Investing in longevity: Ohio dairy builds second facility for mature cows

VanderMade says they wanted the cows to be in a low-stress environment and never have to look for a place to eat, drink or lie down. The idea was to create an environment specifically for the comfort, health and longevity of the older cows.“We want our cows to live a long, happy life,” VanderMade says. He adds they now feel their older cows are producing to their full genetic potential. Some may have considered designing a barn just for older cows to be a gamble, but VanderMade says the facility has paid huge dividends. “This has added one year of life to the entire herd,” he says.They are currently milking cows that are 12 to 13 years old.The first- and second-lactation cows housed at the original farm and the older cows at the new farm are fed the exact same feed, which is all stored and mixed at the same site. The younger cows have a rolling herd average of 28,500 pounds, and the mature cows are averaging 34,000 pounds of milk annually.