Cattle Husbandry (C 1-10) Flashcards
cows spend an average of this long lying down at pasture
12-14 hours a day
cows ruminate for at least this long per day
7 hours
cows produce this much saliva per day
100-150 liters
what is the optimum pH of the rumen
pH 6-7
these feeds are usually home-grown and thus cheap. it is usually grass grazing in summer/autumn/spring and conserved in winter
forages
these feeds contain a high concentration of nutrients, usually energy or protein and are predominately purchased by the farmer and are thus expensive
concentrates
these are instinctive or unlearned reactions
innate
these are actions that are learnt
acquired
this is the usual measure of reproductive efficiency in cattle. should be 365 days
calving index/interval
average gestation of a cow
282 days
this describes the time when a cow is sexually active and will permit mating, will recur at intervals of 21 days
oestrus
how long does oestrus typically last in a cow
16 hours
when are farmers now advised to inseminate cows?
as soon as they are seen in heat
5 behavioral signs of oestrus in a cow
- restlessness
- bellowing
- grouping of cows together
- scuff marks on tail head and flanks
- standing to be mounted by other cows
most beef suckler herds in the UK use this method to get cows in calf
natural service
majority of dairy cows in the UK are bred by this method
artificial insemination (AI)
what is the major drawback of AI
correct identification of cows in oestrus
4 advantages of using AI
- allows accurate breeding records to be kept (precise calving dates)
- economic service
- controls venereal diseases
- enables rapid genetic improvement in the herd
4 cons of using natural service
- substantial maintenance costs
- spreading venereal diseases
- aggression and low fertility risk
- calving dates unknown
how long after conception can manual rectal palpation be used to detect a pregnancy in a cow
6-8 weeks
how long after conception can transrectal ultrasonography be used to detect pregnancy in a cow
4 weeks
low levels of this hormone in the cows milk at 24 days after service would indicate that the cow was not pregnant
progesterone
aim of these is to improve consumer confidence and food safety, and provide traceability for UK farm produce
farm assurance schemes
what is the standard lactation period of a dairy cow
305 days
what is the standard lactation period of a dairy cow
305 days
how long is the dry period of a dairy cow
60 days
this period is defined as 3 weeks before calving to the 3 weeks after calving and is a critical period; cow will have to give birth, start producing milk, adapt to a new diet, and changes in her social environment
transition period
the cow’s milk yield will peak around this long into lactation
2 months
milk production in dairy cows can be linked with these 6 key variables
- genetic potential
- nutrition
- management
- pregnancy
- age of cow
- disease
this is the traditional method used to feed concentrate to milking cows, but limits the amount of concentrate that can be fed to about 8kg per day
feeding in the milking parlour
this method of feeding concentrate to dairy cows involves additional concentrate to be fed in a trough or put on silage, for the cows to eat between milkings - cheap and easy, but limited benefit
third mid-day feed
this method of feeding concentrates to dairy cows mixes concentrates and forages together in a feeder wagon to be put in a trough for the cows to eat as a group
total mixed rations
name 3 advantages for using a total mixed rations system with dairy cows
- other feedstuffs can be fed, save on feed costs
- concentrate feeding is spread out through the day (rumen health)
- maximizes Dry Matter intakes
name 2 disadvantages for using a total mixed rations system with dairy cows
- feeder/mixer wagons expensive to buy
- less individual targeting of concentrate feeding to cows
cows must conceive within this many days of calving in order to achieve a 365 day calving interval
83 days
what are 4 ways to enhance oestrus detection of cows
- incr. frequency and duration of observation
- good record keeping
- heat detection aids
- synchronization of oestrus
it is recommended that cows should be observed for this many periods of this length throughout the day for signs of oestrus
3 periods of 30 minutes
these are the 5 main traits selected for in dairy sires for AI to improve the overall genetic merit of the herd
- milk yield
- milk composition
- conformation
- disease resistance
- ease of calving
this value reflects the expected increase in revenue per lactation for each daughter relative to an animal with a value of 0
the formula to calculate it is based on PTAs for milk yield and quality, and financial inputs
PIN (profit index)
this is an economic index similar to PIN but also takes into account predicted lifespan with emphasis on longevity and health
PLI (profitable lifetime index)
modern farm animal vet practice is focused on this, which aims to optimize the health of animals within the herd/flock for prevention of disease
herd health
milk samples are taken once a month from all of the milking cows in the herd and analyzed for these 3 things
somatic cell count, butterfat, and milk protein
farms must go through this long of a conversion period in order to be marketed as organic
2 years
calves cannot be weaned before this age on organic farms
12 weeks
this type of calving allows greater control over cow nutrition, by grouping of cows at similar stages of lactation
block calving
what is the main advantage of year-round calving?
constant milk supply
what is a major disadvantage of year-round calving?
difficult to maintain high management standard throughout the year (cows all at different stages of lactation)
what is the main advantages of autumn calving
higher milk prices from oct-dec and takes advantage of spring grass
what is the main disadvantage of autumn calving
greater cost of production (cows fed conserved forage and concentrates during peak lactation)
what is the advantage of spring calving
cows on spring grass during peak lactation (save on feed costs)
what is the advantage of summer calving?
take advantage of higher milk prices from aug-dec
what are the disadvantages of summer calving?
variable milk production due to UK weather effect on grass growth; cows are dry when on lush spring grass and can become too fat
what are the two current options for housing dairy cattle
cubicles or straw yards
this is the most comfortable form of housing for cattle, where they can lie down for Ana average of 13 hours a day
well-bedded straw yards
what are 3 advantages of straw yards for dairy cattle
- comfort (reduce lameness and increased milk production)
- cheap to create
- assist in integration of freshly calved heifers into herd
what are 3 disadvantages of straw yards for dairy cattle
- expensive (high requirement for straw)
- labor intensive (must be bedded 1-2 times daily and cleaned out every 4-6 weeks)
- can be dirty and lead to multiplication of bacteria causing mastitis
what are 2 advantages of cubicles for dairy cows
- maintenance cost is cheaper than straw yards (less bedding needed per cow)
- more cows can be accommodated
what are disadvantages of cubicles for dairy cows
- high initial cost to install and then little scope for adjustment
- training and adaptation of heifers difficult (higher incidence of bullying)
- can restrict movement if too small and lead to higher incidence of lameness (less time lying down)
this is the most commonly used bedding in cubicle systems, very comfortable in sufficient quantity; has been linked with mastitis
straw
this can be a very comfortable bedding in cubicle systems, should be covered with litter to absorb liquids; initial cost is high but subsequent costs are low
mats/mattresses
this is a very comfortable bedding for cubicle systems if correct type is used and at the correct depth; minimizes bacterial growth and is very cheap but may be incompatible with some slurry handling systems
sand
an autumn calving herd will require this many calving/isolation boxes per 100 cows
5-6 boxes/100 cows
this is the most important factor in good clean milk production
efficiency of the milker
an efficiently used strip cup will serve these 3 functions
- detection of mastitis
- remove debris from streak canal (lower bacterial count)
- stimulate milk ‘let down’
what are the 7 steps in a milking routine
- let cows in
- feed cows
- foremilk
- teat washing
- attach cluster
- automatic cluster removal (ACR)
- post milking teat disinfection
what is the average milking time
4 minutes
approximately this much residual ilk will be left after the cluster is removed
0.5 liters
milk should be cooled immediately and stored at a temperature lower than this to prevent bacterial growth for at least 24 hours
4 C
what are the 3 categories of milking parlors?
static parlors, rotary parlors, robotic milkers
this type of static parlor combines full two level milking with batch movement of cows so that manual effort and walking are considerably reduced; cows are positioned at 30 degree angles at each side of a central pit
herringbone
the main advantage of these parlors is that they make it easier to mechanism or automate manual jobs & are mainly used in large herds, but the design costs more, has greater maintenance costs and incidence of mechanical breakdowns and has an inability to expand once installed
rotary parlor
name 5 main advantages of the robotic milker
- labor saving
- improved cow welfare
- can give cows individual attention
- increased yields
- allows increased herd sizes
routine specialist testing of the milking machines must be carried out this often
every 6 months
approximately what percent of the beef eaten in the UK is produced by UK beed producers
80%
the live weight price of a steer is approximately this percent of the deadweight price
50%