Dairy Cattle
A total of 268 dairy farms produce 1.34 billion pounds of milk in Georgia. Dairy ranks 8th as an agricultural commodity in Georgia. Over 148 herds in Georgia are on DHI. They average over 21,000 pounds of milk and 300 cows each. Our goal is to extend lifelong learning about dairy production and management through research based information.
- DairyFax Newsletter
- Dairy On: UGA Dairy Team Blog
- Southeast Quality Milk Initiative
- Dairy Cattle Feed Requirements

Recent Dairy Publications from UGA Extension
Dennis Hancock
http://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=C914
William Graves
http://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=B1344
Stephen Nickerson
http://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=B1416
See More Publications
Forage Use and Grazing Herd Management During a Drought
(C 914)
This brief management guideline provides producers with specific management tactics that may minimize the potential for short- and long-term problems. These tactics, categorized in order of early, advanced, and severe drought stages, are based on specific characteristics including water loss, forage growth, and rainfall.
Speaking Spanish to Improve Dairy Cattle Reproduction
(B 1344)
This publication contains English-Spanish translations of common dairy reproduction terminology to help producers better use Spanish to evaluate reproductive management and communicate with employees.
Managing Mastitis in Dairy Heifers to Improve Overall Herd Health
(B 1416)
Prevalence of mastitis in unbred, breeding-age and pregnant dairy heifers is higher than formerly realized. Infected
mammary quarters, especially those with Staph. aureus IMI, exhibit reduced mammary gland secretory
potential, marked leukocyte infiltration and the accompanying inflammation. Both nonlactating and lactating
commercial antibiotic infusion products have been used successfully to cure existing infections and reduce SCC,
and nonlactating therapy prevents new IMI with environmental streptococci. However, the goal is to prevent
new infections from occurring in these young dairy animals through management strategies aimed at vaccination,
use of teat seals, fly control and dietary supplementation. As global milk quality standards
become more stringent, management practices based on curing existing infections and preventing new IMI
in heifers will ensure that these young dairy animals enter the milking herd free of mastitis and with low SCC.
Such practices should be considered for incorporation into dairy herd health programs in herds suffering from a
high prevalence of heifer mastitis, especially mastitis caused by Staph. aureus. Not only do these practices reduce
new infections in first-calf heifers at parturition, they also reduce the introduction of Staph. aureus to the milking
herd.