Dairy Industry Flashcards
what is the aim of the dairy industry?
produce profitable milk that is safe to consume, form healthy cows kept under high welfare standards
how do you calculate profit
production x (price - cost)
what is the acceptable somatic cell count
150,000 - 200,000 cells/ml
what does low somatic cell count show
bacterial health
hygiene
udder health
how many times a day should a cow be milked?
2-3 times a day
name some different types of milking systems
side by side
herringbone
rotatory parlour
trigon parlour
what is the top 25% of farmers making per L of milk
5p/L
what is a milk cluster?
machine that pulsates on the teat to squeeze the milk out
what is the KPI for 1st calving age
2.1 year
what is the KPI for protein percentage
3.39%
what is the KPI for fat
4.17%
what is the cattle balance point?
Shoulder
how old is the cattle when it is bred?
15 months
what is the average cattle lifespand?
6 years
How long is cattle lactation?
10 months
what is buffer feeding?
giving any extra nutrients
what are cattle nutrient requirements
fibre + starch for energy
protein
Ca, P, Mg
vitamins
trace elements - vitamins + minerals ( Cu, Co, Vit E)
when does a cow become dry?
what are its dietary requirements?
last 60 days of gestation
hay, straw - fill rumen without excess energy
low in minerals
when does a cow become a transition cow
what are the dietary requirements?
3 weeks before birth to the 2nd week of lactation
more concentrates, higher energy to support rumen growth in calf
low potassium
how to calculate dry matter intake
2.5% of body weight + 10% milk yield
what is peripartum milk fever?
unable to adapt to increasing milk production.
So cannot metabolism enough metabolism for milk, means also becomes deficient in Ca for bones also.
leads metabolic disease (cows cant stand)
what is the purpose of Mg in Ca metabolism?
changes parathyroid hormone receptor to enable calcium metabolism from bone
how long is the cow oestrus cycle?
18-24 days
what are some signs of ovulation, and how can they be tracked?
stand to be mounted - tail paint (will be rubbed off) + heat mount detectors
increased activity - pedometers
what is the farmers rate of detecting heat (ovulation)
70%
how is bull fertility measured?
physical exam
semen collection
semen evaluation
what is profitable lifetime index?
the way to evaluate the best bull
what is mastitis?
mammary gland infection
what are the economic risks of mastitis
discarded milk
vet/ drug bills
how can mastitis spread?
through milk clusters
the environment - lying in faeces
how is mastitis treated in lactating cows?
intra-mammary antibiotics
how is mastitis treated in dry cows?
internal mammary seal - OrbeSeal
How can you prevent spread of mastitis?
good parlour hygiene:
wash and dry teat and milker
what is lameness?
abnormality in a cows hoof
what can cause lameness?
environment
nutrition
genetics
management
what is parturition?
birth
what are some post parturition protocols?
Naval iodine
weigh the calves
ear tags
what are the rates of twinning?
5%
what is the fat % in colostrum
6.7%
what is the protein % in colostrum
14%
how many g of immunoglobulins per L of colostrum
32 g/L
how long after birth can cows absorb antibodies?
6 hours
what are the 3 Qs when feeding colostrum
quality, quantity, quickly
how can colostrum be quality checked?
with a Brix refractor
tested by a colostrometer
what temperature should colostrum be fed at?
38 C (body temp)
why cant colostrum be heated up?
heat will destroy the antibodies
what temperature should colostrum be refrigerated at and for how long?
4 degrees C
24 hours
how long can colostrum be frozen for?
1 year
how should colostrum be stored?
in 1-2L zip lock bags
how long do you feed transition milk?
3 days
how much milk replacer is fed?
and at what temperature?
minimun 3L 2x a day
(150g/L)
fed at 40 degrees C
how can milk replacer be fed?
Teat - allows oesophageal duct to close preventing milk from entering the rumen
computerised or adlib
why would you use milk replacer powder?
cheaper then whole milk
less diseases transmission
consistent in nutrients/ protein
what are the 2 types of milk replacer? and what are the differences?
Skim - expensive, butter/ cream byproduct
Whey - Cheese byproduct
How does the rumen develope?
straw and concentrate diet for fibre and Volatile Fatty Acid production that aids in papillae development.
when are calves weaned?
8-10 weeks
what is diarrhoea is calves called?
Scours
what are the advantages of single penning?
reduces diseased transmission
no bullying
prevent naval sucking
what are the advantages of group penning?
can exhibit natural behaviours
can groom each other
cheaper
what is heifer rearing?
the time to allow a heifer to reach full lactation
how long is calf puberty?
3-10 months old
what are the pre-weaning growth rates for healthy milk yields?
1kg a day
