ANIMAL HUSBANDRY - Dairy Industry Flashcards
What is the average dairy herd size in the world?
The average dairy herd size is three cows
What are the current trends seen in the dairy industry?
Milk demand is increasing
Milk yield is increasing
Average herd size is increasing
Number of dairy farms is decreasing
What are the main challenges within the dairy industry?
Animal welfare
Environmental viability
Disease
Cost of production
Public perception
Volatility of milk price
What are the three main costs within the dairy industry?
Feeding
Labour
Heifer rearing
What is the average optimal milking time that a cow should be milked?
On average, the optimal milking time is five minutes
How much milk should be fed to a calf daily?
20% of the calf body weight per day
At what age should you begin weaning calves off of milk and onto solid roughage?
60 - 65 days old
What are the four most common health problems seen in calves between birth and weaning off of milk?
Diarrhoea
Pneumonia
Naval ill leading to joint ill
Septicaemia
How much do you want a dairy calf to grow per day post-weaning from milk?
850g of growth per day
What are some of the common health problems seen in dairy calves post-weaning from milk?
Pneumonia
Gastrointestinal nematodes
Fasciola hepatica (liver fluke)
Lung worm
Dermatophytosis (ringworm)
Clostridial disease
Infectious bovine keratoconjunctivitis (pinkeye)
At what age are most heifers bred for the first time?
Heifers are bred at 13 months old
How often should a dairy cow produce a live calf?
Once a year
How many days should dairy cows be lactating for?
305 days of lactation
How many days should dairy cows be dry (not lactating) for?
60 days of drying off
In which period of a dairy cow lifecycle are they at the highest risk for contracting disease?
Dairy cows are at the highest risk for contracting disease in the transition between drying off and lactation