INALE prepares Uruguay’s dairy farms for wetter El Niño
The National Dairy Institute, known as INALE, has outlined measures for Uruguay’s dairy sector as rainfall conditions associated with El Niño are monitored. The National Agricultural Research Institute considers the climate pattern to be established in Uruguay and says it could strengthen in the coming months. The Ministry of Livestock, Agriculture and Fisheries has declared an “institutional alert” over expected effects during the rest of 2026 and the first part of 2027.
INALE identifies the transition period around calving as particularly exposed to prolonged wet conditions. Its guidance covers roughly the 20 days before calving and the 45 days that follow. During that interval, cows face higher risks of metritis, mastitis, hoof disorders and other health problems, while subsequent production and reproductive performance is established. The issue is especially relevant in Uruguay, where pasture-based systems are widespread and calving is concentrated in autumn and spring. Autumn calving is considered more sensitive because births are more concentrated and coincide with shorter days and lower temperatures.
Heavy rainfall can restrict animal movement, damage internal roads and reduce the practical availability of grazing. It can also make feed troughs harder to reach, increase pressure on hooves and udders, and require greater use of purchased or stored feed. INALE therefore recommends a farm-wide plan. Its nine measures include prioritising workers’ safety during electrical storms, high winds and intense rain; adjusting stocking levels; giving priority to animal groups with greater future productive potential; strengthening care for transition cows and calves; improving roads and feeding areas; planning forage production; increasing fibre reserves; testing pasture and stored feed for nutritional quality and possible mycotoxins; improving effluent management and safeguarding water sources; and incorporating financial planning for extreme events.
Road access is a specific focus of the guidance. INALE advises inspecting the routes used to leave milking facilities, particularly where concrete, gravel and soil surfaces meet. It also recommends improving approaches to feeding areas, preparing mobile alternatives and raising roads with suitable materials to reduce hoof injuries. Dairy cows may travel to be milked at least twice a day, so damaged access routes can affect animal movement, milking time, feeding and output. The institute further advises keeping transition cows on elevated, well-drained ground, protecting teats from rain and mud, preventing hoof disease, and shielding calf housing from wind and rainfall.
Because wet conditions can reduce grazing hours, INALE recommends making enough fibre reserves to cover as much as a year. Where water threatens a maize crop, an earlier harvest for silage may prevent the complete loss of the crop, although it can reduce its yield. The institute also advises farms to consider the financial requirement for buying maize for reserve production. Laboratory analysis of pastures and stored feeds is recommended because their nutritional composition may vary. Testing for mycotoxins is also included, particularly when restricted grazing leads to greater reliance on supplements and more precise ration formulation.
Water and effluent management are included in the preventive measures. INALE advises spreading effluent before forecast rainfall, clearing drainage channels and preventing stormwater from entering effluent ponds. It also recommends reinforcing the isolation of wells used by homes and dairy facilities. Saturated soil or flooding can move organic matter and other contaminants towards water sources. The institute places personal safety ahead of buildings, animals, roads and production during storms, and suggests reviewing insurance for milking rooms, roofs and other structures exposed to extreme weather.
Uruguay has recorded comparable wet episodes in the past. INALE defines an autumn excess-water event as at least 289 millimetres accumulated over three successive ten-day periods. Seven such events were identified in the previous 50 years: 1981, 2001, 2002, 2007, 2010, 2016 and 2024. The institute recommends incorporating the measures into routine farm management rather than using them only during emergencies, alongside financial preparation for possible losses.
