Dairy Cattle Production Exam 1

large contributors to the beef industry

male calves, cull cows, beef and dairy mix

top ____ commodities for a majority of states

10

_____ in farm income 2022

59 billion

cows used for milk purposes as early as

9000 B.C.

cattle name originates from the word

chattel

first domesticated in ____ and ______ during ____ _____ _____ _____

europe, asia, the new stone age

milk is a ____ food item

staple

______ sets the standards for payment of farmers in each state

the federal government

want milk produced in

the region it will be sold in

which state pays farmers the most for milk

florida

the average american consumes about this much dairy per day

1.5 servings

dietary recommendation for daily dairy serving

2-3 servings

milk is hard to ship because

it is bulky, perishable, fluid source

which dairy product is consumed the most

cheese

there is currently an increase in the dairy market because of

GLP-1s making people want more protein in their diets

from 1981 to 2021 what changed in the types of dairy being consumed

milk was replaced by cheese, non-fat milk in school lunches made children not like milk as much; also more options for drinks now than in 1981

based on what we know about our region why is the dairy market scary for Georgia farmers

we’re a fluid milk market so we want fluid milk on shelves, but it isn’t being consumed the same

the reality of dairy cattle

• milk is easy to harvest

• high protein contributor

• efficient conversion of feed to protein

what are three trends you would use to describe the dairy industry today

walmart is economy of scale, more cost efficient when that big, seeing that in dairy

which state has the highest milk production, why

Wisconsin, colder climates

which state has the lowest milk production, why

hawaii, arkansas, alabama because it is hot and humid or it is a place where dairy is not supported

top dairy producing states in 2025

California

Wisconsin

Idaho

Texas

New York

where does GA rank and why

21st, because it is hot and humid here

which state has the most efficient cows

Michigan

what is the average milk production per cow in the US

90 lbs/day

what is wrong with seasonal milk production

• doesn’t match demand (higher during back to school and thanksgiving which is a hot time of year)

• can’t differ more than a certain amount from the average when selling to a plant

• do not want peak milk production in the summer when it’s hardest for cows to milk

trend 1 in dairy

cow # staying the same but farm # going down and farm size increasing

consolidation at a very rapid rate

efficiency

total milk is increasing because

cows are getting more efficient, the # of cows is not increasing

trend 2 in dairy

production per cow is increasing

the number of dairy farms is

decreasing

milk production per cow is

increasing

the number of dairy cows is

relatively steady

total milk production is

increasing

the size of individual farms is

increasing

dairy product consumption is

steady to slightly declining

• fluid milk decline, but cheese is going up

how do we keep up with data, cow stats, etc

USDA, NASS, Council on Dairy Cattle Breeding, DHI

the average US Holstein produces ______ during lactation

26,328 lbs which equals 3,061 gallons

it takes ____ of milk to make 1 lb of cheddar cheese

10 lbs

risks associated with consolidation

• shipping milk as a fluid product is not easy

• price increase because of distance

• environmental implications of that many cows all together

• risk of bioterrorism if all farms are together

benefits of moving cows west

• climate is better for them

• pollution is lower because there is a low water table

• quality and availability of feedstuffs

• population shift

• available land

reasons to stay in the east

• milk deficit area (get paid more)

• access to large markets

• cheaper land prices in rural areas

which state is paid the least for dairy, why

California, they have a milk surplus

why would a mostly Holstein farm have a handful of Jersey cows

to meet the milk fat requirement of 3.5%

minimums for milk prices set based on

class 1 price

milk prices are given per

hundredweight (cwt)

milk price volatility

• inelastic (price doesn’t really change with supply and demand)

• supplies greatest in spring

• demand greatest in fall

• cheese demand highest during thanksgiving and the super bowl

anything that disrupts production affects the price

weather, exports, etc.

facilities should

• promote the comfort and health of cattle for optimum productivity

• give animals the opportunity to express or perform to their full genetic capabilities

phenotype = genotype + environment

goals of a facility

• labor efficient

• maximize cow comfort

• address environmental concerns

to minimize labor

design facility to enhance cow movement so workers have to do less, minimize time required to feed, bed, and milk

to optimize cow performance

adequate ventilation, accessibility of water and feed, lighting, cow comfort

lower light causes

lower milk production t

early dairy facilities

open barn with feed trough (almost all farms had at least one dairy cow)

tie-stall facilities

• mostly found in north east

• easy to keep warm and clean

• first kind of facility for multiple cows

how has the current industry changed tie-stall housing

• cows have gotten larger (are trying to undo this)

• machinery has to move to the cows

free-stall housing

• most common type of facility

• cows move freely between bedding areas, feed bunks, and water

• “stalls” designed to fit the animal and their movements

• different bedding types

• helps maximize cleanliness

which direction is preferred for cow housing especially in the southeast

east to west because that is how our winds blow

why are grooved floors important

traction, foot health, cleanliness with a concrete floor

what can we do to help comfort in the feed bunk

adding tiles on top of the concrete that won’t wear down easily from eating

clues that stalls are not comfortable

idle standing, perching, hitting the bars at knees or withers, cows bedding backwards

types of bedding material

sawdust, sand, straw, etc.

what is the purpose of brisket boards and neck rails

to keep the cows from laying down so far in their stalls they can’t lunge to get back up

ventilation

• maximizes air flow

• consider barn style and stocking density

• purpose to remove odors/pathogens, dec stress, inc cooling capacity

• consider fan size and spacing, ceiling height, vents/peak ridge, wind speed

lighting

16 hours of light and 8 hours of dark is optimum production

can have timers to control lights

issues with extreme cold

• prolonged exposure

• frostbite

• should we teat dip

  • can use emollients (dry slow), powder, stay away from barrier teat dips

issues with extreme heat

• decreased: feed passage, DMI, blood flow to internal organs, milk production

• fix with: ventilation, misters, evaporative cooling

heat stress is determined using a scale of

temperature and humidity

types of dairy housing

free-stall, tie-stall, loose housing (pasture based, dry lots)

types of milking parlors

flat barn, side-entry, herringbone, parallel, rotary, automatic

flat barn/tandem parlor

herringbone parlor

parallel parlor

rotary parlor

turns per hour in the parlor

how many times you fill and empty the parlor in 1 hour

turns per hour goal

4-5 turns per hour

the robotic milker

• 1/60 cows

• cow visits vary but should be above traditional milking

• 3-4 week training period

• electronic ID regulates visits

• easy to check data system

• put the best tasting feed in the milker to train them to go

carousel robot

• the UK has them but no the US yet

• workers bring cows in and the milker milks them

• allows cows to move in groups

what is the highest cost on a farm

feed

what is the second highest cost on a farm

calves

who is the most vulnerable member on a farm

calves on milk replacer

three things to evaluate at birth

1. muscle tone: active with head righting in a few minutes is good

2. respiration: 50-75 bpm and thoracic breathing are good

3. attempts to rise: attempting to stand within 15 minutes is good

four Cs of calf health

1. colostrum

2. cleanliness

3. consistency

4. calories

consistency

calves need to be fed the exact same every day (temperature, time, etc.) they can bloat if there is a change to what they are eating early on

cleanliness

reducing infections; want the calves using nutrients for growth and development rather than for fighting off infections

calories

comparing nutrient components of regular milk and milk replacer and making sure calves are growing the way they should be

why might heifer markets change

milk prices and available inventory

rearing heifers is an important discussion because

the future of the herd and it’s an expensive activity

using sexed semen

can sway the gender likelihood if you need more replacement heifers in your herd

all calves are valuable right now because

they are going back into the herd or going into the beef market

rearing replacements

some farms specialize in raising calves and farmers can pay price/day to have their calves raised

• reduces labor for the farmer

• responsibility of raising on someone who specializes in it

basics of calf housing (VICE)

ventilation

isolation

comfort

economy

ventilation in calf housing

• removing noxious odors that could stress calf

• reducing circulation of airborne pathogens

isolation in calf housing

removes transfer of pathogens by fecal contamination or animal to animal contact

reduce disease transmission while the immune system is immature

(workers often take away isolation)

(also noticing calves do better housed in pairs)

comfort in calf housing

utilize nutrients for growth and not combating stressors of a poor environment

(not the fluffy bed comfort we might think of; just a clean environment without wet or dirty bedding)

economy in calf housing

cost effective for the producer

(sand is expensive, not often used for calf bedding; need a housing style you can keep up and maintain)

what are the benefits and risks of a mob feeder

benefits: calves all eat together and get 10 minutes to drink what they want; cuts down on labor

risks: no sense of isolation while using this

automated calf feeder advantages

• removes improper mixing risks

• workers can actually observe calves instead of worrying about chores

• improved nutrient utilization when the calves consume at their own pace

• herding mentality has them switching to eat starter in a bunk more efficiently with greater intake

• weaning is a simple adjustment to the computer (stops letting the calf in to get milk)

automated calf feeder disadvantages

• large financial investment

• harder to detect disease like scours

• calves have fewer health issues when they are backgrounded before going to the automated feeder (keep individually for a few days first)

• need to manage and maintain equipment to prevent bacterial growth

there is a greater energy loss in calves in ______ temps

colder

hutch housing style