Cattle Production Systems Flashcards
CTS?
cattle tracing system
deadline for fitting first tag for dairy cow?
within 36 hours of birth
deadline for fitting second tag for dairy cow?
up to 20 days from birth
deadline for getting passport application to BCMS for dairy cows?
within 27 days of birth
Intensive systems?
mainly housed - some animals may be housed their entire life
food brought into them
increased productivity
reduced cost of production - scale
smaller methane footprint
Extensive systems?
outdoor grazing-based system
housed part of the year (late autumn to end of winter)
farming grass, not animals…
lower input, lower output
larger methane footprint
deadline for fitting first tag on a beef cow?
up to 20 days from birth
deadline for fitting second tag on a beef cow?
up to 20 days from birth
deadline for getting passport application to BCMS for a beef cow?
within 27 days of birth
types of housing?
loose housing
free-stall systems
cubicles
free-stall systems
restricting the way they lie down
controls where the excretion goes - more efficient to clean and more hygienic
types of cubicles?
super dutch comfort cubicle
newtown rigg cubicle
fixed cantilever cubicle
test for comfortability?
drop on knees with no support, pain?
reduction in lying time reduces?
production
lie down for how many hours a day?
14
sleep for how many hours a day?
4
drowse for how many hours a day?
8
DMI?
dry matter intake
Rumen?
fermentation chamber
when feeding a cow, what are you actually feeding?
microorganisms - produce stuff that ends up feeding the cow
YOU ARE FEEDING THE RUMINAL FLORA
meaning of ruminate?
swallow the grass, regurjitate and then chew on it
chewing the cud
further processing it so that they can swallow and microorganisms can degrade it
What is nutrient used for?
Basal metabolism (mostimportant)
Activity
Growth
Basic energy reserves
Pregnancy
Lactation
Additional energy reserves
Oestrus cycle and fertilisation
Excess body reserves (least)
What stomach is the largest in a cow?
rumen
Reticulorumen?
contains a numerous and diverse flora
digestion of fibre to extract nutrients
Describe cow’s activity?
they are light active animals
when do cows have a higher intake of food?
early mornings and late afternoon meals
what % of rumination activity occurs when lying down?
63-83%
What is a cows natural behaviour?
Foraging –> >9 hours
Eating –> 5 hours (dawn+dusk)
Ruminating –> 9-11 hours
TMR?
Total mixed ration
what is good about TMR?
Optimises feed intakes and minimises rumen pH changes
Also, gives greatest flexibility in number and types of feed given
start grazing and stop grazing at?
start 2700kgDM/ha, and stop at 1500kgDM/ha.
digestibility goes down as…
grass becomes more fibrous
excess grass?
it is cut and then stored as hay or silage and is used as feed material in the winter months
