Effect of Warm Weather on Grazing Performance of Milking Cows

Grazing habits of dairy cattle are of direct concern to dairymen whenever they help explain increases or decreases in milk production. Published reports on activities of dairy cattle while on pasture are relatively few and none has been found that reported the effect that changes in atmospheric temperatures have on grazing habits. Hodgson (3) in 1933 reported that dairy cows at Puyallup, Washington, spent from 6 to 7 daylight hours grazing under a rotational pasture system and from 7 to 7 hours on a continuous grazing plan. No records were kept of their grazing habits at night.