Notes

Animal Science

Introduction to Dairy Cattle

Heifer - Young female that has not given birth.
Cow - Female that has given birth.
Bull - male, intact
Steer - castrated male
Calf - baby bovine
Calving - giving birth to a calf.
bovine - scientific name for cattle; unisex
Dry Cow - Not producing milk
Fresh Cow - producing milk
freshening - act of getting cow to produce milk
Keep - continue using the animal as previously done
Cull - get rid of the animal
Freemartin - Sterile female, twin to bull

The Industry

Milker, Producer: The person that milk the cattle and raises them
Trucker: The person that trucks the milk to the processing plant
Processing: Processing the raw milk into milk, cheese, butter etc.

Breeds

Ayrshire - Red and white, excellent grazers with high quality, not used a lot in the dairy industry. Imported from Scotland in the early 19th Century.
Brown Swiss - Light to dark brown, large, 2nd best milk producer, heat tolerant breed, dual purpose breed for milk and beef. Imported from Switzerland in 1869.
Guernsey - Pale yellow and white, golden color in the milk due to high levels of beta-carotene, it is 2nd best in having fat and protein in the milk. Imported from the Isle of Guernsey in the early 1800's.
Holstein - Most popular dairy breed, black and white, can be red and white, largest breed, 1st in most milk produced. Imported from the Netherlands in the early 1700's.
Jersey - Light brown, fawn, grey, black, smallest breed, produce milk that has the highest precent of milk fat and milk protein, more tolerant to heat. Imported from the Isle of Jersey in the early 19th Century.
Milking Shorthorn - Red, white, or combo, Dual purpose, recognized as a breed in the 1940's. Originated in england.

Dairy Industry
all bout kansas
Kansas is the most unique dairy state.
There are only 400 farms
Ranks 16 in milk production
central and eastern dairies average 60-100 cows
western kansas average 1500 with 2500 to 3000 the most popular
western dairies produce 70% of kansas's milk
kansas is good at agriculture, good feed
ksu makes milk for the entire campus
several billion pounds of milk is produced yearly in kansas.
the dairy industry began when settlers brought cows in 1600's
until the mid 19th century, the owner didnt share
in the 19th, more advanced dairy
-cold railroad cars
-pasteurization
-cheese on market

Modern Trends
more cows per farmg
increase in milk production due to bst
shift in the midwest to western

Career Opportunities
dairy producer
loan officer
geneticist
feed company rep
vet
fluidmilk hauler
processing plant worker
sales rep

Concerns from consumers
waste management
drug usage in lactating cow
animal welfare - how well they are doing

Addressing Concerns
waste: education by the industry concerning waste storage
we tell people what farmers do with waste
regulations
drug use: programs teach farmers how to safely make high quality milk that teach how to preserve their cows and improve their milk
Animal Welfare: they teach animal safety
lotsa regulations
you can be sure its safe cause of inspections
milk samples are tested
Most milk is sold through cooperatives
the government decides the price
high fat and protein low somatic gets you a bonus

Herd Management
milking parlor
parallel: cows are at a 90 degree angle on both sides of the pit
the milking unit is attached behind the hind legs
herringbone: cows stand at an angle on both sides
the design gives easy access to both sides
free stall: can move where ever in the cells
stanchion: chained to the stalls
feed storage: silo hold corn silage and haylage
bulk bins hold prepared feed or supplements
waste storage
lagoons: holding areas for waste, like a pond
a watertight concrete or coated steel talk to hold waste, above or below ground
heifer development facilities
calves are kept individually in hutches until weaning. they are then moved to group pens.
heifers should be ready to calve at 2 years and should weigh 1000 to 1300
super important to be this weight
small thin cows give less milk
extra fat can cause excess fat deposits in the udder which causes problems in the future
cow management: cows must become pregnant and calve for lactation to begin
lactation usually peaks around 8 weeks after calving then slowly declines
Cows should be rebred 40 to 100 days
dry off at 40 - 50 weeks dry cows when 35 to 40 lbs daily. dry period is 60 days
artificial insemination
better genes, helps stop the spread of disease
more accurate records of reproduction
gets rid of problems of having a bull.
The cows nutritional needs are highest when lactation peaks
lactating cows should consume 3-4% their body weight
roughages should make up 40% of the diet - this ensures correct microbe populations in the rumen.
Keeping records: milk production levels for each cow, breeding and calving dates, pedigrees, vaccinations, vet involvement, birth info

Heard Health
Milk Fever: Calcium imbalance, loss of appetite, staggering, paralysis, or death. Vet must inject intravenous calcium. Feed em correct amount of calcium.
Ketosis: Underfeeding during high lactation or shortly after calving. Less milk, weight loss, fruity oder to breath and milk. Treated with glucose. Prevented by feeding high energy diets to lactating dairy cattle
Foot Rot: Caused by wound between the toes. Causes lameness, swelling, fever, decreased appetite, and a large decrease to milk production. Treated with footbath and antibiotics.
Laminates: high concentrate levels, no long fiber, causes lameness and poor milking. Careful management of feeding and aggressive foot trimming.
Mastitis: infection of the udder, caused by any infection in the body, can be treated with antibiotics, test for it with cmt test.

Udder Traits 40%
High and Wide for udders
4 corners symmetrical
Dairy Strength 25%
Rear feet and legs 20%
Frame 15%