Before it was officially launched last week during the Western Dairy Management Conference in Reno, the new Novus International C.O.W.S. program measured approximately 140 dairies across California, Texas, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Vermont and New York.

Two producers and a dairy consultant who took part in the pilot program explained how measuring cow Comfort, Oxidative Balance, Well-being and Sustainability gave them some new insight into herd management. Left to right, they are Steve Harnish, co-owner of Central Manor Dairy in Lancaster, Pennsylvania; Mark Callan, a dairy producer from upstate New York; and Corwin Holtz, president of Holtz-Nelson Dairy Consulting.

Steve says he appreciated the objective measurement provided by the C.O.W.S. program. “Until you see the numbers and compare yourself to others, you really can’t evaluate what your farm is like,” Steve said. “We hope to continue evaluating through the C.O.W.S. program in the future. We can see if the changes that we made make a difference – it’s measurable.”

Listen to my interview with Steve here: Steve Harnish Interview

Mark says that when his operation was evaluated he learned that some of his cows were not happy. “We learned that the cows had what appeared to be a case of arthritis in the front legs, just because of a simple stall design that needed to be corrected,” he said. The change was easy to make and Mark says not only are his cows happier but “it will have a significant impact on our bottom line.”

Listen to more from Mark about the C.O.W.S. program here: Mark Callan Interview

Corwin had two clients participate in the C.O.W.S. project which provided them with objective information to help them improve the comfort of their animals. “I’ve been a huge believer in the whole cow comfort arena,” he said, noting it is important not just for increasing productivity of the animals, but also for dealing with the issue of animal welfare. “We’ve got activists out there, going to extremes in some cases,” he noted. “If we can be more pro-active in this area with our clients, hopefully we can stay a step ahead in the animal welfare arena.”

Listen to Corwin’s interview here: Corwin Holtz Interview

Find out more about the C.O.W.S. program at www.novuscows.com.

See photos from the Novus International C.O.W.S. program launch here – Novus C.O.W.S. Program Photo Album