Making heifers’ first-time parlour visit safe and stress-free

The routine of mature cows moving through a parlour is normally uneventful, but calf heifers venturing inside for their first milking experience can prove to be another story. “Training heifers to become familiar with the parlour before they get there isn’t only important from a safety and animal well-being standpoint, but there’s also a large consideration for milk production,” says Amber Adams-Progar, dairy management specialist and associate professor at Washington State Universit