Dairy industry/husbandry Flashcards
how do you work out profit?
production x price - costs
what is the average heifer rearing price?
£1300
what do farmers get paid for in the milk?
- volume
- solids
- quality
What are the best KPI’s to know?
- protein
- fat
- milk yield
where is cattle balance point
shoulder
what is the age of breeding in dairy cows?
15 months
what is the age of calving in dairy cows?
24 months
how long are they pregnant?
9 months
how many days is calving to conception?
85-150 days
what is the calving to calving interval?
365-420 days
average life of a dairy cow?
6 years
Average number of calves and lactations?
3
length of lactation?
10 month
how long is the dry period?
2 months
yield of jersey cow?
5,000/year
yield of holstein?
10,000/yield
what macro-minerals are essential in dairy cows?
- calcium
- phosphorus
- magnesium
what can you do to help calcium homeostasis?
- low calcium diet pre-calving
- reduce potassium
- adequate magnesium
what hormone is essential for calcium production
PTH parathyroid hormone
what are common health problems in dairy cows
- poor fertility
- mastitis
- lameness
- nutritional problems
how long is the oestrus cycle?
average 21 days
how long is the voluntary waiting period?
45 days
what is the heat detection rate?
> 70%
what is the conception rates to AI?
around 40%
what = fertility efficiency
21 day pregnancy rate
what are the signs of standing heat in the oestrus cycle
-stands to be mounted
- mounts other cows
- chin pressing
- swelling of the vulva and mucous discharge
- increased activity
what us the average length of standing heat?
9 hours
how long after a cow is standing to be mounted should the farmer inseminate?
12 hours
what are the different oestrus detection aids?
- heat mount detectors
- tail paint
- pedometers
what is the aim of the dairy industry?
to produce profitable milk that is safe to consume from healthy cows kept under high standards of welfare
describe the recent trend in the number of UK dairy farms
in the past 10 years, the number of dairy farms in the UK ha fallen by 30.2%