow were kept until she died of old age we would be increasing our green house gas emission because as she ages she produces less on average and more cows will have to be added to the herd to continue the same production level to meet demands. Also, cow comfort is very important to farmers because it will affect production levels in a cow. In fact, there is a great amount of research put into stall size and bedding in order to give cows proper comfort for cows typically rest and lie down most of the day and the other large portion of their day involves food consumption. It is hard living in such a modern day when so many of us are removed from agriculture and often incorrect assumptions are made. Yet, we need agriculture to survive. It is not to say all farms are perfect but that it is important that as a society we continually educate ourselves on topics we are unfamiliar with before we place harsh criticism. </p>BriFri, 03 Sep 2010 15:57:36 -0000