Rising temperatures pose major challenges to the dairy industry – a Holstein’s milk production can decline 30 to 70% in warm weather – but a new Cornell-led study has found a nutrition-based solution to restore milk production during heat-stress events, while also pinpointing the cause of the decline.
Rising temperatures pose major challenges to the dairy industry – a Holstein’s milk production can decline 30 to 70% in warm weather – but a new Cornell-led study has found a nutrition-based solution to restore milk production during heat-stress events, while also pinpointing the cause of the decline.
The study, published Aug. 2 in the Journal of Dairy Science, confirmed for the first time that heat-stressed dairy cows develop gut permeability, or leaky gut, which contributes to a reduction in milk production. Researchers also found that milk production can be partially restored by feeding the cows organic acids and pure botanicals.
“This has immediate application,” said Joseph McFadden ‘03, associate professor of dairy cattle biology in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and senior author of the paper. “And we hope it serves as a catalyst for the field and ignites further research into dietary approaches.”
The paper’s first author is Ananda Fontoura, a doctoral student in McFadden’s lab.
Read more at Cornell University
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