By: Ritchie Industries Hydration needs vary dramatically between beef and dairy operations. But there’s a lot more to it than beef vs. dairy. Those needs vary even more when you’re talking about different seasons and stages of life. Calves, lactating cows and finishing cattle in summer heat all have different hydration needs. Understanding those changing demands can help support performance, health and water needs year-round. Download a quick reference guide here. Here yo

August can be one of the toughest months of the year to get dairy cows pregnant. By late summer, heat stress has often been building for weeks. Cows eat less, lie down more, show weaker heats, and carry a higher internal heat load. The result is familiar to many herds: fewer visible heats, lower conception rates, more repeat breeders, and more early pregnancy losses. The problem is not just that cows are uncomfortable. Heat stress reaches deep into the reproductive system. It

Every dairy producer has done it. Walk through your calf facilities, and it's easy to pick favorites. There's always one calf that's taller, heavier, or seems to grow faster than the rest. It's natural to wonder: Is that future high-producing cow already standing in front of me? Research offers an interesting perspective on that question. While no one can predict with certainty which calf will become the highest-producing cow in the herd, research suggests that what happens