Dairy Production
QUALITIES OF SUCCESSFUL DAIRY FARMER
Important Components of the Dairy Venture:
1. The ability to handle livestock.
2. The capacity to grow and harvest crops that yield well.
*It is the ability to combine their two qualities that ensure successful dairy farm operation.
A. Good dairymen are fond of animals.
B. Successful dairyman understands the principles of breeding and feeding.
C. A dairymen should be able to overcome disappointment.
D. A good dairyman needs to possess the spirit of cooperation.
Factors in Profitable Production
1. Labor {Dairying can be expected to produce a high
2. Feed {return on investment in feed when labor costs are ignored.
3. Building and Equipment
*Labor and Feed are considered as major factors in dairy production.
*Building and Equipment are secondary in most cases.
Essentials in developing a profitable dairy enterprise:
1. Carefully select production and breeding stick.
2. Follow a constructive breeding program.
3. Provide adequate but economical housing.
4. Feed cows a balanced ration according to their maintenance and production needs.
5. Make efficient and economical use of high quality hay, pasture and silage crops.
6. Provide an adequate water supply.
7. Use good management practices in growing out herd replacement stocks.
8. Follow production practices conducive to the production of high quality milk.
9. Safeguard the herd from diseases and parasites.
10. Keep production records of individual cows and cull animals as the need arises.
11. Carefully select the best method of marketing and market outlet.
12. Adjust the scope of the dairy enterprises to the capital, feed, and labor available, and to the market outlook.
Selecting a Breed
*Although there is no one best breed of dairy cattle, there maybe a best breed for an individual farmer.
5 Common Breeds of Dairy Cattle:
Holstein-Frisians
Guernsey
Jersey
Ayshire
Brown Swiss
*Holstein-Frisians
*Origin: Holland - were called Frisians and were bred to produce large quantities of milk for use in making CHEESE.
*Color: Black and white, the amount of black and white may vary from white with a few black spot to almost black.
- The switch must always be white.
*Size: cow - 1, 250 lbs. (568kg)
bull - 1, 800 lbs. (819 kg)
*many cows weigh 1, 300 to 1, 600 lbs, some bulls weigh over a ton.
*Holstein are larger than most of the animals of the other breed.
*Conformation: Ruggedly built
Large feeding capacities and udders
The head is long, narrow and straight
Straight thighs and slightly rounded withers.
*Disposition: The cows are quite docile, and the bulls maybe vicious.
*Grazing Ability: Excellent grazers, especially on good pastures.
They have large middlers and can consume large amount of forage.
They are not so good on poor pastures.
*Production: Milk is lower in fat than milk from any other dairy breeds.
Average: 3.5; vary from 2.5 to 4.3%
Produce large quantities of milk and high rate in total butterfat production.
*Guernsey
*Origin: Guernsey isle (located off the coast of France)
*Color: Light fawn to almost red with white markings on the face, legs, switch, and flank.
Some white may appear on the body.
The nose should be cream or buff, but a smoky color is permitted.
The skin is yellow
*Size: cow - 1, 100lbs (500 kg) vary from 800-1, 300lbs or 364-591 kg.
bull - 1, 700lbs (773 kg)
*Conformation: less rugged than the Holstein but more rugged than the jersey.
Cows maybe inclined to be rough over the rumps and weak in the loin.
Udder are less symmetrical than the jersey.
Face is double dished but longer than the jersey.
*Disposition: Cows of this breed are alert and active, but are not nervous.
Easily manage.
*Grazing ability: Good grazer but not equal to the Holstein on good pasture or to the jersey on poor pasture.
*Production: Milk is golden color and is popular on the consumer market.
Contains nearly 5% fat
"Golden Guernsey" milk is often sells at a premium.
Produce less milk than the Holstein, but it is higher in fat content.
*Jersey
*Origin: Jersey isle ( in the England Channel)
* Color: Light fawn to black and from white spotted to solid colored.
Tongue and switch may be black or white.
Muzzle is black with light-colored encircling ring.
*Size: Smallest in the Dairy Breeds.
Cows: 800 - 1, 100 lbs.
Bulls: 1, 200 - 1, 600 lbs.
*Conformation: The Jersey approaches the true dairy type.
The cows have straight top lines, level rumps, and sharp withers.
The head are double dish, and show dairy temperament in eyes and neck.
Have excellent udders both in shape and in fore and rear attachments.
*Disposition: Nervous and sensitive
Can be pets under good management or mean under poor management.
The bulls are quite vicious.
*Grazing ability: No dairy animals excel the Jersey in grazing ability on medium to poor pastures.
Small and active
Have lower maintenance requirements than cows of the larger breeds.
*Production: The calves are small at birth and more difficult to raise than calves of some of the larger breeds.
Calves weigh from 50-60lbs.
Mature in 24-26 months.
Milk average about 5.3% fat; 15% solids.
- sells at a premium because of its superior quality.
- Yellow is color and often called "Jersey cream line" milk.
Do not produce large quantities of milk, but they produce it economically on little feed.
*Ayrshire
*Origin: Scotland
*Color: Red with white markings or white with red markings.
The red may be very light or almost black.
*Size: In between that of the Guernsey and Holstein.
cows: 1, 250 lbs
bulls: 1, 600 - 2, 300 lbs.
*Conformation: The most beautiful of the dairy breeds.
Have straight top lines, level rumps, and good udders.
Have long horns that are trained upward.
Shorter and thicker in the neck.
*Disposition: Very active, may be nervous and hard to manage.
They are good rustlers.
*Grazing ability: Excellent grazers because of their ruggedness, stamina, and activity.
*Production: Do not produce so much milk or butterfat as do some of the other dairy breeds.
Milk: 4.0% fat; 12.75% total solids
Calves weigh 70-80 lbs and make good vealers.
The meat has better color than Jersey or Guernsey.
Mature in 26-28 months.
*Brown Swiss
*Origin: Mountainous areas of Switzerland.
*Color: Light fawn to almost black.
Nose, tongue, switch and horn tips are black.
*Size: The largest, most rugged and meatiest breed.
cows: 1, 200 lbs - 1, 400 lbs
bulls: 1, 600 - 2, 400 lbs.
*Conformation: Used for power as well as for milk and beef.
As result: not so refined as the other dairy breeds.
Cows large bones, large heads that are usually dished and thick loose skin.
Not as angular as the other dairy breeds.
*Disposition: Quite, docile, and easily managed.
*Grazing ability: Good grazers/ rugged and active
*Production: Calves weigh 90-100 lbs.
Carcass fat is white and the calves make good vealers.
Milk is white in color; 4 % fat.
*Red Danish
*Origin: imported from Denmark by the US DA(1993) and were
placed with some state colleges for experimental purposes
- 4% fat
- cows weigh 1, 300 - 1, 500 lbs.
*Dutch Belted
*Origin: natives of Holland and were imported by P.T. Barnum of the Barnum and Bailey Circus in 1840.
- cows weigh 900 - 1, 500 lbs.
- bulls 200 lbs.
- 4 % fats
BREEDS OF DUAL-PURPOSE CATTLE
- Some breeders emphasized the beef qualities; others emphasized the milk-producing characteristics.
*Milking Shorthorn
*Origin: Northeastern England (in the Tees River Valley)
*Color: (The breed is known as the red, white, and roan breed)
Deep red and dark-roan - preferred colors.
Smoky or dark noses and black hair are objectionable.
*Size: cows: 1 400 -1, 800 lbs
bulls: 2, 000 - 2, 400 lbs
*Conformation: Lack in uniformity of conformation
Carry more natural fleshing (bull) then bulls of the dairy breed.
Higher off the ground, longer, and more angular than beef bulls.
cows: angular in shape and carry large, well-balanced udders,
but are inclined to carry natural fleshing than dairy breeds.
*Disposition: nervous and flightly than shorthorns of beef type,
but less nervous than individuals of some of the smaller dairy breeds.
*Grazing ability: similar to Holstein and brown Swiss in grazing ability.
large are rugged
better adopted to good pasture than to poor pasture.
*Production: 3.95% fat
8, 246 lbs of milk (326.5 lbs butterfat)
Calves make excellent vealers, and when fed out make good beef.
Dressing percentage 60.37% and were graded top commercial.
Advantage: Their value in market when their usefulness as breeders or milkers is over.
*They make good beef and sell better than do animals of the dairy breeds.
*Red Poll
*Origin: England
Crossbred of Norfolk and Suffolk native stocks of cattle.
1st called Norfolk and Suffolk Red Polled Cattle later change to Red Poll.
*Color: Medium to deep red
Extreme light and dark shades are objectionable
Quite uniform in color
*Size: Medium size
Cows: 1 200 - 1, 700 lbs
Bulls: 2, 000 lbs or more
*Conformation: this breed is more uniform in type than the milking shorthorn.
bulls and cows show considerable natural fleshing
cows lose flesh when milking but gain rapidly in weight when dry.
cows: short in the neck, but have good length of body and are somewhat angular.
higher off the ground and more shallow in the body than cows of the beef breeds.
inclined to have very large teats.
*Disposition: Bulls and cows are more active than most animals
of the beef breeds but less active than the dairy breeds
easily managed.
*Grazing ability: Similar to the milking shorthorn and brown Swiss in grazing ability.
can do well even under below-average pasture conditions.
*Production: 8, 815 lbs milk ; 378 lbs butterfat
Calves make excellent vealers and good breeders when put in the feedlot.
Steers dress out well and produce good to choice carcasses.
*Devon
*Developed in England and are one of the oldest English breed.
*The 1st of the dual-purpose breeds to be introduced to America.
*Red in color and have yellow skin and medium horns.
*The cows are good milkers of 4.5% fat.
*Cattle placed in the fattening lot have produced good beef.
Important Components of the Dairy Venture:
1. The ability to handle livestock.
2. The capacity to grow and harvest crops that yield well.
*It is the ability to combine their two qualities that ensure successful dairy farm operation.
A. Good dairymen are fond of animals.
B. Successful dairyman understands the principles of breeding and feeding.
C. A dairymen should be able to overcome disappointment.
D. A good dairyman needs to possess the spirit of cooperation.
Factors in Profitable Production
1. Labor {Dairying can be expected to produce a high
2. Feed {return on investment in feed when labor costs are ignored.
3. Building and Equipment
*Labor and Feed are considered as major factors in dairy production.
*Building and Equipment are secondary in most cases.
Essentials in developing a profitable dairy enterprise:
1. Carefully select production and breeding stick.
2. Follow a constructive breeding program.
3. Provide adequate but economical housing.
4. Feed cows a balanced ration according to their maintenance and production needs.
5. Make efficient and economical use of high quality hay, pasture and silage crops.
6. Provide an adequate water supply.
7. Use good management practices in growing out herd replacement stocks.
8. Follow production practices conducive to the production of high quality milk.
9. Safeguard the herd from diseases and parasites.
10. Keep production records of individual cows and cull animals as the need arises.
11. Carefully select the best method of marketing and market outlet.
12. Adjust the scope of the dairy enterprises to the capital, feed, and labor available, and to the market outlook.
Selecting a Breed
*Although there is no one best breed of dairy cattle, there maybe a best breed for an individual farmer.
5 Common Breeds of Dairy Cattle:
Holstein-Frisians
Guernsey
Jersey
Ayshire
Brown Swiss
*Holstein-Frisians
*Origin: Holland - were called Frisians and were bred to produce large quantities of milk for use in making CHEESE.
*Color: Black and white, the amount of black and white may vary from white with a few black spot to almost black.
- The switch must always be white.
*Size: cow - 1, 250 lbs. (568kg)
bull - 1, 800 lbs. (819 kg)
*many cows weigh 1, 300 to 1, 600 lbs, some bulls weigh over a ton.
*Holstein are larger than most of the animals of the other breed.
*Conformation: Ruggedly built
Large feeding capacities and udders
The head is long, narrow and straight
Straight thighs and slightly rounded withers.
*Disposition: The cows are quite docile, and the bulls maybe vicious.
*Grazing Ability: Excellent grazers, especially on good pastures.
They have large middlers and can consume large amount of forage.
They are not so good on poor pastures.
*Production: Milk is lower in fat than milk from any other dairy breeds.
Average: 3.5; vary from 2.5 to 4.3%
Produce large quantities of milk and high rate in total butterfat production.
*Guernsey
*Origin: Guernsey isle (located off the coast of France)
*Color: Light fawn to almost red with white markings on the face, legs, switch, and flank.
Some white may appear on the body.
The nose should be cream or buff, but a smoky color is permitted.
The skin is yellow
*Size: cow - 1, 100lbs (500 kg) vary from 800-1, 300lbs or 364-591 kg.
bull - 1, 700lbs (773 kg)
*Conformation: less rugged than the Holstein but more rugged than the jersey.
Cows maybe inclined to be rough over the rumps and weak in the loin.
Udder are less symmetrical than the jersey.
Face is double dished but longer than the jersey.
*Disposition: Cows of this breed are alert and active, but are not nervous.
Easily manage.
*Grazing ability: Good grazer but not equal to the Holstein on good pasture or to the jersey on poor pasture.
*Production: Milk is golden color and is popular on the consumer market.
Contains nearly 5% fat
"Golden Guernsey" milk is often sells at a premium.
Produce less milk than the Holstein, but it is higher in fat content.
*Jersey
*Origin: Jersey isle ( in the England Channel)
* Color: Light fawn to black and from white spotted to solid colored.
Tongue and switch may be black or white.
Muzzle is black with light-colored encircling ring.
*Size: Smallest in the Dairy Breeds.
Cows: 800 - 1, 100 lbs.
Bulls: 1, 200 - 1, 600 lbs.
*Conformation: The Jersey approaches the true dairy type.
The cows have straight top lines, level rumps, and sharp withers.
The head are double dish, and show dairy temperament in eyes and neck.
Have excellent udders both in shape and in fore and rear attachments.
*Disposition: Nervous and sensitive
Can be pets under good management or mean under poor management.
The bulls are quite vicious.
*Grazing ability: No dairy animals excel the Jersey in grazing ability on medium to poor pastures.
Small and active
Have lower maintenance requirements than cows of the larger breeds.
*Production: The calves are small at birth and more difficult to raise than calves of some of the larger breeds.
Calves weigh from 50-60lbs.
Mature in 24-26 months.
Milk average about 5.3% fat; 15% solids.
- sells at a premium because of its superior quality.
- Yellow is color and often called "Jersey cream line" milk.
Do not produce large quantities of milk, but they produce it economically on little feed.
*Ayrshire
*Origin: Scotland
*Color: Red with white markings or white with red markings.
The red may be very light or almost black.
*Size: In between that of the Guernsey and Holstein.
cows: 1, 250 lbs
bulls: 1, 600 - 2, 300 lbs.
*Conformation: The most beautiful of the dairy breeds.
Have straight top lines, level rumps, and good udders.
Have long horns that are trained upward.
Shorter and thicker in the neck.
*Disposition: Very active, may be nervous and hard to manage.
They are good rustlers.
*Grazing ability: Excellent grazers because of their ruggedness, stamina, and activity.
*Production: Do not produce so much milk or butterfat as do some of the other dairy breeds.
Milk: 4.0% fat; 12.75% total solids
Calves weigh 70-80 lbs and make good vealers.
The meat has better color than Jersey or Guernsey.
Mature in 26-28 months.
*Brown Swiss
*Origin: Mountainous areas of Switzerland.
*Color: Light fawn to almost black.
Nose, tongue, switch and horn tips are black.
*Size: The largest, most rugged and meatiest breed.
cows: 1, 200 lbs - 1, 400 lbs
bulls: 1, 600 - 2, 400 lbs.
*Conformation: Used for power as well as for milk and beef.
As result: not so refined as the other dairy breeds.
Cows large bones, large heads that are usually dished and thick loose skin.
Not as angular as the other dairy breeds.
*Disposition: Quite, docile, and easily managed.
*Grazing ability: Good grazers/ rugged and active
*Production: Calves weigh 90-100 lbs.
Carcass fat is white and the calves make good vealers.
Milk is white in color; 4 % fat.
*Red Danish
*Origin: imported from Denmark by the US DA(1993) and were
placed with some state colleges for experimental purposes
- 4% fat
- cows weigh 1, 300 - 1, 500 lbs.
*Dutch Belted
*Origin: natives of Holland and were imported by P.T. Barnum of the Barnum and Bailey Circus in 1840.
- cows weigh 900 - 1, 500 lbs.
- bulls 200 lbs.
- 4 % fats
BREEDS OF DUAL-PURPOSE CATTLE
- Some breeders emphasized the beef qualities; others emphasized the milk-producing characteristics.
*Milking Shorthorn
*Origin: Northeastern England (in the Tees River Valley)
*Color: (The breed is known as the red, white, and roan breed)
Deep red and dark-roan - preferred colors.
Smoky or dark noses and black hair are objectionable.
*Size: cows: 1 400 -1, 800 lbs
bulls: 2, 000 - 2, 400 lbs
*Conformation: Lack in uniformity of conformation
Carry more natural fleshing (bull) then bulls of the dairy breed.
Higher off the ground, longer, and more angular than beef bulls.
cows: angular in shape and carry large, well-balanced udders,
but are inclined to carry natural fleshing than dairy breeds.
*Disposition: nervous and flightly than shorthorns of beef type,
but less nervous than individuals of some of the smaller dairy breeds.
*Grazing ability: similar to Holstein and brown Swiss in grazing ability.
large are rugged
better adopted to good pasture than to poor pasture.
*Production: 3.95% fat
8, 246 lbs of milk (326.5 lbs butterfat)
Calves make excellent vealers, and when fed out make good beef.
Dressing percentage 60.37% and were graded top commercial.
Advantage: Their value in market when their usefulness as breeders or milkers is over.
*They make good beef and sell better than do animals of the dairy breeds.
*Red Poll
*Origin: England
Crossbred of Norfolk and Suffolk native stocks of cattle.
1st called Norfolk and Suffolk Red Polled Cattle later change to Red Poll.
*Color: Medium to deep red
Extreme light and dark shades are objectionable
Quite uniform in color
*Size: Medium size
Cows: 1 200 - 1, 700 lbs
Bulls: 2, 000 lbs or more
*Conformation: this breed is more uniform in type than the milking shorthorn.
bulls and cows show considerable natural fleshing
cows lose flesh when milking but gain rapidly in weight when dry.
cows: short in the neck, but have good length of body and are somewhat angular.
higher off the ground and more shallow in the body than cows of the beef breeds.
inclined to have very large teats.
*Disposition: Bulls and cows are more active than most animals
of the beef breeds but less active than the dairy breeds
easily managed.
*Grazing ability: Similar to the milking shorthorn and brown Swiss in grazing ability.
can do well even under below-average pasture conditions.
*Production: 8, 815 lbs milk ; 378 lbs butterfat
Calves make excellent vealers and good breeders when put in the feedlot.
Steers dress out well and produce good to choice carcasses.
*Devon
*Developed in England and are one of the oldest English breed.
*The 1st of the dual-purpose breeds to be introduced to America.
*Red in color and have yellow skin and medium horns.
*The cows are good milkers of 4.5% fat.
*Cattle placed in the fattening lot have produced good beef.
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