Dairy Production Systems

where and when was the first dairy in Australia?

-Ultimo

-1805

when was the first export of milk product from Australia?

1881 - butter & cheese

when were the first milking machines introduced?

1900

when was the first calf born of AI?

1944

when were milk cartons introduced?

1958

when did the deregulation of the Australian dairy industry start?

2000

dairy industry:

current stats

-third, most important rural industry

what approximately 4.9 billion at Farm gate

definition:

Farm gate

-only includes farm, not production after

dairy industry:

key points

-small producer but 3rd largest dairy exporter

-only 36% of milk is exported

-with NZ, only 4% of world’s milk but 45% of world trade in milk products

what are some types of milk exports?

-cheese

-drinking milk

-whole milk powder

-etc

dairy industry:

producer profile (4)

-takes up 200 hectares

-get 70-75% feed requirements from grazing & use of supplementals

-mostly found in coastal areas

-use irrigation in inland regions

definition:

market milk

-for drinking

-white and flavoured milk

-short shelf life

defintion:

manufacture milk

-milk used in the manufacture of dairy products (cheese, butter, etc)

-longer shelf life

what is the biggest major overseas market for australian dairy export?

china

dairy farm:

manufacturing

-very de-regulated

-no control over price farmers get paid, varies from state to state

-milk prices are based on milk fat and protein solids

-uses a incentive/penalties payment scheme

dairy industry:

over time

-# of farms have decreased

-# of cows increased

-demand increase

what are the (6) breeds used in Aus?

-holstein

-jersey

-brown swiss

-illawarra

-ayrshire

-guernsey

holstein

jersey

brown swiss

illawarra

ayrshire

guernsey

holstein

-introduced 1850s

-make up 75% of dairy cows

-main dairy cows, used for V

-most numerous and popular breed

-black, red, white

-horned

-large breed

-lower milk components

jersey

-introduced in 1829

-found in all states, territories

-second most common breed in Aus

-fawn, pale gold to dark tan

-smallest of all dairy cows

-horned

-used for cross breeding

-very fatty milk

brown swiss

-claims that this is the oldest of all dairy breeds

-second most common in the world

-introduced to Australia 1974

-initially dual purpose now only dairy in US

-adaptable to many conditions

-becoming very popular

-light brown to grey and darker

-large

-longer pregnancy (290 days)

-high milk components

ayshire

-arrived in 1848

-Aryshire Cattle Society founded in 1891

-majority in NSW, VIC

-red, brown, white, some all white

-horns, long and curved

-medium

-average production

-large newborns

guernsey

-unknown arrival date, marked as “Alderney” cattle

-1898 NSW imported 3 bulls, 6 cows

-popular in all states

-fawn, red and white, deep orange, white with yellow skin

-medium

-average production

illawwarra

-australian developed

-mix of aryshire, devon and shorthorn

-numbers decreased after deregulation

-red, white and red, roan

-medium

-horned

-average production

what are (4) types of housing systems?

– Pastoral

– free stalls

– Compost Barne

-Tie stalls

pastoral feeding

-pasture is main source of food, grass-fed

-low input, low output

-cons: cleanliness issue after storms, exposure to elements

-environment: tracks, paddocks, water troughs

feedpad

-flooring

-space

-heigh

-environment

-eat a certain amt to maintain weight

-high E foods, faster feeding and digestion

-pastoral height causes optimal saliva production that aids in rumen

-advantages: sheltered, higher E foods

why are feedpads beneficial over pastures?

-can bring food to cows

-higher E foods

-cuts out time for grazing

which cow breed has the longest gestation?

Brown Swiss

Freestalls

-indoor stalls (beds)

-headlocks used so cattle don’t move

-sand, compost, woodshavings used for bedding

-concrete and rubber mats used in transition areas

-uses a lot of water for food and cleaning

why are freestalls good for AW?

-the confined spaces ensure better vet services and higher welfare practices in other areas (bedding, social interactions)

compost barns

-not near freestalls so there is no cross contamination between waste (at feeding site) and bedding

definition:

calf

-young male or female cow

definition:

bobby calf

-young male calf usually destined for veal

definition:

heifer

young female that has not yet had a calf

definition:

first-calf heifer

-heifer after giving birth to first baby

definition:

cow

-female after second calving

definition:

dam

female parent in a pedigree

definition:

bull

-sexually mature, uncastrated male

definition:

sire

male parent in a pedigree

definition:

colostrum

-first VERY important bilk for calf

definition:

empty cow

-one that does not produce calves during breeding season

definition:

heat

-part of estrus cycle when female is ready to accept male mating

definition:

AI

artificial insemination

definition:

gestation

-length of pregnancy

-generally, 283

definition:

fresh cow

one that has recently calved

definition:

colostrum

first milk following calving

definition:

lactation

period of milk production

-generally, 305 days

definition:

DIM

days in milk

the number of days the average milking cow in the herd is milking from calving day

definition:

dry cow

-non lactating cow

-dry cow therapy used

-dried off

-terms: far off and close up

definition:

cull cow

one that is removed from the herd

-not always euthanised

definition:

downer cow

cow unable to rise

definition:

milking parlour

-specialized area of the farm where milking in performed

definition:

hand milking

squeezing the milk channel at the base of the udder and then continue the squeeze up to the end of the teat. with hand

definition:

cluster

-4 cups placed on the udders to milk

definition:

bulk milk tank

on farm

-refrigerated, stainless steel storage vessel in which milk is cooled quickly to 2 or 4 C

-constantly agitated

definition:

mastitis

inflammation of mammary gland

definition:

somatic cell count (SCC)

WBC count

-used to determine whether there is an infection in the udders

summary:

calves

-calves regulate T poorly

-need to be kept in shelters, isolated

-no contact with older animals because no immune system

-collustrum given for mother’s Abs

calf barns

-where calves are born

why are calves isolated?

-no immune system so cannot be with older animals

-not good at regulating T so need to be in shelter

why is colostrum so important for baby calves?

– Contains IgG antibodies from lactating cows

– Promotes immunity

How often is colostrum given?

-at the six hour mark: 2 to 3 L

-the second, given before 24 hours

What instrument is used to measure the amount of IgG in the calve’s blood?

-colostrometer

calf barn:

why is the cage hole in the middle of the pen?

-to avoid nose to nose contact

-many diseases can be passed through contact

What is the purpose of the calf barn?

-monitor feeding

-weightt

-weaning off

-heifer growth

When do you start breeding cows?

-15 months (ideal calf birth at 24 months)

cattle marking techniques

-ear marking, ear notching, ear tagging (both sides)

-ear tattooing, back tattoo

-freeze branding

-photography (not ideal)

-radio frequency identification devices (RFID) - microchipping

ear-marking

-permanent

-extensive management

-welfare issue in the application process

ear tattooing

-permanent

-stud producers

-time consuming

-difficult to read over time (faes)

freeze branding

-permanent

-dark coats, white marks

-liquid nitrogen

-easier to read than fire branding

ear tagging

-non permanent

-herd management

-not the most reliable

-need proper application

radio frequency identification devices (RFID)

-national livestock Identification System (NLIS)

-lifetime identification

-used for biosecurity, product integrity, market access

what are some other uses for NLIS?

-back ID if tag is lost

-herd recording

-drafting

-computer controlled feeding

-record milk production, over time, in an automated system

when is photography normally used?

herd management

especially holsteins

what is the difference between disbudding and dehorning

disbudding is removal of the cartilage of the horn (horn has not grown in yet)

dishorning is removal of the bone attached the skull (actual horn)

disbudding

-removal of horn producing cells

-done in calves less than 2 months of age

cow buds?

-cartilage

-not attached to skull or front sinus

how do you remove cow buds?

-anesthetic

-cauterize germ layer

-use of a caustic paste

why is debudding better than dehorning?

-less invasive

-not as painful

-general better AW d

dehorning

-removal of the cow’s horn

-horn is now attached to skull and fused to front sinus

cow horn

-partially bone, cartilage and dead horn material

-attached to frontal sinus

-attached to skull

what instruments are used for disbudding?

-caustic (under 14 days)

-scalpel (<2 months)

-hot iron (<2 hot iron)

-knife (ages 2-3 months)

why are bulls calves now being kept by farms?

-meat prices are better

summary:

bull castration

-not popular in dairy industry

-can use surgical or mechanical castration techniques

-bulls are now being kept by farms

bull castration:

surgical

-knife

-scalpel/emasculator

bull castration:

non-surgical

-burdizzo (“nutcracker for spermatic cords)

-rubber bands (only allowed up to 2 mo of age)

-elastrator (device to put the rubber band)

cloistridial diseases (5)

-tetanus

-malignant oedema

-blackleg

-enterotoxaemia

-black disease

other cow diseases

-lepto

-botulism

-bovine ephemeral disease

-tick fever