DAIRY PRODUCTION

PRESENTED BY:
KENNETH D. VINO
A. Breeds of Dairy Cattle
Topic Outline

B. Selecting Dairy Cows and Sires

C. Facilities and Equipment

D. Production Management
A. Breeds of Dairy Cattle

TEMPERATE BREEDS
TROPICAL BREEDS
Temperate breeds
Temperate breeds
Temperate breeds
Temperate breeds
Tropical Breeds
Tropical Breeds
Tropical Breeds
Tropical Breeds
B. Selecting Dairy Cows and
Sires
Sire selection is the fastest way to make improvements in herd
genetics.
Quick facts

Crossbreeding and choosing the best breed of cattle for each farm is
important.

Farmers should have goals and know what traits are most important
for their farm to focus on.
The fastest genetic progress is made with sire
Does the bull or the cow make a bigger genetic difference?
selection.

While cow families and pedigrees are incredibly

important, sire selection usually makes up more
than half of the equation in terms of genetic
progress.
One of the biggest genetic decisions a producer can make is what
Breed choice
breed or breeds they will have on their farm.

• While production factors and economic decisions play a huge role in the decision, there
are many other factors including tradition, what a producer has now, what breed the kids
would like to show, etc.

Breeds will differ on the size of the animal, milk components,

production and temperament.

• The decision for each producer will be based on the market, personal preference,
facilities and various other economic factors.
Crossbreeding is breeding an animal from one breed to an
animal of a different breed.Crossbreeding
• Often, on a dairy, this is done by using a bull of a different breed on the
majority of the cowherd.
• Crossbreeding started in the United States when farmers began using Jersey
sires on Holstein heifers and cows to take advantage of Jersey’s high calving
ease.

Crossbred animals can have increased fertility, increased

longevity and increased health, which all lead to increased
profitability.
Producers should identify their overall genetic goals or
preferences for their farm and select animals based on the
What farmers should select for
specific needs of their dairy.

Production of milk and milk components

• Producers are paid on the production of milk and milk components (fat and
protein). This provides a variety of economic strategies for each individual
dairy to choose from.
• For example, one producer may select for milk production (volume) while
another may choose to focus on selecting for milk fat.
• The two different strategies could both be economically similar and are
dependent on individual dairy farm management.
Facilities and Equipments
Dairy farming is an agricultural process used for long term
milk production.

• It is a capital-intensive project that requires long-term investment and proper

management.

Choosing the best quality dairy machinery is essential for the

growth of your business.

• Once the milk is collected, it needs further processing before the final sale.
Equipment used in dairy farming reduces operational costs,
labor and time should be considered.
How to choose dairy farming equipment?
• Make sure that the equipment has spare parts for easy replacement.

Everything from pasteurization to storage needs to be done

properly.

The required machinery and equipment depend on the level

of mechanization required and the scale of operation.

• However, some machinery and equipment are required, such as chaff cutter
machine, milking pails, milk cans, and small tools.
On more 20 milking animals,
How to choose dairy farming equipment?
• Machine feeding may be more economical and easier than
manual feeding.
• Installation of fans and mist cooling devices in animal
sheds is also essential for protection from heat stress if one
wants to keep a high-yielding cross-breed cow.

Dairy farms with 50 heads or more

• Require a cooler, power generator set, and a utility vehicle

to purchase and market farm equipment, and a tractor is
needed along with their harvesting and transportation.
Shelter
Housing equipment for dairy animals
• Cowshed is an important thing
in dairy farming.
• Proper shelter will protect your
dairy cows from the elements
around your dairy farm and
also in the sudden change of
weather.
• It is a requirement to keep it
clean and dry inside to prevent
any infection from spreading.
 Housing equipment for dairy animals
Mist cooling system

• An important of the
equipment focused on
the climate inside the
cowshed.
• It is used during summer
time.
Feeding equipment
Housing equipment for dairy animals
Feed grinder

• Is a mill that mixes and grinds cattle

fodder for the benefit of dairy cows.
• This is essential if you are planning
to feed grains to cows.
• With this equipment, you will be able
to determine the exact formula of the
ingredients you want to supply to
your dairy cows.
In the shown figure, the
Housing equipment for dairy animals
feed contains corn, grass,
grains, and more.

• Once processed through a feed

grinder, the cow will have a much
easier time eating and digesting
the feed.
• Their bodies will be able to
absorb all the nutrients more
efficiently, keeping them healthy,
happy, and producing maximum
milk.
Green Fodder Cutters
Housing equipment for dairy animals
• Green fodder is a type of feed for
your dairy cows that includes
green crops such as beans, cereals,
grasses, and tree-based crops.
• The importance of green fodder
cutter is that it cuts the feed into
small pieces which is more
manageable for the cow to digest
without any problems.
a. Chaff cutter

•Housing equipment
Is a machine used forfor dairy animals
cutting
fodder.
• The fodder is fed into the
machine and then gripped
between two-toothed rollers,
which allow it to be
transported to a plate, where
it is mounted on a heavy
flywheel and the knives are
rotated in short lengths.
b. Fodder grinder
Housing equipment for dairy animals
• Farm products are usually
reduced in size by cutting or
crushing.
• This machine can be used to
process the feed of cattle from
grain.
• Grinding the ingredients
generally improves the digestion
and acceptability of the feed.
Milking and other essential equipment
Milking and other essential equipment

There are four main types:

• General-purpose milking equipment

• Milk cooling and storage equipment
• Equipment that improves cow comfort
• Miscellaneous barn and transportation
equipment (milk trucks and wash vats)
Wash Vat
To enhance dairy farming
efficiency, these milking
devices are commonly used:
Milking and other essential equipment
• Automatic milk cream separator;
and
• Teat spray robots
Automatic milking machine
Cooling and storing milk
Cooling and storing milk
Milk tanks
The milking pipeline uses a permanent return
pipe, a vacuum pipe with instantaneous cell
entry ports. Milking pipeline
• The system could be above the cowshed or encircle the barn.

The sucking force of the milker nipples attaches

to the device and the milk is drawn into the
pipes through the vacuum system.

• Milk enters the storage tank due to gravity and a vacuum

breaker.
• This eliminates milking buckets, proper space management,
herd management, and labor.
Pasteurization is a major part of milk
processing. Pasteurizers

• A milk pasteurization unit will heat the milk and keep it at a

certain period, stirring it constantly and then cooling it in
preparation for storage or further processing.

Milk extracted from dairy cattle contains

bacteria or harmful agents, so, this process of
heating milk is to neutralize the presence of
bacteria.
 Significance of Pasteurization
Proper pasteurization is necessary for the following reasons:

• The chief objective of milk pasteurization is to destroy pathogenic bacteria

that could have a public health concern. By destroying these microorganisms,
the product becomes safe for public consumption.
• Secondly, pasteurization eliminates destructive bacteria and enzymes that
could cause spoilage of the product. This leads to the prolonged shelf life of
the milk.
• There is a need to ensure that the product can keep for longer periods without
expensive storage equipment. Pasteurization will eliminate spoilage bacteria
and enzymes and extend the shelf life of the product.
Large operations will require
Farm equipment
cattle fodder trucks, tractor
used regularly by dairy farmers
implements, fodder
compacting presses.

• Additional machinery includes

generators, electric fences, tanks,
moveable fences, forage harvesters.
• Dairy fodder harvesting, storage, and
transportation, as well as dairy
farming processes, require additional
farm equipment to generate energy.
D. Production Management
PRODUCTIVITY

NUTRITIONAL MANAGEMENT

REPRODUCTIVE MANAGEMENT

REPLACEMENT MANAGEMENT

HERD SIZE, COMPOSITION, AND CULLING

ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS

DRYING OFF AND DRY COW MANAGEMENT

The productivity of an individual cow is the
Productivity
sum of the value of the milk she produces, the
value of her offspring, and her individual market
value when she leaves the herd.

• Many factors influence individual cow productivity, which is

also based on longevity and the proportion of the cow’s
lifetime spent producing milk.
• Nonproductive periods include the period from birth until
first parturition and dry periods before subsequent calvings.
• Heifers must be managed to reach appropriate breeding size
by 13–15 months of age to maximize lifetime production.
Milk yield is related to stage of lactation.
Productivity
• Milk yield increases rapidly after calving, reaches a plateau 40–60
days after calving, and then declines at a rate of 5%–10%/month.
• The rate of decline is lower in first-parity animals than in older cows.
• Good reproductive management ensures that the largest proportion
of a cow’s total lifetime production is spent during early high-
producing stages of lactation rather than late, lower-producing
periods.

Milk yield increases with age and parity until about the sixth
lactation; these cows may produce up to 25% more milk volume than
first lactation cows.

• Health disorders or other management problems that reduce

longevity have a negative impact on productivity.
In most dairy herds, nutritional management is the
most important determinant of herd productivity.
Nutritional Management
• The relationship between nutrition and productivity begins at birth.
• The feeding system must deliver the necessary nutrients to each cow
at the correct stage of growth and lactation to maintain optimal
productivity.

Research has documented the importance of the

ration fed to cows in the transition during the 2–3
weeks before calving.
• Dry cows are fed a diet relatively low in carbohydrates and protein
and high in fiber, reflecting the low nutrient demands of the non-
lactating cow.
The transition period ration must allow the rumen to adapt to the
lower-forage, more nutrient-dense lactating ration.
Nutritional Management

Further, the stresses associated with moving animals to the transition

pen and of calving itself tend to reduce feed consumption at this
critical time.

• Reduced feed intake in the transition period is associated with excessive weight loss;
• reduced peak milk production; and
• an increased incidence of postpartum diseases such as metritis, retained placenta, ketosis,
displaced abomasum, and fatty liver.

Research has documented the benefits of monitoring postpartum

cattle for excessive energy mobilization by measuring blood levels of
beta-hydroxybutyric acid, one of the ketone bodies.
Rations for lactating cows must strike a balance between
providing high levels of energy and protein to support high
Nutritional
milk production and maintaining optimal Management
rumen health and
motility.

• Subacute ruminal acidosis (SARA) is a common condition resulting from

excessive fermentable carbohydrates, inadequate fiber of adequate length, or a
combination of the two.

Health effects of SARA include digestive upsets and diarrhea,

reduced feed consumption and milk production, reduced
butterfat content of milk, ulceration of rumen epithelium,
liver abscessation, and a series of foot problems related to
subclinical laminitis.
The choice of a feeding system is associated with herd size
and production level.
Nutritional Management

Three general types of feeding systems are used

currently by dairy farmers:

• total mixed ration (TMR),

• component feeding, and
• management-intensive grazing.

Each of these systems, when implemented correctly, can

deliver adequate nutrients for a highly productive dairy herd.

• Each system has its own inherent challenges in achieving optimal

productivity.
Component feeding is when forages, protein supplements,
and grains are fed individually to the cow.
Nutritional Management
• The amounts delivered can be fed by weight or volume.

The other system is a TMR,

• where all the feeds are weighed and blended together to meet the total
nutrient needs of the animals.

Management-intensive grazing

• is a system that divides large fields into smaller paddocks.

• In this system, animals are moved frequently at high stocking rates.
 Nutritional
Production management Management
programs for herds
using management-intensive grazing systems
must include programs to control bloat,
hypomagnesemia, and copper and selenium
deficiency.

• Pastured cattle may walk considerable distances to harvest

forages.
• Therefore, a system to monitor and minimize lameness must
be included in the health delivery system.
Environmental Conditions
Environmental Conditions
• Farmers have adopted a variety of systems to combat heat stress.
• New facilities are constructed with large, open sides and ends (often
>4.3 m high) to take advantage of natural ventilation and use fans
and sprinkler systems to keep cows comfortable.

Older, enclosed facilities can be retrofitted with tunnel

ventilation to provide adequate air movement.
• Dairy cattle are remarkably cold tolerant, as long as they can remain
dry and are sheltered from wind and precipitation.
• However, significant die-offs have occurred in regions of the USA
that normally experience mild winters. In these areas, housing may
consist of open dirt corrals and a central milking parlor.
Risk factors for most postpartum diseases of
dairy cows are present during the dry period,
Drying
with clinical Offdisease
signs of and Dry Cow evident
becoming Management
after calving.

• Such prepartum risk factors include :

• insufficient or excessive energy intake,
• inadequate regulation of calcium intake and absorption,
• muddy corral conditions, and
• overcrowding,
• which can lead to diseases such as hypocalcemia (milk fever),
hypomagnesemia, udder edema, ketosis, displaced
abomasum, lameness, and mastitis.
Dairy health management programs must focus on preventive
practices such as
Drying Off and Dry Cow Management
• vaccination, hoof care, corral maintenance, and nutritional monitoring during this period
and must monitor the herd for occurrence of these diseases.

The length of the dry period influences milk yield in the subsequent
lactation.

• The recommended dry period is 6–8 weeks. Dry periods of < 40 days reduce milk yield in
the following lactation.

Dry periods that are too long may lead to excessive weight gain and
reduced production efficiency.

• Both short and long dry periods are most common when breeding dates are uncertain
because of either bull breeding or inaccurate (or missing) reproductive records.
 References:

 https://www.midwestdairy.com/farm-life/dairy-cows/
 https://extension.umn.edu/dairy-milking-cows/dairy-cattle-
genetics#:~:text=Producers%20should%20identify%20their
%20overall,specific%20needs%20of%20their
%20dairy.&text=Producers%20should%20avoid%20selecting
%20sires,driven%20method%20to%20select%20animals.
 https://www.agrifarming.in/equipment-needed-for-dairy-farming-
small-dairy-machinery-details
 https://microbenotes.com/milk-pasteurization-methods-steps-
significance/
 https://www.msdvetmanual.com/management-and-nutrition/health-
management-interaction-dairy-cattle/animal-and-herd-productivity-
in-dairy-cattle