Diary cows Flashcards

1
Q

Aus industry

A
  • location driven by where you can grow feed (digestable pasture) high rainfall area
  • needs to be good quality feed for good milk production
  • ## proximity close to major cities (in order for quick milk supply to city)
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2
Q

what states are these dairy farms in

A

VIC has 2/3rd of aus dairy cows
- fewer farms with more higher producing cows

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3
Q

what drives the price of milk

A
  • quality
  • transport costs (cost of production)
  • demand and supply
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4
Q

Walk through dairy

A
  • older method
  • disadvantage: humans need to bend over
  • low throughput, low volume system
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5
Q

herringbone

A
  • come in a mass and organise themselves (there is food) once milked they leave all at once
  • humans don’t need to bend down
  • more efficient throughput
  • can milk a herd of 300
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6
Q

rotary dairy

A
  • more efficient
  • a continuous system
  • less labour per cow
  • automatic cup
  • only need 1 labourer to cup the cow
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7
Q

whats a vat

A
  • to store milk in a higenic way to wait for tanker
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8
Q

dairy cows and sources of income

A
  • milk
  • older cows get sold for meat
  • male calves can’t be milked so they are sold
  • heiffer calves excess can be sold
  • excess feed can be sold
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9
Q

cost incurred in dairy farming

A
  • growing grass for feed
  • cost of land and capital
  • fertiliser
  • cost of labour
  • AI
  • animal health treatment
  • suplementary feed (grain, which can be a major cost)
  • cost of infrastructure
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10
Q

whats the life cycle of a dairy cow?

A
  • first calf at 24 months old
  • gestation period 9 months
  • stay in heard for 5-6 lactations (depends on the health and productivity of cow)
  • produce a calf every 12 months (which allows them to be in sync with the herd, grass growth)
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11
Q

months at which calf is in lifecycle

A
  • Calves : lactating and non pregnant (3mnths)
    • Mated: pregnant and lactating (6mths)
      Dried off: pregnant, non lactating (3mths)
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12
Q

single calf facts

A
  • 30-35kg
  • 24 hrs with mum
  • colostrum (important for calves immune system
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13
Q

when is a Bull calf sold

A
  • sold at 7-14 days
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14
Q

extra heifer calves

A
  • not all needed for replacement
  • milk for 8-12 weeks
  • weaned
  • mated at 15 months
  • first calf at 24 months
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15
Q

whats included in a milking herd?

A
  • heifer calves
  • mature cows
  • dry cows
  • breeding bulls
    (culled once finished dairy production)
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16
Q

AI use

A
  • used to allow farmers access to a higher quality semen (animal genetics) from an elite bull
  • its more cost efficient
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17
Q

role of mop up bull

A
  • will breed with cows who haven’t gotten pregnant
  • it enables beef crossed calves which are easy to manage
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18
Q

what is quality of milk

A

components:
- water 87%
- butter fat 3-4%
- protein 3-3.5% (80% casein, 20% whey)
- carbs 4.9% (lactose)
- minerals (calcium)
- vitamins (especially vitamin A)

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19
Q

what determines the quality of milk?

A
  • butterfat+protein=milk solids
    =bulk milk cell count (BMCC)
  • bacterial count
  • freezing point
  • residues
  • sediment
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20
Q

seasonal calving

A
  • most common in late winter, early spring (cows are calved over a restricted period)
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21
Q

benefits of seasonal calving

A
  • in pasture areas it allows synchronisation with cows lactation curve and the grass growth curve
  • utilise different prices of milk throughout the years
  • efficient utilisation of labour (only need during one period)
  • most efficient
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22
Q

disadvantages of seasonal calving

A
  • if a cow fails to get pregnant then you have to cull
  • carry over dry sows
  • milk stale cows over dry period
  • slows down improvement of herd halted
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23
Q

Split calving system

A
  • 2 or more caalving periods in a year
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24
Q

benefits of split calving

A
  • retains some of the efficiencies of seasonal
  • limits the consequences of poor reproductive performance (less carry overtime)
  • rather than a cow get preganant late you can delay a bit and have it in the austumn when growth of pasture is still high
  • can supply milk in the winter (payment incentive, winter milk prices are higher)
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25
disadvantages of split calving
- more complicated herd management - poor reproductive performance can become acceptable - no period of no milking (you need labour whole year which is costly)
26
year round calving
- the most applicable when there is a steady feed all year round
27
benefits of all year round calving
- ensures year-round milk supply sought by some milk factories (can take advantage of winter milk prices
28
disadvantages of year round calving
- prolonged inter calving intervals lead to reduced production - workload spread over a whole year
29
what is mastisis
- inflammation of the mammary gland in the udder, typically due to bacterial infection via a damaged teat - most economically important to dairy industry as it can lead to poor milk quality whcih leads to reduced payment, antibiotic use - cost of treatment is expensive - culling cattle
30
sub clinical mastitis
- no visible changes in milk, udder or cow - decreased milk porduction - decreased milk quality - not generally treated during lactation - dry cow therapy
31
what is low input in dairy farming
when pasturing is limiting production (pasture based systems)
32
what is high-input farming
all year to maximise production (total mixed ratio)
33
what is good reproductive performance ?
- fewer cows sold because empty or late - better production in each lactation season - better production per cow/per year - more calves and genetic gain - more efficient pasture use
34
herd reproductive performance
- calving pattern has major effect on subsequent mating season - a high proportion of herd must calve in 1st 3 weeks to maximise reproductive perfromance
35
features of cow management
conception, timing and selection of the right cow
36
what is the target weight for jersey cows
300-320kg
37
what is the target weight for friesan cows ?
380-400kg
38
when should a heifer reach its target mating weight
by 15 months
39
ideal factors of heifer cows
- calves at 24 months - conceves 83 days later - 12 month calving interval (heifer must calve quickly after planned start of calving if herd reproductive performance is to be maximised
40
1. what is mammogenesis
- growth and development of the mammary gland in preparation for milk production
41
2. lactogenesis
- the process of developing the ability to secrete milk and involves the maturation of mammary cells
42
3. galactopoiesis
- the maintenance of lactation once lactation has been established
43
4. involution
the shrinkage and return of the mammary glands to its inactive state (once cow is dried off) - post-calving contraction of the uterus and expulsion of fluid and membranes
44
factors about heat (oestrus) detection
- its needed when using AI - oestrus detection is a major task of reproductive management - cows come on heat every 21 days - at standing heat will see: stand to be mounted, have hari tails ruffled, slobber on back and mucus on tail
45
what does the successful rearing of calves from birth to weaning depend on
- healthy dams that calve without difficulty - clean calving area - early ingestion of good quality colostrum - comfortable and adequate housing - adequate nutrition
46
calving problems
- dystocia (difficulty giving birth) 1. calf is too big 2. malpresentation (cow is the wrong way) 3. calf developmental abnormality
47
heat detection issues
- cold wet weather - few cows cycling - inattention by humans (poorly trained)
48
heat detection aids
- tail paint (will get rubbed off during mounting) heat mount detector ( heat pressure sensor bubble will burst) - pedometer
49
oestrus synchronization
- compact mating periods - improved heat detection (optimal labour utilisation) - efficient AI
50
measuring reproductive performance: primary indices
- 6 week in calf rate: number of calves diagnosed as becoming pregnant during 1st 6 weeks of mating divided by number of cows in herd - not in calf rate % at end of mating
51
secondary indices
- 3 weeks submission rate %: of cows that received at least 1 insemination by 3 weeks after MSD - conception rate % AI insemination that resulted in positive pregnancy test - 10 day submission rate % of non preganant cows that were submitted for mating in the 1st daus of mating
52
factors which effect the conception rate and 3 week submission rate
- previous carving pattern: affects SR late cows may not cycle in time for mating start date - reproductive disease: can increase interval from calving 1st oestrus and lower CR - nutritional status: affects calving oestrus interval and fertility - AI: quality of semen used and delivery and handling of semen affect CR - heat detection: needs to be efficient - age: heifers and older cows
53
what bull to select
- breed can't be too large and temperamentally suited - size, performance, disease, age
54
housing of calves
- hutch not really used anymore - hay shed (keep calves in like groups, those that are born at the same age for management and dieasease control - dedicated shed
55
colostrum facts
- material secreted at time of calving - high % of protein (=antibodies) the calf doesn't digest antibodies it goes into bloodstream through the gut (good for immune function) - effective delivery of colostrum most important single act for good calf health (passive immunity)
56
timing of colostrum
- is only produced by cow for short time after patriuition - the best colostrum is avialable in 12 hours of giving birth - the antibodies are only absorbed by the calf for a short time
57
quality of colostrum
- can vary with age of cow (better if older) - can vary with breed - driven by concentration of antibodies
58
quantity of colostrum
- 2 hours in first 12 hours
59
failure of colostrum transfer (calf factors)
-inability to digest sufficient colostrum - weak calf (calving problem) - inability to stand (calving or congenital) cleft palate - removed from mother too soon
60
failure of colostrum transfer (cow factors)
inacessible teats (cow down or dead) - poor mothering - small amounts of colostrum age dam (heifer poor colostrum) dripping milk prior to calving - poor cow immunity
61
milk source for cows
- frozen and stored or stored at room temp whole milk: fed once colostrum suplly is finishined - calf milk replaces: usually skim milk, powder and fats and vitamins
62
milk volume and frequency rec
- lifetime productivity gains can be made by feeing claves greater volumes of milk - bigger heifer are generally more productive in their first and subsequent lactations and tend to calve more and get back to calving sooner - 20% BW daily
63
scourers
- due to infection - may need electrolyte orally
64
male dairy calves (bobby calves) selling laws
-at least 5 days old - must be birght, alert, strong and vigorous - must be fed within 6 hours of sale - umbilical cord should be driend and shrivelled - transported vehicals with enclosed fronts - must have electronic tag in VIC -
65
weaning
- age varies 6-8 weeks
66
heifer rearing excess
don't need all dairy breed heifers (keep replacements at least 20-25% - sell the rest
67
heifer rearing
- aim of rearing heifers to produce well gwon heifers at critical time of mating - cope with 1st gestation better - having a heifer 50 kg heavier at first calcing will produce more milk
68
common management pre and post weaning
- dehorning - health (vaccination, drenching)
69
mating management
- generally mated at 15 months - aim to achieve min mating weights
70
Natural vs AI
Natural: good heat detection and low labour requirments BUT rely soley on bull soundness, you need a bull and low genetic progress Ai: increase genetic progression, dont need bull BUT tricky heat detection, labour required, synchronisation
71
welfare issues for cows
- calf management (handling, time of weaning) - lameness - mastitis - tail docking - Conditions of life
72
Calf docking
- Trying to phase out - Why cut off tail: to stop mastitis and hitting labourers, milk hygiene - In australia flies are an issue for docked cows Rather trim the hair on the tail
73
Lameness
- Around 5% may have lameness - Increased by: · Wet conditions · Rough or stony laneways for moving cows · Poor handling, rushing cows on laneways · Excessive grain in diets Infectious conditions
74
Mastitis
- Around 15% of cows may have an episode of mastitis - May be increased by: · Wet conditions · Milking machine problems · Poor hygiene in the dairy Not clearing up previous cases or persistently infected cows
75
Downer cows
- A late pregnant or recently calved cow that is recumbent (lying down on her chest or side) and unable to rise - A downer cow is an animal health emergency - Without good nursing secondary damage may occur Could be due to injury
76
conditions of daily life are affected by
- Back drop of increasing herd size and intensification Use technological aids to help monitor cows