Dairy Flashcards
What % of milk does Ireland produce for the world’s milk supply?
1%
How much land area in Ireland is used for agriculture?
4.5 million ha agricultural land, 0.73 million ha forestry
What % of ag area is devoted to pasture, hay and grass silage?
81% (3.63 million ha)
How much ag area is devoted to rough grazing?
11% (0.47 million ha)
How much ag area used for crops, fruit & horticulture?
8% (0.38 million ha)
In 2023, how much was Irish food & drink exports worth?
€16.3 billion
What % does the agri-food sector contribute to employment?
10% (10-14% outside of Dublin)
By what % has dairy produce exports increased over the past decade?
35%
What was the value of dairy exports in 2023?
€6.3 billion
Who is Ireland’s biggest export market?
UK
What portion of Irish produce does the EU take?
1/3
What % of exports go to Asia?
30%
What year was the Economic Crash?
2007-2008
What year were milk quotas lifted?
2015
What year were milk quotas introduced?
1984
What is the average farm size in Ireland?
33.4 ha
What % of GHG come from agriculture in Ireland?
37%
In 2018, what % of workers in the ag were female?
16.4%
What is the population of dairy cows in Ireland as of 2023?
1.646 million
What county in Ireland has the most dairy cows?
Cork (25%)
What county in Ireland has the lowest number of dairy cows?
Leitrim
How many farms are there in Ireland as of 2020?
135,000 farms, ~17,000 dairy farms
What was the Food harvest 2020 food exports target?
€12 billion, increase ag outputs by 33%, increase milk production by 50% (exceeded)
What are the Food Wise 2025 Targets?
Increase value of agri-food exports by 85% to €19 billion, increase value added to sector by 70% to €13bn, increase value of primary production by 65% to €10bn, extra 23,000 jobs in agri-food sector
What does the EU Green Deal set out to do?
Make Europe the 1st climate-neutral continent by 2050
What does the EU Green Deal aim to reduce and increase?
- Reduce dependency on pesticides and antimicrobials, reduce excess fertilisation
- Increase organic farming, improve animal welfare, and reverse biodiversity loss
What is the limit that EU have on amount of organic N per ha?
170kg organic N/ha
The Derogation allows you to stock to how many kg or organic N per ha and is now reducing to what amount for majority of the country?
250kg organic N/ha, reducing to 220kg organic N/ha
What are farmers doing to retain stock numbers to avoid selling animals for the Nitrates Directive?
Buying more land
Nitrates Directive aim?
Improve water quality
Methods of reducing Nitrogen?
Reduce amount of artificial fertiliser spread, type of fertiliser, LESS, slurry spreading time restrictions, plant clover, use of additives to reduce methane
What % of emissions was agriculture accountable for in 2023?
37.8%
What % has GHG emissions decreased by in 2023?
4.6% decrease – less fertiliser used due to high cost and less liming
4 Agricultural Emission Sources?
o Methane gas belched out by cows
o Methane and nitrous oxide gas from slurry
o Nitrous oxide from urine patches and N fertiliser
o Carbon in soils
People in Dairy Action Plan?
Dairy sector need to attract 6,000 people by 2025
Economic viability of farms:
27% vulnerable
43% viable
30% sustainable
What % of the world’s freshwater does agriculture use?
70%
What is the global beef demand?
10% increase in income equates to a 5% increase in beef consumption
What % of milk is produced globally from grass?
10%
Price of grass and silage per kg DM
Grass €0.10/kg DM
Silage €0.20/kg DM
Bord Bia Grass Fed Standard conditions?
Using milk from herds with a 95% grass diet, spend an avg of 240 days on pasture and are SDAS(Sustainable Dairy Assurance Scheme) verified
What is Ireland’s carbon footprint per kg of product?
0.97kg CO2eq/kg
What is Ireland’s water stress index?
0
What is the average dairy herd size?
91 cows
What is the average dairy farm size?
55ha
Since quota’s have been lifted, how much has the number of dairy cows increased by?
400-450,000
Around what time of the year is typically peak yield?
May
In 2023, what was the Domestic Milk Intake?
8.5 billion litres – 498 million litres liquid milk, rest was cheese, butter, and skim milk powder
What is the number 1 used breed in Ireland?
Holstein (90% of serves), 2nd Friesian (3.7%), 3rd Jersey (3.5%)
Milk Price Equation
A+B-C
A (per kg fat), B(per kg protein), C(carrier and processing cost per kg[volume adjustment])
Population of dairy cows in EU?
19.7million excluding UK
What country has the largest dairy cow population in the EU?
Germany 3.7 million
What % of EU milk is being produced in Germany?
22%
Largest expansion of cows in EU in 2023?
Poland +1.5% to 2.1million
bST Hormone
Bovine Somatotrophic Hormone
What country is number 1 selling dairy products to US?
Ireland
What % of world’s milk is produced in New Zealand?
3%
What country has the world’s highest level of dairy self-sufficiency?
New Zealand
Milk production in New Zealand?
21 billion litres
Dairy cow population in New Zealand?
4.7 million cows
Avg dairy herd size in New Zealand?
440 cows
New Zealand similarities to Ireland
Temperate climate
Grass based system
Export focused industry
Low input low output system
Where is UK in terms of milk production?
10th largest in the world – less producers, bigger herds, high producing cows
UK avg herd size?
160 cows
What % of production in New Zealand is exported?
95% - NZ$19billion – biggest export earner
New Zealand dairy sales represents what % of ‘world trade’ in dairy products?
40%
How many hectares is used for dairy alone in New Zealand?
1.73million ha
What % of Irish herds are spring calving?
+90%
When is the transition period?
3 weeks before calving and 3 weeks after calving
How many days post-calving will cows require a high energy diet?
At least 130 days (conception management)
Aim to have cows back in calf how many days after calving?
80 days
3 stages of lactation
Early (100 days), Mid (100 days), Late Lactation (100 days)
Spring calving allows for which 2 curves to match up?
Grass supply matches milk supply
What % of milk production comes from grazed grass?
90%
A 10% increase in grazed grass in the feeding system will affect the cost of milk how?
The cost of milk produced will be reduced by 2.5 c/l
Grass is a high quality feed. What is the CP and UFL content of grass?
Crude Protein: 16-28%/kg DM
UFL: 0.85-1.05/kg DM
What % of the total N consumed is actually used by the cow?
25%
What is the average crude protein requirement for cows?
17%
What is the target calving block time frame?
6 weeks (Teagasc)
What % of the herd should be calved in first 6 weeks?
90% of cows and heifers (Teagasc)
When are most calves born?
Jan-April
Calves are weaned at what age?
8 weeks (8-10 weeks depending)
Typically how long is the dry period?
8 weeks before calving down again
When does breeding commence?
1st May for 1st February calving
How long is gestation?
Approx. 280 days
How long is the breeding season?
12 weeks - cows not in calf at this stage are culled from the herd
When does a cow hit peak yield?
6-8 weeks after calving – 25kg/day
Lactation Yield Calculation
Peak yield x 220 = Lactation Yield
What is the ideal calving interval?
A calf per cow per year
What length is the ideal window of getting a cow back in calf postpartum?
80-83 days
How long is the voluntary waiting period prior to insemination?
42 days to allow for uterine involution, etc.
What is the 3 week submission rate for compact calving?
90%
Conception rate 1st service?
> 60%
Cost of infertility 1 month slipping in CL?
> €200/cow
Cost of 10% higher than planned empty rate?
> €100/cow
Conception to first service % in cows vs heifers?
60% in cows, 70% in heifers
Ideal grass based spring calving herd intake?
3.5t grass DM intake + 1t silage + 350kg DM concentrates = just under 5t DM intake
Cost of producing milk in spring?
€350-400
What changes in milk quality towards the end of lactation?
Lactose levels decline and ratio of fat and protein change
How many autumn calving/winter milk farm systems are there in Ireland?
1,286 registered liquid milk producers
What winter milk bonus do farmers get for producing milk over the winter?
Nov-Feb 6-7c/litre to compensate for excess costs
What % is a normal decline in milk yield after the cow reaches her peak yield?
2.5% per week, 10% per month
Spring system of milk production is adequate for the production of what type of dairy products?
Long shelf life products, eg. yoghurt, dairy desserts, soft cheeses, probiotic milk drinks, cream liqueur
Requirements for high quality winter milk?
Chemical composition (fat, protein to lactose ratio)
Low somatic cell count
Low total bacteria cell count
Good processability characteristics
Protein and UFL content of grass?
16-28% protein, 0.85-1.05 UFL
Protein, UFL & DMD content of silage?
12-15% protein, 0.8 UFL (70-72% DMD)
Maize silage protein content?
8-9% protein
What is the target closing farm cover to allow for higher opening farm cover in early spring?
650kg DM/ha
Protein content of soya?
~48% CP
Examples of crops added to boost nutritional values of silage?
Maize silage, whole crops, sugar beet
How long is autumn breeding season?
Compact 12 weeks
Factors affecting poorer conception rates in autumn calving?
Short day length in winter
Crowded housing, slippery underfoot surface (restricted oestrus activity)
Reduced oestrus detection
Moderate to low conceptions rates to first service – high incidence of repeats
3 types of dairy systems?
Low input, high input, and middle ground
Middle ground system
High output per cow, high fertility, moderate-higher use of purchased feeds – not as high as high input systems
Effect of increasing grass proportion in the animal diet?
Decrease milk production costs – reducing feed, labour, and capital investment costs
On well managed farms, how much grass is utilised?
85%, in general 75% grass utilised
Confined system type?
Calving Oct-Apr, total Confinement calving to 180days, 35% forage and 65% concentrate, then 40% concentrate 60% forage
Conventional system type?
Autumn calving Oct-Apr, Confined calving until turnout, then rotational grazing with 5kg feed per cow per day
Measures of profitability?
Net margin/cow
Net margin/litre
Net margin/ha
Profit per kg milk solids
Profit per cow in an average-good year?
€1,000/cow
How much digesting material can the rumen hold?
100-120kg
What nutrients get directly absorbed from the rumen?
VFA’s
What is the pH of the rumen?
5.5-6.5 (optimum 6.2)
What is the temperature of the rumen?
38-42oC
Byproducts of digestion?
VFA’s = acetic, propionic and butyric acids
Gases = carbon dioxide and methane
How long do fibre particles remain in the rumen?
20-48 hours because bacterial fermentation of fibre is a slow process
Rumen supplies what % of total energy & protein?
60-80%
Rumination definition?
The regurgitation, rechewing and re-swallowing of ingested food
Cud definition?
Mass of regurgitated ingesta
Process of rumination:
Regurgitate bolus from rumen
Rechew and reinsalivate
Reswallow
Repeat with another bolus
What size and density are particles leaving the rumen?
<1-2mm in size and density of >1.2g/ml
Function of the leaves in the omasum?
Prevent large particles from leaving the rumen and entering the abomasum
Capacity of the omasum?
10litres
pH of omasum?
6.5
Abomasum pH?
2 (acidic)
What is the true or glandular stomach of the ruminant?
Abomasum
How long & wide is the small intestine?
130ft long, 2 inches wide
pH of the small intestine?
7-8
Why is the pH so high in the small intestine?
Necessary for enzymes to work (enzymatic digestion)
What are the remaining nutrients that are digested in the small intestine?
Proteins to amino acids
Starch to glucose
Fats to fatty acids
What helps increase the surface area for absorption in the small intestine?
Villi
Components of large intestine?
Caecum, Colon and rectum
Functions of large intestine?
Absorbs water, microbial activity, waste storage
Role of saliva
No enzymes, important as a lubricant and a source of buffers to neutralise pH in rumen
Microflora present in rumen
Bacteria, fungi, protozoa
Digestive enzymes in the abomasum wall
Hydrochloric acid, pepsinogen (pepsin once activated)
Digestive enzymes in small intestine
Bile in the liver (emulsifies fat), lipases and proteases in the pancreas
What % does the abomasum take up vs the rumen in newborn calves?
Abomasum 70%, rumen 30%
Reticular groove function?
Milk/milk replacer bypasses reticulo-rumen and enters abomasum directly for digestion
Casein of milk clots by what?
By action of rennin and acidity in the abomasum
What causes the development of the papillae in the rumen?
Stimulated by the end products of microbial fermentation – specifically butyric acid & to a lesser extent propionic acid
In addition to feed, what other factors provide microorganisms that can inoculate the calf’s rumen?
Environment, bedding, and hair
Fermentation of fibre leads to…
Higher acetic acid
Fermentation of starch leads to…
Higher propionic and butyric acid
What is essential for rumen microbes to grow properly and ferment feedstuffs?
Fresh free water
How long does it take for the rumen to fully develop?
8 weeks
In the rumen, microbes require…
Feeds balanced for energy protein, fibre etc.
Environment free from oxygen,
pH > 6
Plentiful supply of water
Rumen is inhabited by a diverse and immensely community of microbes such as:
Bacteria, Protozoa, Fungi, Archaea, Viruses
Amylolytic bacteria digest what?
Starch and sugars
Rumen bacteria classification:
Fibre digesters
Starch and sugar digesters
Lactate using bacteria
Hydrogen-using bacteria
Bacterial count of the rumen?
10^9 to 10^10 billion/ml
High forage diet is high in what?
High in cellulose and hemicellulose
High cereal diet is high in what?
High starch – organisms that digest starch will grow
Fibre digesters in the rumen are very sensitive to…
Acid and fat
High levels of rumen available fat causes…
Reduction in growth of the fibre-digesters (over 5% of the diet)
What % of starches and sugars are typically in a high-producing dairy cows diet?
23%
When is streptococcus bovis present?
Only when large amounts of starch and sugars are fed and pH is low
Growth requirements of amylolytic bacterial species?
Sugar, Starch, Peptides, Amino Acids (may also require ammonia and B-vitamins)
Explosive growth of Streptocoous bovis causes?
Rumen acidosis
What acid does streptococcus bovis produce?
Lactic acid (stronger than any other VFAs in the rumen)
Growth requirements for hydrogen-using bacteria?
Carbon dioxide and hydrogen
Fermentation products of hydrogen-using bacteria?
Methane
How many times larger are protozoa compared to bacteria?
40 times bigger
What % of the microbial mass in the rumen can be made up of protozoa?
Up to 50%
How many species of ciliated protozoa are there in the rumen?
35+
Typical count of ciliated protozoa in the rumen?
20,000-500,000/ml
How do protozoa survive in the rumen?
By digesting rumen bacteria
Fermentation end-products of rumen protozoa?
Acetate, butyrate and hydrogen
What microflora in the rumen is a source of MCP for the cow?
Protozoa (10-30%)
Most protozoa in the rumen are what type?
Ciliates with a few flagellate species
Classification of protozoa?
Amoeboids, Ciliates, Sporozoa, Flagellates
How often do protozoa multiply in the rumen?
15-24 hours
How often do bacteria multiply in the rumen?
As little as 13 minutes
What % of the total mass in the rumen is occupied by fungi?
8%
What feedstuff is routinely added in dairy rations to achieve high production levels?
Cereal grains
The rapidly fermented cereal grains provide substrates for rumen bacteria that cause what?
Decrease rumen pH and produce lactate
Fibre-degrading bacteria are inhibited as the pH drops below what?
pH 6.0
In addition to cellulose fermentation, the functional rumen also produces a large amount of?
Bacterial protein which contains large amounts of essential amino acids which is an excellent protein source for the cow
Dietary protein in ruminants is extensively degraded by what?
Degraded by rumen microbes into amino acids and ammonia
Microorganisms in the rumen use ammonia as a nitrogen source to do what?
Synthesise cell protein
Multispecies forages are…
Forages that contain 2 or more plant species from at least two functional groups
3 primary functional groups of multispecies forages?
Grass, legumes, herbs
Grass energy content (ME)?
High energy - 10-11ME
Energy content of red and white clover (ME)?
Red clover 10ME
White clover 11ME
Protein content of herb functional group?
18-20% protein (high protein plants)
What sort of diet causes the production of acetate, butyrate, and propionate?
Acetate – increases in forage diets
Butyrate – formed from acetate
Propionate – increased in starch diets
Two forms of protein that it is available in?
Rumen degradable protein (RDP)
Rumen undegradable protein (RUP)
NDF, ADF, and ME content of straw?
85% NDF, 55% ADF, 6-6.5ME
NDF, ADF, and ME content of maize meal?
10% NDF, 3% ADF, 13.5ME
NDF, ADF, and ME content of soya hulls?
60% NDF, 50% ADF, 11.5ME
Microbial protein = ? + ?
Energy + Ammonia = Microbial Protein
Approx 8 weeks post-sowing, how many leaves does chicory have fully grown?
7 fully grown leaves
Approx 8 weeks post-sowing, how many leaves does plantain have fully grown?
6 fully grown leaves
What is the stocking rate of the milking platform in Lyons?
3.27 LU per ha
What is the stocking rate of the whole farm in Lyons?
2.3 LU per ha
What is the milk yield per cow in Lyons?
7,108kg
What is the milk solids per cow in Lyons?
577kg
What is the total annual DMI estimation of a cow in Lyons?
3.5t grass, 1.3t silage, 1.5t concentrates
What is the EBI value of the dairy herd in Lyons?
€238 (Top 1%)
What is the milk and fertility values of the dairy herd in Lyons?
Milk €75 (Top 1%)
Fertility €102 (Top 5%)
How long is the breeding season in Lyons?
10 weeks beginning 1st Tuesday in May
In Lyons, what are the team of bulls for AI selected for?
High milk fat and protein milk PTA, good health and high fertility sub-index values
What group of animals in Lyons are being inseminated with sexed semen?
Maiden heifers and first calvers
In Lyons, what is the first service conception rate %?
70%
In Lyons, what is the 6-week pregnancy rate %?
84%
In Lyons, what is the empty rate of total cows %?
8.8% (5/57 cows)
In Lyons, what size is the milking platform?
17.43ha
In Lyons, how often is grass measuring carried out and where is the data of covers entered into?
Weekly grass measuring and entered into PastureBase Ireland
In Lyons, what are three conventional grassland management tools that are used throughout the grazing season?
Spring rotational planner, grass wedge, autumn rotational planner
In Lyons, what is done to manage surplus grass?
Bale excess grass
In Lyons, what is the reseeding policy on the Milking Platform?
Aim to reseed 10% of the milking platform every year
In Lyons, how much grass was grown in 2023?
11,026kg/ha
In Lyons, how much grass was utilised in 2023?
8,779kg/ha
In Lyons, how many days at grass did the cows have in 2023?
280 days
Sustainability measures in Lyons?
High EBI
Improved fertility
Lower crude protein diets
Native feed ingredients
Incorporation of clover
Protected urea
Less chemical N
LESS slurry spreading
What is the national amount of concentrate/cow/year?
1,156kg
What have feed imports increased to since 2022?
6.5m tonnes
What % reduction in GHG is required by 2023?
25% reduction
What are the target BCS at drying off, calving, and breeding?
Drying off 2.75-3.0
Calving 3.0-3.25
Breeding 3.0
Explain 3 of the most critical aspects in preventing excessive BCS loss in early lactation?
Don’t over-condition dry cows
Avoid situations where cows are being underfed (supplement concentrates)
Optimise feed intake in early lactation
What are the 3 trace elements implicated in affecting fertility?
Copper, Iodine, Selenium
If a cow/herd had liquid or runny faeces, what might that suggest?
Sudden dietary changes, infection, toxins, stress, or illness
After 100 days post-calving what is a normal decline in milk yield? What would a more severe drop in yield indicate?
Normal decline is 2.5% per week, 10% per month. A more severe drop in yield would indicate cows are being underfed.
What is the main cause of milk fever/hypocalcaemia?
Where cows are unable to match their rapidly increasing requirements for calcium for milk secretion by absorbing sufficient calcium from their gut or by mobilising calcium from their own skeleton.
Name a common problem associated with the use of high starch diets?
Acidosis
Negative energy balance (NEB) after calving will cause what?
BCS will drop
What is the pH of the rumen?
~6.2
Negative energy balance in early lactation cows is caused by?
High milk energy output and relatively low feed intake
The key monitoring criteria for dietary energy balance is….
> 95% of energy requirements should be supplied by the diet at 8 weeks post partum
Raised blood urea levels have been related to what fertility issues in dairy cows?
Delay of first ovulation, lowered conception rates, increased embryonic death and general reproductive inefficiency
Butterfat levels are influenced by what in the diet?
Fibre levels
Milk protein is largely dependent on what?
Supply of microbial protein
Low milk protein and low BCS are frequently accompanied by what?
Poor fertility
What can be a useful predictor of energy status in dairy cows?
The ratio of milk fat:milk protein percentage (<1.5)
What is the average Family Farm Income across all systems in 2023?
€19,925
Top 3 average incomes in agriculture (2023)
Dairy - €49,432
Tillage - €21,399
Cattle - €7,425 to €14,735
What country is the biggest producer in the EU?
Germany
Yield per hectare calculation
Yield (kg DM/ha) = Fresh weight (g) x DM% x 0.4
Eg. 200g fresh grass, 15% DM
200 x 15 x 0.4 = 1,200kg DM/ha
Herbage yield per ha using the rising plate meter
(Closing reading-opening reading/No. of readings) x 140 - 1,000 = kg DM/ha
Eg. (5881-5337/30) x 140 - 1,000 = 1538.67kg DM/ha
DMD calculation
88.9 - (0.779 x ADF%)
