Dairy Management System

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Dairy Management System
By Dana Neal November 30, 2004
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Yearly Cycle for a Dairy Cow
365 days
Calving
Calving
0 -100 days Breeding
100-200 days Mid Lactation
200 to dry off Late Lactation

• At different stages of this cycle, the cows are
  referred to as either lactating or dry.

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LACTATING COWS

• lactation period 305 days
• Lactation the period between calving and
  drying off when a cow produces milk
• In U.S., average milk production
• per year is 16,870 pounds
• per day is 55 pounds
• Lactation creates a GREAT need for energy and
  total amount of feed!

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(LACTATING COWS, CONT.)

• Rationing feed is complex because cows
  nutritional needs vary widely during the
  production cycle.
• Rations must be formulated so as to optimize
  milk yield reproduction, prevent metabolic
  disorders, and increase longevity.
• Water and energy are the 2 most limiting factors
  in a dairy ration.
• In order to provide adequate nutrition at
  effective costs, the producer groups cows
  according to body condition score and stage of
  lactation.

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(LACTATING COWS, CONT.)

• 2 to 4 months after calving, milk yield is high
  and intake is limited
• the cow uses body fat and protein reserves to
  make up the energy difference
• negative energy balance loss of body weight
  during heavy milking

• at 5 months of lactation, daily milk production
  starts to decline
• the rations energy content should be monitored
  to prevent the cow from becoming too fat

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(LACTATING COWS, CONT.)

• Availability, palatability, and relative costs
  of different feeds are the primary factors
  influencing ration composition.
• The total mixed ration a complete ration
  consisting of concentrate, roughage, and
  supplements necessary to meet the daily nutrient
  and energy requirements of the animal
• concentrate grains
• roughage hay and silages
• supplements protein minerals
• Some producers also add bread products to their
  ration to meet energy requirements.

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(LACTATING COWS, CONT.)

• EXAMPLE
• a ration for a 1,350 pound dairy cow producing 50
  pounds of milk per day, and a 3.8 fat test.
• 27 pounds of alfalfa hay with 20 crude protein
• 16 pounds of corn-oats grain mix
• 4.5 pounds of soybean oil meal
• 0.3 pounds of dical
• 0.25 pounds of salt, vitamin, trace mineral mix

This is a total dry matter intake of 38 pounds
in one day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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DRY COWS

• Dry cow a non-lactating pregnant female bovine
  that has completed a lactation period
• dry period 50 to 60 days
• Short dry periods usually reduce future milk
  yield because the cow has not adequately improved
  body condition and the mammary tissue has not
  properly regenerated.
• Long dry periods can lower milk yield because the
  cow may become overly fat, and profitability may
  be less because feed costs are increased.

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(DRY COWS, CONT.)

• Dry cows are fed in such a way as to positively
  influence their milk production level and health
  in the next lactation period.
• Dry cows need fewer concentrates than lactating
  cows so that they will not become fat.
• Excessive body fat may cause
• - fatty liver - mastitis
• - ketosis (a nutritional disorder)
• - metritis (an infection in the uterus)
• - milk fever (a shortage of calcium salts in
  blood)
• - retained placenta - death

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REPLACEMENT HEIFERS

• Includes female bovines that have not produced a
  calf, and sometimes include a cow in first
  lactation.
• Should be large enough to breed at about 15
  months and calve as 2-year-olds.
• Meet most of their nutritional needs from
  good-quality legume or grass-legume pasture and a
  few pounds of grain.
• Weight is important because it affects when the
  heifer reaches puberty and can be bred.

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BULLS

• Some producers keep bulls on their farm
  primarily because bulls detect estrus very
  accurately and keep conception rates high.
• It is recommended that breeding be done by
  artificial insemination (AI) to
• decrease the risk of a dangerous bull
• and increase genetic progress by using superior
  bulls
• Dairy cows are bred 40 to 60 days after calving.

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Calves

• Bulls are fed for veal or castrated and fed for
  beef.
• Heifers are grown, bred, and milked for at least
  one lactation period to evaluate their
  milk-producing ability.
• Are removed from dams and fed milk replacer or
  milk that is not salable for 4 to 8 weeks.
• Calves that are separated from each other
  usually have fewer health problems and thus a
  higher survival rate.
• Usually can consume dry feeds by 45 to 60 days
  of age.
• Should be marked for identification, vaccinated,
  dehorned, castrated, and have extra teats removed.

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MILKING OPERATIONS

• Example of A Modern Milking Parlor
• is a concrete platform raised about 30 inches
  above the floor (pit) of the parlor
• cows enter the parlor in groups, or individually
• the udder and teats are washed clean, dried, and
  massaged for about 20 to 30 seconds
• milking begins 1 minute later and continues for
  about 6 to 8 minutes
• after milking is completed, the milking unit is
  removed manually or by computer
• the teats are dipped in a weak iodine solution

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(MILKING OPERATIONS, CONT.)

• modern milking machines are designed to milk
  cows gently, quickly, and comfortably.
• Some have a take-off device to remove the
  milking cup once the rate of flow drops below a
  designated level.
• Removal of the milking unit as soon as milking
  is complete is important because prolonged
  exposure to the machine can cause teat and udder
  damage and lead to mastitis problems.

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(MILKING OPERATIONS, CONT.)

• The milking parlor and its equipment must be
  kept sanitary.
• Pipes are cleaned and sanitized between
  milkings.
• Manure, urine, and waste feed are removed with a
  tractor blade or by flushing with water.
• These wastes are applied directly to land and/or
  stored in a lagoon, pit, or storage tank for
  breakdown before being sprayed or pumped onto
  land.

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(MILKING OPERATIONS, CONT.)

• Regular milking times are established with equal
  intervals between milkings.
• Most cows are milked twice per day.
• High producing cows produce more milk if they
  are milked three times per day.
• Three times is labor intensive and economically
  feasible only in herds with high levels of
  productivity.

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TYPES OF MILKING PARLORS
Which ones do you recognize?
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SIDE OPENING (TANDEM) PARLOR
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HERRINGBONE (FISHBONE) PARLOR
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PARALLEL (SIDE BY SIDE) PARLOR
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SWING (SWING-OVER) PARLOR
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ROTARY (CAROUSEL, TURNSTILE) PARLOR
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CONTROLLING DISEASES

• Vaccination and preventative health management
  practices are similar to those used for beef
  cattle.

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(CONTROLLING DISEASES, CONT.)

• Certain disease organisms can be transmitted
  through milk and these organisms are carefully
  monitored so that they do not reach dangerous
  levels.
• Grade A milk sells at a higher price than lower
  grades of milk. Requirements for the production
  of Grade A milk include
• - the herd must be (1) checked regularly with
  the ring test for tuberculosis and (2) bled and
  tested for brucellosis.
• - milking and housing facilities must be kept
  clean and meet certain specifications
• - milk must have a low bacteria and somatic
  cell count

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(CONTROLLING DISEASES, CONT.)

• The most troublesome disease on dairies is
  mastitis.
• Mastitis the inflammation and infection of the
  mammary gland.
• Susceptibility may be genetically related to a
  certain degree, but environmental factors such as
  bruises, improper milking, and unsanitary
  conditions are more prevalent causes.
• The best approach to controlling mastitis is
  good management techniques.
• Most treatments involve infusing an antibiotic
  into the udder through the teat canal.

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Dairy cows are found in every state in the
U.S. Besides consuming products derived from
milk, it is very likely that you can find an
opportunity to support local dairy
farmers. Knowledge of dairy management systems
makes you a better consumer and a better
supporter for the industry. Success in the
industry is directly related to experience and
good management techniques.
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1. How many days is the lactation period of a
dairy cow measured in? 2. What is the
recommended method for breeding dairy cows? 3.
Mastitis is the inflammation and infection of
which important gland?
305 days
AI
The mammary gland