2 – Dairy Production Cycle Flashcards
When do heifers normally calve?
- 22-24 months of age
When do you breed after giving birth (days in milk)?
- 60 days in milk
When do cows continue to lactate before calving?
- 60 days before calving
How many days in milk are cows normally?
- 300-360 days in milk
How long is the dry period?
- 60 days
Body condition
- methods for determining body reserves
- important management tool for
o nutrition
o reproduction
o post-partum
o milk production - *corrective action if BCS <2
What are the different housing options during lactation? (4)
- Free-stalls
- Tie-stalls
- Pasture
- Bedding packs
- *all about maintenance
Free-stalls
- Most COMMON system
- NA and Europe
Tie-stalls
- Welfare concerns, becoming UNPOPULAR with producers
Pasture
- New Zealand
- West coast of UK and Ireland (‘warmer’ than they should be)
Bedding packs
- Low initial cost, high maintenance
What must the milking machine minimize?
- Trauma to mammary tissues
o *pulsation prevents damage to teat end - Pathogen spread between animals
Milking systems
- ‘static’ facilities
- Rotary/carousel facility
- Robotic milkers
Number of dairy milkings: 2x vs. 3x per day
- Get more milk with 3x/day
o *10-15% increase in milk production - Cows want to get milk: 2.8x/day
What is the bulk tank storage temperature?
- <+4 degree C
Milk pickups
- Every other day in SK
o Each pickup tested (Antimicrobials, water, other contaminants) - More frequent on larger facilities (pay more)
o Directly into truck in future? (big facilities in the US, 3000 cows)
Dry cows
- Prepare for parturition
- Cell turnover in mammary gland
- Colostrum production
- **Dry period: usually 60d
- *old research into short dry periods are FLAWED
What are some reasons for shorter dry periods?
- Due to HIGH milk production
- Increased milk production in lactation before dry period
- NO demonstrated adverse effects if >40days
What are some ‘problems’ with drying cows off?
- Stopping milking
- Cow still may have higher production
Drying cows off abruptly
- Stop milking immediately
- Discomfort issues
- Less risk of mastitis
Drying cows off gradually
- Less discomfort
- Increased risk of mastitis
o Bacteria needs time to colonize and adhere to surface
o If increase to more than 12hrs=give bacteria more time
Drying cows off: feeding
- Do NOT remove
- Do NOT make extreme changes
Drying cows off: water
- Should always be available
- Do NOT restrict water intake
What happens if you have a high cow culling rate + high heifer mortality?
- INSUFFICENT SUPPLY
Which cows are most efficient?
- Those in LATER LACTATIONS
What is the culling rate in Canada?
- 30%
What is the higher mortality rate?
- 8%
What are the fates of the bull calves?
- Rarely: breeding
- Common: raised for beef
- *cross-breeding=better beef quality
What is the common practice for breeding semen choices?
- Best heifers and cows=sexed Holstein semen=Holstein heifer born
- Beef seme for animals with lower genetic merit or previous issues
o Ex. angus, speckle park, shorthorn, wagyu
o High beef production and calving EASE
What are the economics of dairy production?
- Average farm: $307/cow/year
- Range from -$677 to $1,409/cow/year
Least costs vs. maximize margin
- Margin=return in profit over costs
- Common strategy=minimize costs
- *efficiency to maximize margin
o Has herd size gets bigger, income increases=profit margin increases - Cutting costs often decrease efficiency
Dairy ownership
- Small dairy: sole proprietorship
- Larger: family corporation (multiple people with stakes)
What are the 3 important factors for keeping good records?
- Production
- Cow parameters
- Precision farming systems (ex. activity monitors, eating, laying)
What is the dairy recording system in Canada?
- Lactanet
What is the ‘herd health cycle’?
- Operational goals
- Execute the programme, monitor process evolution
- Make decisions and take actions
- Evaluate farm performance in various areas
- Adjust farm processes
- Adjust operation goals
What are the ‘rules’ for record keeping?
- Useful
- Readily converted into info
- Simple
- Avoid duplication
- Take action on records
