Feeding and Managing Dairy Cattle

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Feeding and Managing Dairy Cattle

• Chapter 28

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Changes in the Dairy Industry

• 33 of cattle were dairy cattle
• 10 of cattle are dairy cattle
• 1 family cow
• Average farm has 100 cows (up to 5,000)

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Changes in the Dairy Industry

• Todays average farm
• 100 milking cows
• 30 dry cows
• 100 replacement heifers
• 200 300 acres (mostly for forage)
• Market milk through cooperatives
• 2.2 million pounds annually
• 230,000

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Nutrition of Lactating Cows

• 305 d of milking yields 16,870 lbs of milk
• Yields can be as high as 25,000 to 40,000 lbs.
  per year
• Some lactating cow produce
• Lactation has a need for high energy and feed
  intake!
• 1,400 lb. cow to produce lbs. of milk
• 1,400 lb. cow to produce lbs. of milk

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Nutrition of Lactating Cows

• To provide lactating dairy cows adequate
  nutrition is challenging and complex

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Nutrition of Lactating Cows

• Cows nutritional needs vary during different
  stages of her production cycle
• Optimize milk yield
• Prevent metabolic disorders
• Water and Energy are the limiting nutrients in a
  dairy ration

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Nutrition of Lactating Cows

• mo. post-calving most important
• Hard to provide adequate nutrition
• Milk yield is high
• Intake is limited
• Cow uses her body fat and protein to provide for
  the nutrients not taken in by her daily ration
• Negative Energy Balance

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Nutrition of Lactating Cows

• Body Condition Score
• Used to monitor nutrition, reproduction, and
  health programs

http//dairynutrient.wisc.edu/302/page.php?id36
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Nutrition of Lactating Cows

• Body Condition Score
• Goal
• May help to group cows according to BCS and
  lactation stage

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Nutrition of Lactating Cows

• 2 to 3 months into lactation
• Daily milk production has peaked, started to
  decline
• Feed intake is adequate or higher than demanded
• Positive Energy Balance

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Nutrition of Lactating Cows

• Successful dairy nutrition

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Nutrition of Lactating Cows

• Successful dairy nutrition
• Manage floors, ventilation, stalls, animal
  handling, temperature control
• Monitor concentrate and forage quality

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Nutrition of Lactating Cows

• Typical day for a dairy cow
• lying down
• eating
• milking
• socializing
• lockups
• drinking

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Nutrition of Lactating Cows

• Dairy Cow Ration
• Hay and silage based
• Concentrates
• Mixed together to form a total mixed ration

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Nutrition of Lactating Cows

• Concentrates
• Supplied in amounts consistent with
• Cow body weight
• Nutrients in concentrates
• Provided to the cow during milking
• Young cows need more concentrate
• Old cows need less concentrate

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Nutrition of Lactating Cows

• Forages
• Legumes-
• Concentrates-
• Low in
• High in
• Protein supplements and mineral supplements can
  be added as needed depending on ration
• Trace mineralized salt and vitamins A, D, and E
  are usually in concentrates

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Heat Stress

• Can reduce milk production by 8 to 10 lbs per
  day
• Symptoms of heat stress

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Nutrition of Dry Cows

• Abruptly stopping milk production
• Last milking the cow should be infused with a
  treatment to prevent Mastitis
• Dry period lasts 50 to 60 d
• Too short can reduce future milk yields
• Too long can cause the cow to become too fat
• Dry cows should be separated from lactating cows
• Fewer concentrates
• High energy diets can cause ketosis, mastitis,
  milk fever, retained placenta, etc.

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Nutrition of Replacement Heifers

• Nutritional needs can be met with

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Nutrition of Bulls

• Not recommended to keep dairy bulls on the farm
• Reduces risk of dangerous bulls
• All breeding should be done by AI
• Increases genetic progress
• If bulls are on the farm
• Used to detect estrus more accurately to keep
  conception rates high

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Calving Operations

• Cows close to calving should be separated from
  other cows
• When calf arrives
• Remove membranes covering mouth and nostril
• Navel should be dipped in iodine
• Calf needs adequate colostrum
• Cow should be milked to stimulate milk production

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Calving Operations

• Bull Calves
• Some fed for veal
• Castrated and fed for beef
• Heifer Calves
• Grown, bred, and milked for one lactation to
  evaluate milk-producing ability
• Calf huts allow for less illness and higher
  survival rate
• Milk that is not salable is fed to the calves
• Grain and leafy hay fed to encourage rumen
  development

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Milking and Housing Facilities for Dairy Cows

• Dairy cows are managed in groups of 20 -50 head
• Housing systems
• Free stall or loose housing
• Brought to the milking parlor for milking
• Tie-stall barns in a stanchion
• Milked in the stall and milk is carried to the
  bulk tank by a stainless steel pipe

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Milking and Housing Facilities for Dairy Cows
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Waste Management

• Manure Removal
• Daily or twice-daily
• Tractor blade
• Flush removal
• Stored in a pit, lagoon, or storage tank
• Waste management problems
• Excess nitrogen or phosphorus

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Waste Management

• Nutrient Management Plan
• Environmental regulations and neighbor complaints
• Developed by
• Site information
• Production data
• Permit information
• Manure application data
• Test results
• Dead animal disposal protocols
• Monitor
• Soil and manure tests

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Milking Operations
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Milking Operations
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Milking Operations

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Milking Operations

• Milking Machine

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Milking Operations

• Milking Machine

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Controlling Diseases
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Controlling Diseases

• Similar diseases as beef cattle
• Can be more serious in dairy cattle
• Tuberculosis and Brucellosis can be harmful to
  human consumers of non-pastuerized milk

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Controlling Diseases

• Production of Grade A milk
• Checked for Tuberculosis
• Tested for Brucellosis
• Milk and Housing facilities must be clean
• Milk has a low bacteria count
• Milk has a low somatic cell count

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Controlling Diseases

• Brucellosis (Bangs Disease)
• Contracted by humans (undulant fever)
• Heifers should be vaccinated
• AI decreases risk for the herd to contract
  disease
• Mastitis
• Lowers milk quality and production
• Costs the industry 2.5 billion each year
  (200/cow)

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Controlling Diseases

• Mastitis
• Early stages are not visible by the human eye
• Detected by somatic cell counts or California
  mastitis test
• Progressed Mastitis or Clinical Mastitis
• Milk will have white flakes, strings or blood
• Eventually milk will have clots and is watery
• Should be visible by cows udder

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Controlling Diseases

• Mastitis
• Causes of Mastitis
• More susceptible
• High producing cows
• Cows with pendulous udders or oddly shaped teats

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Controlling Diseases

• Controlling Mastitis

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• Chapter 28 Feeding and Managing Dairy Cattle
• Why is a dairy cows BCS important?
• What are elements of a successful dairy nutrition
  program?
• What are signs of heat stress?
• Understand nutrition of lactating cows, dry cows,
  bulls, and replacement heifers.
• Explain the dairy calving process.
• What is a nutrient management plan?
• Explain the milking process.