Home > News > How the Effects of Wildfire Smoke Are Causing Issues to Dairy Cattle

As wildfires becomes a more widespread in the Western U.S., increasingly becoming an annual issue, researchers are expending more resources to determine the severity smoke damage does to the $231 billion dairy industry. The effects of wildfire smoke are believed to go beyond just losses in milk production (partially caused by heat stress), contributing to a decline of the overall health and, in some cases, mortality of dairy cows and calves. One example, an Oregon farmer reported six of their cows developed pneumonia in 2018 after a rough season, likely due to the fine particles from wildfire smoke. See more of the data behind losses in milk production.

Subscribe

Be among the first to learn about the ever-changing crop insurance industry by subscribing to the ProAgMessaging system.