Dairy Adult Husbandry PDF

A D U LT D A I R Y C AT T L E HUSBANDRY LUISA SOARES LMV, FHEA. MRCVS LECTURER IN PRODUCTION ANIMAL MEDICINE  LEARNING OBJECTIVES By the end of this lecture should be able to Understand the basic life cycle of a dairy cow Understand the important practices (processe...

A D U LT D A I R Y C AT T L E HUSBANDRY LUISA SOARES LMV, FHEA. MRCVS LECTURER IN PRODUCTION ANIMAL MEDICINE  LEARNING OBJECTIVES By the end of this lecture should be able to Understand the basic life cycle of a dairy cow Understand the important practices (processes) that optimise health, welfare productivity and profitability Understand the meaning of key performance indicators and target values Have a basic understanding of production values Understand the importance of record keeping and record evaluation Describe the key feeding times of the dairy cow List the importance of maintaining key micronutrient intake: Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium 2  HUSBANDRY The practice of breeding and raising livestock ‘Disease and poor productivity is a failure of management’ Health, welfare, productivity, profitability, sustainability 3  C AT T L E B E H A V I O U R Cattle are herd and prey animals Flight zones Herd animals face a potential threat within a certain distance, when the threat enters the flight zone the animal will move away. Balance point point of balance (shoulder) Move in front will make the cattle go backwards, Moving behind the point of balance will move the cattle forward. 4 COW LIFECYCLE Age of breeding: 15 months Age at calving: 24 months Pregnancy: 9 months long Calving to conception: 85 days plus Calving to calving interval: 365 - 420 days Average life: 6 years Average number of calves and lactations: 3 Length of lactation: 10 months Dry period: 2 months Yield: Jersey 5,000L/year; Holstein 10,000L/year 5 NUTRITION Feed costs 33% of total costs of milk production (labour is 2nd biggest cost) Body Condition Score 1 (thin) / 5 (fat) Average lactating dairy cow will consume: Concentrate: 1.0 tonnes Silage: 10 tonnes or 1-2 tonnes hay Energy – fibre and starch Protein Major minerals (Ca, P, Mg) Vitamins Trace element 6 In parlour feeding (concentrate) Total mixed ration (mixture of straights, minerals, silage) Self feed silage face Grazing and buffer feed 7 7 D A I R Y C O W F E E D I N G S TA G E S Lactation – calving and lactation Very high energy needs in early lactation (14-100 DM) Dry – last 60 days gestation keep BCS 3/ enable rapid increase in DMI after calving Reduce eliminate concentrates to decrease milk production and avoid over-conditioning in the ~2 weeks before drying (https://doi.org/10.1136/vr.104755) Transition – last 3 weeks pre-calving + 1st 2 weeks lactations https://doi.org/10.1136/inp.i1829 Pregnant and lactating 8 D A I R Y C O W F E E D I N G S TA G E S » Dry » Transition Recommend hay, straw and low D value stalky Support growth of calf & compensate for reduced forages to maintain rumen fill without providing DMI excess energy Increased energy requirements Low potassium forage (70% % eligible for service that are served Calving to conception ~ 80-150 days calving → fertilisation and PD +ve Conception (pregnancy) rates to AI ~ 40% % of services that result in fertilisation (PD+ve) 21 day pregnancy rate = Fertility efficiency Heat detection x conception rate Aim for 32-36% in good herd 21 SIGNS OF OESTRUS 22 OESTRUS DETECTION AIDS Mounting behaviour Heat mount detectors Tail paint Increased activity Pedometers 23 A R T I F I C I A L I N S E M I N AT I O N After oestrus (heat) detection Timed AI 24 REPRODUCTIVE MANAGEMENT Servicing protocol Synchronisation Prostaglandin Intra-vaginal progesterone implant Pregnancy diagnosis (~+ 30 days) https://www.imv-imaging.com/international/veterinary-learning/bovine-learning/reproductive- tract/fetus-normal-bovine-32-days-smart-display/ 25 PREGNANCY DIAGNOSIS 26 BULL FERTILITY AND BREEDING SOUNDNESS EXAM Physical examination (general, external genitalia, internal genitalia) Eliminates up to 2/3 of bulls!! Scrotal circumference ~34cm – breed specific Semen Collection (electro-ejaculation) Semen Evaluation (gross motility, progressive motility, % morphologically normal) Libido and service ability evaluation 27 EMBRYO TRANSFER » Super ovulation (5-10 embryos) » Embryos collected day 6-8 (morula-blastocyst) – ‘flushing’ » Transfer to synchronized recipients and/or freeze embryos » Pregnancy rate ~60-70% in maiden heifers 28 P R O F I TA B L E L I F E T I M E I N D E X The £PLI is a within breed genetic index* developed specifically for UK dairy farmers The £PLI value represents the additional profit a high £PLI bull is expected to return from each of its milking daughters over her lifetime compared to an average bull of £0 PLI 29 ECONOMICS OF MASTITIS Direct costs Indirect costs Discarded milk Decreased milk yield Drug and veterinary costs Penalties or reduced income from changes in milk composition 30 MASTITIS – SOURCES OF INFECTION Mammary gland / contagious organisms Environmental 31 MASTITIS THERAPEUTICS Antibiotics (intra-mammary and/or systemic) Withdrawal periods Milk must be discarded + Meat withhold 32 DRY COW THERAPY Cure of existing intra-mammary infections (IMIs) present at drying off Prevention of new infections during the dry period Internal Sealant (Bismuth) Milked out post calving Application at drying off only Physical barrier 33 PA R L O U R R O U T I N E Avoid damaging teats Minimise the spread of infection 34 PA R L O U R H Y G I E N E Udder/teat preparation Milker Wash teats only if necessary with warm Hand washing sanitized water Disposable clean gloves, rinse frequently Ensure teats are dried after washing with a during milking new paper towel/medicated wipe for each cow. 35 MASTITIS Prompt identification of clinical/subclinical mastitis Clinical signs Conductivity Foremilk all quarters (time-cost benefit?) Milk recording every 5 weeks In-line filters Somatic cell count, Bactoscan, Protein, Fat, Rapid milk test Volume 36 T E AT D I P P I N G Pre-milking teat dipping Post-milking teat dipping To achieve an acceptable level of Removes bacterial pathogens from skin and shin decontamination of teat skin before the milking lesions to fight environmental pathogens that colonize Avoids contagious pathogens from colonising the teat skin between 2 milkings skin and teat canal » Manual dipping using a cup » Manual spraying » Automated systems 37 LAMENESS Environmental Infectious Nutritional Genetic Management 38 Any Questions? [email protected] 39 40