On-farm dairy guide for students and teachers.

Contents Page

Sample questionnaire -that can be used for a dairy farm visit

Literacy & Numeracy in Dairy Production – Ag Science

Comparison between the composition of whole milk and colostrum

Milk Hygiene and milk testing

Section through the udder

How to maintain hygienic standards

Typical lactation curve for a dairy cow

Factors affecting milk yield and composition

Changes in milk yield over time

Comparison between dairy and beef breeds

Bovine body and skeletal structures

Sample dairy spider diagram

Four important dairy breeds

Farm maps

Notes

Sample Questions – Dairy Visit

The Farm

Owner of the Farm: ______________________________________

Location of Farm: ______________________________________

Total Size of Farm: ______________________________________

Liquid or Creamery Farm? ______________________________________

Grassland Management:

Grazing Systems used ______________________________________

Reseeded Pastures or permanent pastures ______________________________________

Grass Species in the sward: ______________________________________

Is clover included in the sward? ______________________________________

Is grass conserved on the farm? ______________________________________

What type of Conservation is used? ______________________________________

Are the animals housed during the winter? ______________________________________

How much silage (rough figure) per head would a cow eat in a day during the winter?

______________________________________

How are stocking rates calculated? ______________________________________

Livestock & Breeding:

How many in the dairy herd? ______________________________________

What breed(s) are the dairy Cows? ______________________________________

Why these breeds? ______________________________________

Is AI or Stock Bull used? ______________________________________

What is the breeding target on the farm? (Reproductive Efficiency)

___________________________________________________________________________

What is the current Calving Interval of the farm? _________________________________

What happens to males born on the unit? ______________________________________

What % of the dairy herd is replaced each year? _________________________________

At what age & weight is a replacement heifer put in calf? ____________________________

Milking & The Parlour

At what times are the cows milked? ______________________________________

Milking Interval? ______________________________________

How many cows can be milked at one time? ______________________________________

How much milk on average would 1 cow produce in a milking? ______________________

How are the animals fed while in the parlour? _____________________________________

How does the farmer prepare the cow for milking? ____________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

Describe the Practices used in the parlour to ensure high levels of hygiene

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

How is the milk transported & cooled as it travels from the cow to the bulk tank

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

What tests are carried out on the milk at site? _________________________________

Describe the machines seen in the parlour & what are their functions?

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

How much is a pint of milk in the shop? ______________________________________

How much does the dairy farmer get? (Rough price) ________________________________

Composition:

What is the average butterfat content of the milk? _________________________________

How much does the butterfat vary throughout the year? ____________________________

Any variation in butterfat from morning & evening milk? ____________________________

Average protein content of milk? ____________________________

Does the protein content vary throughout the year? ____________________________

What are the main Factors that affect Composition?

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

Diseases & Disease Control?

Average SCC of the Milk? ______________________________________

Above what range is SCC deemed too high?

Average TBC of the Milk? ______________________________________

Above what range is TBC deemed too high?

What are the main disease problems in the herd?

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

How are diseases prevented?

___________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

How are diseases treated?

___________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

Literacy & Numeracy in Dairy Production

Terms

Lactation

Alveolus

Udders / Teats

Prolactin

Oxytocin

Adrenalin

Reproductive Efficiency

Calving Intervals

Replacement Heifers

Resazurin

Milking Interval

Homogenisation

Gerber Apparatus /

Butyrometer

Delvo test

Antibiotic

Antibodies

Milk sediments

Milk contaminants

Concepts / Processes

Liquid Farms & Creamery Farms

Milk Let down – The process of (Hormonal Control)

Milking – The process of to ensure quality (9)

Breeds used (Their shape, desirable characteristics)

Factors affecting Milk Composition and/or Yield

Production rations & Maintenance ration

Management of animal during early / Mid / Late lactation: Feeding, breeding, housing & health

‘Milking off her back’

Process of & Reasons for ‘Drying Off’ / break in lactation

Methods of & importance of Heat Detection

Hormonal control of Oestrus (FSH, Oestrogen, Progesterone)

Calving – Signs of Birth, Management at birth, Management of cow & Calf after birth

Feeding & management of calf (taken after 24hrs)

Numeracy

Composition of Milk

Length of lactation in days &

months

Length of dry period

Graph: Lactation Curve

Mathematical formula:

Calculation of TLY

Target Reproductive Efficiency

(Weaning Rate)

Target Calving Interval

Length of Oestrus

Length of Gestation

Replacement Rate of dairy herd

Replacement Heifer target

weights

Minimum age & weight of

maiden heifers

Condition Scores at critical Times

– ie Mating / Calving

Temperature & Length of time

for UHT of Milk

Temperature & Length of time

for Pasteurisation of Milk

Ideal temperature for

refrigeration of milk

Abbreviations:

TLY

FSH

LH

PRID / CIDR

EBI

UHT

LU

Comparison between the composition of whole milk and colostrum

Milk constitute % in milk % in colostrum

Fat 3.8 4

Protein 3.1 15.2

Non protein nitrogen 0.2 0.2

Lactose 4.6 1.4

Minerals and

vitamins

0.8 1.2

water 87.5 78

Note –This may vary depending on the breed of cow, quality of feed, time of year etc.......

Points to note

Butterfat & Protein content increase as Cow starts to go dry (Late Lactation)

Butterfat & Protein % tends to decline with age

Morning milk contains less Butterfat than evening milk

Fibrous feed (Silage / Hay) increases Butterfat content whilst leafy grass increases

protein content

Milk Hygiene and Milk Testing

Total bacterial count (TBC): Used as an indicator of hygiene on a farm.

TBC can be high as a result of mastitis, dirty milking machinery or

failure to properly cool the milk.

Somatic cell count (SCC): A measure of the health of the udder. Somatic cells

are normal body cells (In this case - white blood cells). These increase if the

udder has mastitis.

Click to view Wikipedia site on SCC.

Antibiotics: Must be absent from milk at all times as antibiotics interfere with

the processing of the milk.

Delvo test : is carried out on raw milk to identify the presence of antibiotics.

Note-Having Antibodies in milk that may pass into food chain

may cause a build up of antibiotic resistance in Humans

Sediment: Milk must be free from sediment (residues) and undissolved

particles.

The udder and the teat should be cleaned prior to milking and

the milk filters must be changed regularly. Milk lines are washed

& sterilised each day

HUSBANDRY AND MANAGEMENT TO MAINTAIN

HIGH HYGIENE STANDARDS

Maintain clean housing, cubicles and dairy parlour.

Wash cow’s udder and teat.

Check for mastitis.

Use dry-cow treatment at drying off.

Filter milk.

Wash bulk tank and milk line regularly.

Ensure proper cooling of milk.

Typical lactation curve for a dairy cow

FACTORS AFFECTING MILK YIELD & COMPOSITION

Breed

Age

Diet

Milking Interval / Frequency

Lactation stage

Health

Breed

Age

Diet / season

Milking Interval / Frequency

Lactation Stage

Health

Factors Affecting Yield Factors Affecting Composition

Changes in milk yield over time

Age Lactation Number Lactation yield (% on maximum

yield)

2 1 75

3 2 85

4 3 90

5 4 95

6 5 100

Comparison between dairy and beef breeds

Beef Breeds Dairy Breeds

Bottom line and Underline Parallel

Top Line and Underline converge at point.

Shoulders & hindquarters wide and

meaty

Shoulders narrow, hind-quarters narrow.

Head short and wide Head long & narrow

Back level and well fleshed

Back level but thin

Legs are long, wide and deep

Legs are long, wide strong but not fleshy

Dairy- Spider diagram

Dairy

ing

Breeds

Management of the

cow

Diseases

Replacement

Heifers

Milk composition

Calf rearing

Dairy breeds

British Friesian Holstein Friesian

Jersey Ayrshire

Farm yard and farm maps

Farm layout – 10 marks

Candidates are required to present a sketch plan indicating

• the farmhouse and buildings

• the farm

and to demonstrate their ability to discuss the farm buildings and how they provide the environmental

conditions required on the farm and to demonstrate the physical/ aesthetic layout of the house in relation to the

farm, farmyard and general surroundings. Suitable information/ discussion points might include e.g. planning for

economy of labour, aspect, roadways, fencing, shelter, grazing methods, crops grown.

Farm yard –map

Farm map- (grazing system, silage fields etc…….)

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