Dairy Cattle Flashcards
Bos taurus
European Origin; Adapted to cooler climates
Pasteruization
treating a substance with heat to kill or slow the growth of pathogens
History of Dairy Cattle
Domesticated 18,000 years ago near the boundary of Europe and Asia
Bos Indicus
Indian Origin; Adapted to hot climates
Tuberculosis (TB)
infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis; lungs usually are involved, but any organ in the body may be affected
artificial insemination
-Acquisition of high-quality semen from a bull
-Detection of estrus in the female
or
-Synchronization of estrus &/or ovulation
-Deposition of semen properly in the female’s reproductive tract
-Now: >66% of dairy cattle farms rely on AI
Trends in U.S. Dairying
- Fewer dairy farms with larger herds of cattle.
- Increasing milk production per cow.
Dairy products roughly provide how much percent of annual cash receipts from agriculture in the U.S?
10%
How much beef is consumed in the U.S comes from cull dairy cows, dairy steers, and calves?
22% of Beef
export volume
12 to 18% of production during the 2010s
Small Herds
-Family-owned
-Family-operated
-Grow own feed
-Raise own youngstock
-House cows in barns or on pasture
Large Herds
-Family-owned
-Hired-labor
-Grow & purchase feed
-Raise own youngstock or
contract to raise off-site
-House cows in barns or
drylots
Dairy Breeds
- Holstein
- Jersey
- Brown Swiss
- Guernsey
- Ayrshire
+/- 6. American milking shorthorn
Life cycle of a dairy cow
1) Calf
2) Heifer or Bull
3) The heifer would either calf or become a lactating Cow
4) the lactating cow turns to a dry Cow
Animals who cycle throughout the year over and over again are:
non-seasonally polyestrous
dairy calves
-Ensure a safe delivery
-Allow the cow to lick the calf or dry it off
- Dip navel with iodine or chlorhexidine
- calf should stand (15-20min) and nurse (30 min)
- bottle feed or tube feed
Colostrum (Liquid Gold)
initial milk containing more protein (especially antibodies/ immunoglobulins), fat, minerals, and vitamins than milk produces later
Housing of dairy calves
Calf hutches or pens
Management goal of housing
clean, dry, well- ventilated, w/o drafts
Weaning
Transition from a milk-based diet to a concentrates and forage based diet
Weaning age
4-8 weeks of age. but timing should be based on feed intake (not age)
- Holstein calf consumes 2 lbs of calf starter per day for 3 consecutive days
- jersey calf eats 1-1.5 lbs calf starter/day
weaned heifers housing
Alone or into groups in pens, in barns, or on pasture
weaned heifers feeding
goal: reach 60-65% of adult weight and height by 13-15 months of age (puberty 9-11 months)
Weaned Heifers Breeding
- AI or Bull-breed @ 13-15 months of age
- Pregnancy = 9 months
- Calve (“freshen”) @ 22-25 months of age
- join the milking herd as a Cow or 1st calf heifer