Management of the dairy herd treated with bovine somatotropin

Cows that produce large quantities of milk require more management and higher quality of management than cows producing smaller quantities of milk. This is true whether improvements in milk production occur through genetic selection, increased milking frequency, or use of bovine somatotropin (bST). The milk response to use of bST is similar (10 to 15%) to that of three times a day (3x) milking and we expect that the management required to maintain the increased production through successive lactations with bST will be similar to that required for the 3x herd. Maximum economic benefit from use of bST will be achieved by dairy managers who (1) feed cows to maximize intake of diets with appropriate nutrient content and balance, (2) maintain proper body condition of their cows, and (3) have health and reproduction management programs that prevent rather than cure problems. Efficient use of record-keeping systems that enable the manager to monitor individual cow status will be advantageous. Economic forces will continue to bring change to the dairy industry. The manager that plans for change and ensures that the dairy's management programs allow for the most economically efficient production will be in position to adapt to these changes. The well-managed dairy will be able to adopt new, efficiency-enhancing technologies, such as bST, to ensure the continued opportunity to compete in the dairy industry.