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Extreme temperatures impacted productivity growth in U.S. dairy sector from 2000 to 2016: USDA

New research from the USDA’s Economic Research Service calculates how often during a calendar year temperatures are within the optimal range for a dairy cow’s maximum productivity, which is estimated at 41 to 77°F, and the optimal range for feed crop development (50 to 86°F). The number of days that do not fall within that range are used to predict the effects of extreme temperature on the dairy sector.

The research findings indicate that all herd-size classes in several states experienced reduced growth in terms of total factor productivity because of these extreme temperatures. However, extreme weather in most states did not cause a decline in productivity by limiting feed availability.

Read more and see the charts here.