Dairy Cattle

Question 1

What is the phylum of dairy cattle?

Answer 1

Chordata

Question 2

What is the subphylum of dairy cattle?

Answer 2

Vertebrata

Question 3

What is the class of dairy cattle?

Answer 3

Mammalia

Question 4

What is the order of dairy cattle?

Answer 4

Artiodactyla

Question 5

What is the suborder of dairy cattle?

Answer 5

Ruminata

Question 6

What is the family of dairy cattle?

Answer 6

Bovidae

Question 7

What is the genus of dairy cattle?

Answer 7

Bos

Question 8

What is the species of dairy cattle?

Answer 8

Taurus or Indicus

Question 9

Example of Bos taurus and Bos indicus

Answer 9

Bos taurus: Holstein
Bos indicus: Brahman

Question 10

Dairy Cattle Breeds

Answer 10

Holstein
Jersey
Guernsey
Ayrshire
Milking Shorthorn
Brown Swiss

Question 11

True or False: A cow doesn’t have to give birth to produce milk

Answer 11

False. It has to give birth

Question 12

What is the gestation period of a cow?

Answer 12

282 (avg 279-287)

Question 13

What is the estrous cycle length?

Answer 13

21 days

Question 14

What is the range of body temperature of beef cattle?

Answer 14

100.4 - 102.8

Question 15

What is the average lactation length?

Answer 15

305 days

Question 16

What is the average number of lactations?

Answer 16

2.5
Varies from farm to farm

Question 17

What is the dairy cows life cycle?

Answer 17

Heifer calf is born -> Reared on milk replacer for 6-8 weeks then weaned -> Bred at 12-14 month of age -> Gives birth 9 months later -> Milked 2x a day -> Re-bred 40 days post calving -> Dried off for 60 days -> Calves again and begins the cycle again

Question 18

When do cows peak production?

Answer 18

50-70 days post calving

Question 19

What is the proper care for dairy cows?

Answer 19

Nutrition
Cleanliness
Cow comfort
Proper reproduction management
Cow health
Proper milking protocols

Question 20

How much food do dairy cows need?

Answer 20

Require large quantities of feed

Question 21

How many gallons do dairy cattle cows drink?

Answer 21

30 gallons

Question 22

How to avoid acidosis in dairy cows?

Answer 22

Maintain proper rumen health and give palatable feed

Question 23

What pathogen can cause mastitis and is frequently found in an unclean environment?

Answer 23

E.coli

Question 24

What happens in Mastitis?

Answer 24

Inflammation/infection within the mammary tissue
- Painful udder
- High Somatic Cell Count (Used as an indicator of cow health and milk quality)
- Fever
- Decreased appetite
- Reduced milk production
- Can cause permanent damage
- Treatment: Antibiotics

Question 25

If cow is infected with mastitis, how many somatic cells will she have?

Answer 25

>200,000 somatic cells/per Increases as infection worses

Question 26

How do create Cow Comfort?

Answer 26

- Have Sand bedstalls - Stall has to be long enough for them to sit comfortability (Launchspace) - Fans - Robotic brushes - Proper fly control (Less energy -> Lesss milk production)

Question 27

What happens when milking occurs?

Answer 27

Milked 2x a day - All equipment MUST be sanitized before AND after milking Milking parlor Clean teats before and after milking Milk is cooled in a refrigerated tank - Bulk train Picked up and shipped to a dairy where milk is tested

Question 28

Is all milk antibiotic free?

Answer 28

YES!

Question 29

True or False: We like antibiotic free milk?

Answer 29

Milk containing antibiotics is rejected by the dairy Great care is taken to ensure that milk containing antibiotics does not enter the food system

Question 30

How do they test milk at the farm?

Answer 30

Somatic Cell Count (SCC) Pre-incubation count (PI) PIC Antibiotics Fat/Protein content (total solids)

Question 31

What are different types of fluid milk?

Answer 31

Organic Pasteurized Condensed/Powdered Fluid milk Raw Has not been pasteurized (Not legal in US)

Question 32

What is the pasteurization process?

Answer 32

Ultra Pasteurized milk also called UHT pasteurization is shelf stable for 30-90 days and in some cases up to 6 months HHST is used to pasteurize milk and extend the shelf life to approximately 50 days in refrigerated conditions HTST is used for standard fluid milk sold in the grocery

Question 33

What happens with Milk Fever?

Answer 33

Hypocalcemia: Occurs in cows that have freshened Cause: Low concentrations of calcium in the cow's blood Symptoms: Cold feet, legs and ears, Lethargic, Uncoordinated, Absence of rumination Treatment: IV Calcium Will develop other conditions e.g. Subclinical hypocalcemia Prevention: Need to ensure that the transition cow diet has the correct amounts of calcium and/or help cows mobilize calcium

Question 34

What happens with Dystocia?

Answer 34

Difficult Birth Cause: Mal-presentations of the calf, calf is too large, underlying health condition of the dam Have to reposition the misrepresented calf If not corrected, the calf will die (dam can die as well) Prevention: Ensuring proper diet, Breeding cows to bulls that are calving

Question 35

What happens with Freemartin?

Answer 35

Heifer born twin to a bull calf Exposed to hormones produced by the male fetus Cause: Regression (poor development) of the female reproductive tract Born STERILE

Question 36

Importance of Calf Health?

Answer 36

Need calves to rear as replacement females or for meat production purposes Raising young dairy calves for replacement stock or for veal can be challenging Calves are highly susceptible to disease

Question 37

Issues with Calf Health?

Answer 37

5.8% of calves die due to causes unrelated to predation Calf mortality due to digestive issues (30.6%) Calf mortality due to respiratory issues (36.7%) - Loss of genetics and replacement animals - Money lost in labor and treatments needed for sick calves -Ensure proper colostrum feeding, disease prevention, nutrition, and management