Download Chapter 42 - Mrs. Eggleston

Management of the
Dairy Herd
Chapter 42
Objectives
• Describe the use of records in managing
the dairy herd
• Determine which cows should be culled
from the dairy herd
• Set goals for the dairy farm
• Manage dairy cows during all phases of
production
Objectives (cont.)
• Raise dairy replacement heifers
• List and describe other approved dairy
management practices
Records
• Keep the following kinds of records
– Production records on individual cows, herd
– Feed use records
– Breeding and calving records
– Health records
– Cow identification records
– Financial records (entire farm and enterprise)
– Inventory
Dairy Herd Improvement Associations
(DHIA)
• Available through the Cooperative
Extension Service
• The use of DHIA testing has increased
over the years
• Income usually increases at farms that are
DHIA tested
Dairy Herd Improvement Associations
(DHIA) (cont.)
• Some DHIA tests
– Dairy Herd Improvement (DHI)
– Dairy Herd Improvement Registry (DHIR)
– AM-PM Testing programs
– Owner-Sampler (O-S)
– Weigh-a-Day-a-Month (WADAM)
– Basic Production and Management (BPM)
Dairy Herd Improvement Associations
(DHIA) (cont.)
• Dairy Herd Improvement
– Requires a DHIA supervisor to visit the farm
once a month
• The supervisor weighs and samples the milk from
each cow
• Records information on feeding, breeding, calving,
and management of the herd
Dairy Herd Improvement Associations
(DHIA) (cont.)
• Dairy Herd Improvement Registry
– Conducted in the same way as the DHI
– Added surprise tests and cow identification
– More expensive than DHI testing
Dairy Herd Improvement Associations
(DHIA) (cont.)
• AM-PM Testing
– Conducted by the DHIA supervisor
– Only one milking is weighed and sampled on
the test day
– This testing program is very accurate as
compared to DHI testing
– Cost is less
Dairy Herd Improvement Associations
(DHIA) (cont.)
• Owner-Sampler (O-S)
– Requires the dairy farmer to weigh and
sample the milk from each cow
– Once per month
– Program provides the same information as
DHI, DHIR, and AM-PM tests
– Results are not official
– Cost is less than previous tests
Dairy Herd Improvement Associations
(DHIA) (cont.)
• Weigh-a-Day-a-Month (WADAM)
– Dairy farmer takes milk weights for each cow
– Completed once a month at two consecutive
milkings
– No milk sample for testing is taken
– Cost is low
– Test results are not official
Dairy Herd Improvement Associations
(DHIA) (cont.)
• Basic Production and Management (BPM)
– Requires dairy farmer to gather data, report it
– Samples taken at two consecutive milkings
once a month
– Farmers can choose how much or little
information they want to receive from tests
– Cost depends on the amount of information
– The records are not official
Identification of Dairy Animals
• Methods of identification include
– Ear tag, ear badge
– Neck chain
– Tattoo
– Freeze brand
– Photographs
– Ink sketches
Computers for Cow Identification
and Management
• Tie together electronic identification of
individual cows with management tasks
• Ear tags and neck tags are currently the
most commonly used methods
• The most common use of these systems is
for computer-controlled feed dispensing
stations
Standardizing Lactation Records
• Important for comparison
• Consider
– Length of lactation
– Number of times milked per day
– Age at calving
– Month of year when calving
• Standard lactation length used: 305 days
Culling
• Permanently removing cows from herd
• Common reasons
–
–
–
–
Low milk production most common
Reproduction problems
Diseases
Udder problems
• ERPA may help to cull low-producing cows
• Consider break-even point
Goals for the Dairy Farm
• Good set of records will tell dairy farmer
what has happened in the business
• Goals should be set when planning
management changes
• Goals may be set for production, feeding,
reproduction, management, and culling
Budgets for the Dairy Farm
• Wise financial planning is essential
• Typical budget includes
– Receipts
– Expenses (cash and noncash variable)
– Expenses (cash and noncash fixed)
Buy or Lease Dairy Cows
• Alternative to buying cows is leasing
• Items for consideration include
– Available capital
– Current price of cows
– Terms of leasing arrangement
– Costs of production
– Individual goals
Adjusting to Changes in Economy
• Production costs and prices change
according to the economy
• Long-term goals not affected by economy
• Culling inferior cows is beneficial when
– Milk prices are down
– Feed prices are up
Labor Management
• It takes 27 hours of labor per cow per year
• One person can provide about 3,000
hours of labor per year
• Essentially, one person can manage from
100 to 110 cows a year
• Recruit quality employees; provide
competitive wages, benefits, training
Managing Dry Cows
• Dry cows are those that are not producing
milk
• The average gestation for dairy cows is
283 days
• The cow should be dry for 45 to 50 days
Managing Dry Cows (cont.)
• Three ways to dry off a cow
– Stop milking
– Do not milk it out completely last few days
– Milk every other day for several days
• Treat cows for mastitis after last milking
Managing Dry Cows (cont.)
• Do not feed dry cows too much
• Treat dry cows for internal parasites
• During the last days of dry period, watch
the cow for signs of calving
Raising Dairy Replacements
• About 30 percent of the average milking
herd must be replaced each year
• Farmer must either raise or purchase
replacements to maintain or increase herd
• About 50 percent of the calves born each
year are heifers
Raising Dairy Replacements (cont.)
• Herd Breeding Program
– Select good sires and dams to improve
genetics
– Natural breeding is not recommended
– Keeping good records is an essential part of
herd improvement
Raising Dairy Replacements (cont.)
• Artificial Insemination
– The use of AI allows the dairy farmer a choice
of genetically superior bulls
– Risk of disease is lower using AI
– The predicted transmitting ability and the
fertility rate of the bull are important
Raising Dairy Replacements (cont.)
• Artificial Insemination (cont.)
– Heifer calves are more desirable than bull
– About a 90 percent success rate with sexselected semen in determining sex of calf
Raising Dairy Replacements (cont.)
• Heat Detection
– Heat detection is a major problem with AI
– The average cow comes into heat
approximately every 21 days.
– Observe cows twice a day from 17 to 25 days
after last heat
Raising Dairy Replacements (cont.)
• Heat Detection (cont.)
– Signs of heat include
• Mounting, restlessness, decrease in food intake
and milk production, standing when mounted
– Dairy cows stay in standing heat about
15 to 18 hours
Raising Dairy Replacements (cont.)
• Heat Detection (cont.)
– Commercial heat detectors are available to
help detect heat periods
– Examples
•
•
•
•
Pad and dye system
Chin-ball
Implanted computer chip
Marker bulls
Raising Dairy Replacements (cont.)
• Time of Breeding
– Inseminate the cow from the middle to the last
half of the standing heat period
– Ovulation occurs about 10 to 14 hours after
the end of standing heat
– Herd conception rate of 1.5 to 1.8 services
per conception is desirable
Raising Dairy Replacements (cont.)
• Calving Interval
– A 12- to 13-month interval is most profitable
– Recommended that cows be bred about
50 to 60 days after calving
– Most cows show signs of heat about 34 to 35
days after calving
Raising Dairy Replacements (cont.)
• Breeding Heifers
– Recommended that heifers be bred according
to size rather than age
– With proper nutrition, heifers can reach the
ideal size for breeding at about 14 to 15
months of age
– Significant milk increase for heifers that calve
at 22 to 24 months of age
Raising Dairy Replacements (cont.)
• Freshening Date and Milk Base
– Milk base is amount of milk that may be sold
at the Class I price from a farm
– Milk base established during late summer,
early fall months
– Freshening in the fall and winter results in
more total milk production from each cow
Raising Dairy Replacements (cont.)
• Care of the Newborn Calf
– Check for breathing as soon as born
– Wipe mucus or fetal membrane from nose
– Dip navel cord in 7% tincture of iodine
solution
– Hand feed colostrum if weak
– Prevent anemia with iron dextrin solution
– Mark for permanent identification
– Keep all feeding equipment clean, sterile
Raising Dairy Replacements (cont.)
• Dehorning
– Horns on dairy cattle have no useful purpose
– Cows without horns easier, safer to handle
– It is recommended that calves be dehorned at
1 to 2 weeks of age.
– Examples: electric dehorner, hot iron,
dehorning tube, chemicals
Raising Dairy Replacements (cont.)
• Removing Extra Teats
– Extra teats have no useful purpose and may
interfere with milking
– Best removed when calf is 2 to 6 weeks old
• Raising Young Bulls
– Follow same practices and feeding as for
young heifers
Raising Dairy Replacements (cont.)
• Introducing the Heifer to the Milking Herd
– Introduce heifer to milking herd routine about
two weeks before calving
– Easier to manage heifers if they become used
to milking parlor before freshening
Hoof Trimming
• Care of feet of heifers and cows often
overlooked
• Cows with poor feet often have lower milk
production
• Bulls with poor feet may have low-quality
semen and refuse to breed cows
Hoof Trimming (cont.)
• Tools needed for hoof trimming include
– Hard rubber mallet
– Straight wood chisel
– T-handle chisel
– Rasp
– Hoof nippers
– Pair of hoof knives
Maintaining Milk Production
in Hot Weather
• Heat stress is caused by high
temperatures and high humidity
• Heat stress will lower milk production and
conception rates in dairy cattle
• Problems with heat stress are reduced by
keeping cows cool
• Provide plenty of fresh water