Hoards Dairyman 2024

Rumen development in calves is stimulated by the production of what substances during feed digestion?

Volatile Fatty Acids (VFA)

Rations are formulated on a dry matter basis and then weighed and mixed on what basis?

As-Fed

A total mixed ration should be mixed for about how long?

3-5 minutes

Beet pulp contains roughly what percent sugar on a dry matter basis?

15%

Homofermentive inoculants contain bacteria that mostly produce lactic acid. The bacteria in heterofermentive inoculants produce lactic acid plus what other substances?

acetic acid

The second, 8 mm sieve of the Penn State Particle Separator reflects the effective fibber in a ration. What is the goal for the share of the ration that remains on this level?

over 50%

In regard to dairy cattle nutrition, what does MP stand for?

Metabolizable protein

Dietary protein should be cut back if milk urea nitrogen (MUN) levels rise above how many milligrams per deciliter?

14-16

What is the most commonly fed source of magnesium?

magnesium oxide

Corn distillers grains result from what process being performed with corn?

wet milling

What is the recommended bunk space to provide per head for animals 4 to 8 months old?

5.9 inches

For most cows, a stall width of how many inches is sufficient?

48 inches

What is a common platform speed used in rotary parlors?

5 seconds per stall

What factors influence the efficiency of a rotary parlor?

Number of stalls, length of milking, platform speed

What type of radio have some car manufacturers planned to remove from their new models?

AM

What land grant university closed its dairy farm this year?

South Dakota State University

Checking belts, cleaning dust, and lubricating fans can help them operate better. Poor maintenance can reduce motor efficiency by up to how much

40%

Grouping first-lactation animals separate from older cows provides what benefits?

Less competition, Tailored management, Limited stress

Sidewall curtains on calf barns should be completely open once the temperature reaches what level?

75 F

What is the term for the ratio of the time milk is flowing to the total pulsation cycle?

Milk to Rest Ratio

Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) payments are calculated based on the margin between the All-Milk price and what?

Average feed cost

Which state added the most new dairy cows in 2023?

South Dakota

Which dairy product uses the biggest share of the milkfat produced in the U.S.?

cheese

When was multiple component pricing first used by a federal milk marketing order?

1988

Milk’s value is determined based on end-product pricing. What class price would milk that is processed into sour cream receive?

2

Which of the following would not fall under current assets on a balance sheet?

land

What is the top butter-producing state in the country?

California

In business terms, what does LLC stand for?

Limited Liability Company

How many state and regional dairy checkoff organizations are in the U.S.?

16

Most grasses should not be mowed lower than what stubble height?

4 inches

What share of Americans deal with lactose sensitivity or intolerance?

1/3

What was the top state for dry alfalfa hay production in 2023?

Idaho

What type of soil works best for frost seeding?

Loam or clay-based

Compared to harvesting corn for grain, chopping corn for silage has what effect on removing nutrients from the soil?

Removes more nutrients

Which of the following is a conservation strategy that can help soils sequester carbon?

Cover crops, diversified crop rotation, no till

If a large group of small flies is observed on the shoulders and backs of cattle on pasture, what kind of fly pressure are you likely dealing with?

Horn flies

What is an adequate pH for growing grass?

6.2

The goal for haymaking is to stop respiration before the fi rst nightfall after cutting.

At what moisture level does a plant stop burning sugar

60%

Alfalfa will not regrow if there are less than how many growing degree days between the last harvest and first hard frost?

200

What part of the alfalfa plant contains the most protein

Leaves

What is a “lactating” cow, as defined by the Food and Drug Administration in its regulations for antibiotic usage

Any female over 20 months

Udder infections caused by what type of pathogen will respond to antibiotic treatment most often?

Bacteria

Approximately what share of a cow’s milk requires alveolar contraction to be let down?

80%

What temperature should milk be when it is delivered to pre-weaned calves?

100-105 F

In a breech calving, which part of the calf is presented first

Rump and tail

In relation to moving cows, what reference term is used to describe the shoulder?

Point of balance

To be considered high-quality, colostrum will have an IgG concentration of at least how many grams per liter?

50

The use of wood products like shavings for bedding is associated with the presence of what mastitis-causing pathogen

Klebsiella

At what temperature can lactating cows begin to experience cold stress?

32 F

An X-ray is also referred to as what?

Radiograph

What milk quality measure will be high if milk cooling procedures are not carried out effectively?

Preliminary incubation

Horn-producing cells attach to the frontal bone of an animal’s skull at approximately what age?

6 weeks

Heifers have a functional rumen by what age?

6-8 months

When does mammary development begin?

In utero

Roughly what percentage of their body weight do cows lose at calving, regardless of parity, due to the expulsion of the calf, placenta, and fluids

11%

Approximately how much of an animal’s height growth is achieved in the first 6 months of life?

1/2

When is a calf’s intestinal tract most permeable to absorb nutrients or other compounds?

At or soon after birth

What effect does inflammation of the mammary gland acquired during the dry period have on a cow’s colostrum?

Lower antibody levels

Vitamin B3 is the B vitamin synthesized in the largest quantities by rumen microbes. What is another name for vitamin B3

niacin

What disease broke out in dairy cattle in Europe in 2024?

bluetongue

When a cow is close to calving, where does the trigger signal for delivery come from?

the calf

What reproductive process does the hormone prostaglandin stimulate?

Luteolysis

What genetic condition is abbreviated MW

Early onset muscle weakness

Stage one of dairy cattle labor consists of elevated activity as the cervix dilates and the uterus begins contracting. It typically lasts how long?

2-3 hours

What percentage of the 15.5 million units of dairy semen domestically purchased by dairy farmers in 2023 was sexed semen

54%

Every dairy animal has about how many DNA base pairs?

6 billion

At what temperature should semen be thawed?

95-98 F

Blood pregnancy tests for dairy cattle measure pregnancy-associated glycoprotein (PAG) levels. What reproductive structure produces PAGs?

Placenta

In genetics, what does PTA stand for

Predicted Transmitting Ability

What occurs approximately 28 hours after the beginning of standing heat?

Ovulation