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
Q

disadvantages of split calving

A
  • more complicated herd management
  • poor reproductive performance can become acceptable
  • no period of no milking (you need labour whole year which is costly)
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26
Q

year round calving

A
  • the most applicable when there is a steady feed all year round
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27
Q

benefits of all year round calving

A
  • ensures year-round milk supply sought by some milk factories (can take advantage of winter milk prices
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28
Q

disadvantages of year round calving

A
  • prolonged inter calving intervals lead to reduced production
  • workload spread over a whole year
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29
Q

what is mastisis

A
  • 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
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30
Q

sub clinical mastitis

A
  • no visible changes in milk, udder or cow
  • decreased milk porduction
  • decreased milk quality
  • not generally treated during lactation
  • dry cow therapy
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31
Q

what is low input in dairy farming

A

when pasturing is limiting production (pasture based systems)

32
Q

what is high-input farming

A

all year to maximise production (total mixed ratio)

33
Q

what is good reproductive performance ?

A
  • 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
Q

herd reproductive performance

A
  • 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
Q

features of cow management

A

conception, timing and selection of the right cow

36
Q

what is the target weight for jersey cows

A

300-320kg

37
Q

what is the target weight for friesan cows ?

A

380-400kg

38
Q

when should a heifer reach its target mating weight

A

by 15 months

39
Q

ideal factors of heifer cows

A
  • 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
Q
  1. what is mammogenesis
A
  • growth and development of the mammary gland in preparation for milk production
41
Q
  1. lactogenesis
A
  • the process of developing the ability to secrete milk and involves the maturation of mammary cells
42
Q
  1. galactopoiesis
A
  • the maintenance of lactation once lactation has been established
43
Q
  1. involution
A

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
Q

factors about heat (oestrus) detection

A
  • 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
Q

what does the successful rearing of calves from birth to weaning depend on

A
  • healthy dams that calve without difficulty
  • clean calving area
  • early ingestion of good quality colostrum
  • comfortable and adequate housing
  • adequate nutrition
46
Q

calving problems

A
  • dystocia (difficulty giving birth)
    1. calf is too big
    2. malpresentation (cow is the wrong way)
    3. calf developmental abnormality
47
Q

heat detection issues

A
  • cold wet weather
  • few cows cycling
  • inattention by humans (poorly trained)
48
Q

heat detection aids

A
  • tail paint (will get rubbed off during mounting)
    heat mount detector ( heat pressure sensor bubble will burst)
  • pedometer
49
Q

oestrus synchronization

A
  • compact mating periods
  • improved heat detection (optimal labour utilisation)
  • efficient AI
50
Q

measuring reproductive performance: primary indices

A
  • 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
Q

secondary indices

A
  • 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
Q

factors which effect the conception rate and 3 week submission rate

A
  • 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
Q

what bull to select

A
  • breed can’t be too large and temperamentally suited
  • size, performance, disease, age
54
Q

housing of calves

A
  • 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
Q

colostrum facts

A
  • 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
Q

timing of colostrum

A
  • 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
Q

quality of colostrum

A
  • can vary with age of cow (better if older)
  • can vary with breed
  • driven by concentration of antibodies
58
Q

quantity of colostrum

A
  • 2 hours in first 12 hours
59
Q

failure of colostrum transfer (calf factors)

A

-inability to digest sufficient colostrum
- weak calf (calving problem)
- inability to stand (calving or congenital)
cleft palate
- removed from mother too soon

60
Q

failure of colostrum transfer (cow factors)

A

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
Q

milk source for cows

A
  • 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
Q

milk volume and frequency rec

A
  • 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
Q

scourers

A
  • due to infection
  • may need electrolyte orally
64
Q

male dairy calves (bobby calves) selling laws

A

-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
Q

weaning

A
  • age varies 6-8 weeks
66
Q

heifer rearing excess

A

don’t need all dairy breed heifers (keep replacements at least 20-25%
- sell the rest

67
Q

heifer rearing

A
  • 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
Q

common management pre and post weaning

A
  • dehorning
  • health (vaccination, drenching)
69
Q

mating management

A
  • generally mated at 15 months
  • aim to achieve min mating weights
70
Q

Natural vs AI

A

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
Q

welfare issues for cows

A
  • calf management (handling, time of weaning)
  • lameness
  • mastitis
  • tail docking
  • Conditions of life
72
Q

Calf docking

A
  • 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
Q

Lameness

A
  • 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
Q

Mastitis

A
  • 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
Q

Downer cows

A
  • 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
Q

conditions of daily life are affected by

A
  • Back drop of increasing herd size and intensification
    Use technological aids to help monitor cows