Dairy Final

How many pounds of water are required to make 1 pound of milk?

4-4.5

How much of milk is water?

87%

How much of the body weight is water?

56-81%

What factors influence water intake?

• physiological state

• milk yield

• DMI

• diet composition

• body size

• ambient temperature

• humidity

• wind velocity

How much water should lactating cows consume?

30 to 50 gallons/day OR 255 to 425 lbs/day

What are the primary sources of water?

• drinking water- 60-80% (free water intake)

• feed moisture -25-35%

How much water should calves consume?

1.3 to 3.5 gallons/day

How does heat effect water intake?

water trough visits increase from 8 to 16 times/day

When is most of water consumed?

• during day (75%)

• within 2 hours of milking/feeding (25%)

• 10 total minutes of drinking/day

• immediately after milking (10%)

Water troughs

• 3.5 inches/cow

• at least 2 waterers/pen

• 12 feet clearance around waterer

• 24-32 inches above standing surface (raised)

• guardrail 24 inches above water (keep cows out!)

• 6-7 gallons/minute capacity

• no more than 50 feet from feed lane

• 1-2 fee linear space/cow (parlor return)

Water quality

• total dissolved solids should be below 1,000 mg/L

• sample yearly

Why should you not use softened water for calves?

high Na disrupts calf electrolyte balance

Kansas Water right allocations

• water permit needed if using more than 15 acre-feet per year

• Most KS dairies need a permit

Dairy location and water

• Large diaries in KS are located where water resources are available

• there is opportunity to establish in southeast KS, but water wells are smaller (more required)

Goal of vaccinations

Provide general level of herd immunity to minimize spread or severity of clinical illness

Common vaccinations on dairies

Viral

• Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV)

• Bovine herpesvirus (BHV-1)

• Parainfluenza-3 (PI3)

• Bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV)

• Infectious rhinotracheitis virus (IBR)

Bacterial

• Leptospira serovars

• Endotoxin vaccine for coliform mastitis

Others given on farm-farm basis

Neonatal calves vaccination program

• Oral vaccine at birth and 30 minutes before colostrum (bovine rotavirus and coronavirus)

• May use injectable in dam instead to increase colostrum antibodies

Pre-breeding heifers vaccination program

• IBR, BVD, PI-3. BRSV

• Leptospirosis, clostridial

Brucellosis

• contagious, infectious disease

• spontaneous abortion, reduced production, infertility

• effectively eradicated in US

• may be required for entry of breeding animals to certain states

• vaccinate heifers between 4 to 12 months of age- by vet permanent tattoo and ID

Pre-calving vaccination program

• 60 days pre-calving

  • IBR, BVD, PI-3, BRSV, leptospirosis and clostridial

  • annually

• 21 days pre-calving

  • E. coli mastitis and calf diarrhea diseases (if not giving intranasal)

Internal parasites

• deworm heifers

• confined cows do not require deworming

Flies

• can reduce daily milk yield up to 30%

• $13 to $85 annual loss/cow

Fly control

• Sanitation

• sticky tape

• Parasitic wasps

• oral larvacides

Use combo of all methods to increase effectiveness and avoid resistance