Cows

• Holstein—Friesian


  Dairy

  680-770kg

  High milk yields

  
• Ayrshire


  Dairy

  450-600kg

  Hardy - can cope outdoors

  
• Jersey


  Dairy

  400-450kg

  Milk is rich in butterfat

  
• Guernsey


  Dairy

  450-500kg

  Milk is rich in butterfat

  
• Hereford


  Beef

  Fast growing and high beef quality

  
• Aberdeen Angus


  Beef

  Easy calving, naturally polled

  
• Belgian Blue


  Beef

  Double muscled, struggle to calve naturally

  
• Limousin


  Beef

  High meat, low fat, economic

  
• Simmental


  Beef

  Minimal waste fat

  
• Cow = adult female
• heifer = only had one of no calves
• calf = young bovine
• bull = male cow
• steer = young castrated male
• beef cows


  bred to produce meat

  management

  • intensive, fed concentrates, 12-14 month slaughter
  • extensive, grass fed, 20-24 month slaughter
• dairy cows


  bred to produce milk

  management

  • indoor/zero grazing
  • outdoors
  • mixed
• Dairy cows must have a calf every year to maintain their milk production

  Heifer calves becomes dairy cows

  Bull calves become beef cattle
• sucklers are cows used for beef, that are mated with a beef bull to produce beef calves

  calves are sold for slaughter or as stores for fattening before slaughter
• the average person in the uk consumes 80kg of meat a year, and 1.2 litres of milk a week

  sustainable cattle breeding can be done using sexed semen, improving genetics and fertility through breeding, and by making use of land that can’t be used for crops
• Calves nutritional needs


  Colostrum

  • Contains antibodies
  • Quality, quantity, quickly
  • 10% of body weight in litres given within 2 hours of birth

  Forage, concentrates

  Clean fresh water at all times
• calves environmental needs


  feed and water

  socialisation

  clean and well ventilated space
• vets in the bovine industry


  practice

  abattoir

  government advisors

  regulatory body advisors

  investigation officer

  research

  industry

  teaching
• Calves


  Born indoors into a clean environment

  Receive colostrum within first 6hrs of life

  Removed from mother within 48hrs into rearing pens

  Fed milk twice a day

  Commonly milk formula, means actual milk can be sold for profit

  Forage is essential for rumen development

  Fed concentrate from 1 week of age
• weaning a calf


  6-8 weeks old

  once a calf is eating 1.25kg of concentrate per day over 3 days
• weaning onwards


  6 weeks - 14 months

  heifer weight determines when puberty and oestrus cycling occur

  should gain 07.-0.8kgs per day but not in fat
• 1st service

  first mating

  14-15 months old

  60% of adult body weight

  aim for calving at 23-24 months old

  bulling heifer = ready to serve
• weighing cows

  scales

  measure height at withers

  measure heart girth
• 1st calving


  23-24 months of age

  best time for lifetime milk production and sustainability

  higher lifetime milk yield and lower methane production at this age
• Entering the milking herd

  Lots of stress of heifers

  Time standing can result in lameness

  Introduce challenges gradually

  Walk through milking parlour to familiarise

  House in cubicles to get used to space
• Gestation period = 280 days

  dry period = 60 days
• early lactation


  0-100 days in milk

  huge energy demand

  peak lactation at 40-60 days

  aim to get pregnant at 60-85 days in milk
• mid to late lactation


  high and low milk yielders split to match dietary requirements

  energy requirements as cows are pregnant again
• dry period


  no milk production

  mastitis = mammary gland inflammation

  internal tear sealant prevents bacteria entering udder

  intra-mammary antibiotic therapy - as little as possible, as much as necessary