The impact of modern technology on the welfare and milk production in dairy farms

2015 ◽  
Vol 208 ◽  
pp. S43-S44
Author(s):  
Madalin Ilie Gavrila ◽  
Gheorghe Emil Marginean ◽  
Livia Vidu ◽  
Nicolae Stanciu
Animals ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. 800
Author(s):  
Luis Javier Montiel-Olguín ◽  
Felipe J. Ruiz-López ◽  
Miguel Mellado ◽  
Eliab Estrada-Cortés ◽  
Sergio Gómez-Rosales ◽  
...  

Management and production characteristics impact conception rate to first service (CR1S) in small-scale dairy farms, but the impact of body condition score (BCS) and milk production levels on cows’ fertility is unknown. Our objective is to determine the effect of BCS and milk production on CR1S in small-scale dairy farms of western Mexico. Logistic regression models are used to determine the effect of BCS (at calving and first service), 60-d and 305-d milk production, protein and fat production, lactation number, and days at first service on CR1S. BCS at calving does not affect CR1S in cows with three or more lactations (39.5%; p > 0.1). However, first-lactation cows with BCS < 3.0 at calving and second lactation cows with BCS ≤ 2.5 at calving have higher CR1S (63.2 and 67.9%, respectively; p < 0.1). This result is perhaps due to reduced milk production, which leads to lower metabolic stress. BCS ≤ 2.5 at calving is associated (p < 0.05) with a reduced milk yield, explaining partially the observed higher CR1S in these groups. Cows with BCS ≤ 2.5 at first service in the higher quartile of 60-d milk production (≥ 28kg/day) show lower CR1S (23.9 and 51.1%, respectively; p < 0.01). In conclusion, BCS at calving and at first service, 60-d milk production, and lactation number are factors associated with CR1S.


2014 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carolina Lizarralde ◽  
Valentin Picasso ◽  
C. Alan Rotz ◽  
Monica Cadenazzi ◽  
Laura Astigarraga

<p>Carbon footprint (CF) is an increasingly important indicator of the impact of a product on climate change. This study followed international guidelines to quantify the CF of milk produced on 24 grazing-based dairy farms in southern Uruguay. Cows grazed all year-round and were supplemented with concentrate feeds. Dairy farms varied in annual milk yield per cow (5672 ± 1245 kg fat and protein corrected milk [FPCM]), milk production per ha (4075 ± 1360 kg FPCM/ha), cow stocking rate (0.71 ± 0.12 cows/ha), feed intake (13.3 ± 2.2 kg dry matter [DM]/cow/day) and percentage of concentrate in the diet (36 ± 12% DM) giving an average CF of 0.99 ± 0.10 kg CO<sub>2</sub> (equivalent [eq]/kg FPCM) over all farms. Total milk production per ha, milk yield per cow and dry matter intake explained most of the variation in CF. Strategies that provide the highest milk production per ha using high yielding cows and a high portion of lactating cows in the herd were identified as the best management practices for reducing CF. Low forage intake in Uruguay is often a consequence of low yielding pastures and high stocking rates. Overall, this study concluded that a reduction in CF is not achieved through increased concentrate intake unless forage consumption is also unconstrained. Improved pasture and feeding management can be used to reduce the CF of milk produced in Uruguay.</p>


2019 ◽  
pp. 179-186 ◽  
Author(s):  
Terry G. Parminter ◽  
Scott D. Ridsdale ◽  
Stefan A. Bryant ◽  
Ian G. McNab ◽  
Kate A. Proctor ◽  
...  

The Manawatū-Wanganui Regional Council regional plan (the One Plan) regulates the use of natural resources in the Region and includes a table of nitrogen leaching maxima reflecting the natural capital of soils in the Region and based on Overseer® results from 2007. Dairy farms applying for controlled consents for intensive land-use activities in the Region need to comply with these maxima. However, the maxima in the Table have not been adjusted as new versions of Overseer® have been introduced since the table was produced.This study compares the impact on representative dairy farms of complying with the original figures in the table with results from a revised table that takes into account more recent versions of Overseer®. Cluster analysis was used to select five representative farms in the Tararua District and their farm systems were modified to comply with both the original and the revised table. The current version of Overseer® was used to model the farm outputs based on the original table of leaching maxima. Compared with the baseline farm results, nitrogen losses were reduced by over 50% and milk production by 40%. When the same comparison was undertaken with the table of revised maxima, the nitrogen losses were expected to reduce by almost 40% and milk production by 5%. Applying the original nitrogen leaching maxima to the five representative farms resulted in about two thirds of farms within the catchment being unable to pay the interest on their debts. The revised nitrogen leaching maxima reduced this to <10%.The nitrogen leaching maxima in the One Plan should be revised to: better reflect the changes in the science underpinning current versions of Overseer®; achieve the nitrogen reduction targets in the region; and minimise the impact of the One Plan policies and rules on the financial viability of existing dairy farms.


2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (9) ◽  
pp. 1750-1759
Author(s):  
M. F. Azooz ◽  
Safaa A. El-Wakeel ◽  
H. M. Yousef

Aim: This study aimed to evaluate and quantify the different factors affecting the costs of mastitis in cattle, to quantify the annual and monthly financial losses attributed to mastitis, and to estimate production losses using average linear scores found on The Dairy Herd Improvement Association somatic cell count (SCC) sheets and bulk tank SCC per lactation number. Materials and Methods: All data (bovine mastitis-associated costs and expenditures in Egyptian dairy herds) were analyzed using SPSS/PCT, 2001. A partial budget technique using spreadsheet software and the general linear model procedure was used to analyze the productive and financial measures. Results: Mastitis was present in 57.1% of cows (240/420), while clinical mastitis (CM) was present in 19% of them (80/420). The geometric mean of SCC/ml in bulk tank milk samples of 150 cattle dairy farms was 556.3×103. The annual subclinical mastitis (SCM)-related economic loss was 21,933,258.6 LE, and the two most important cost components were the subsequent decrease in milk production and quality premium losses (93% and 7% of SCM costs, respectively). The quality premium loss was 1,369,602.1 LE. On the other hand, the annual economic loss due to decreased milk production as a result of SCM was 20,563,656.5 LE. The total cost of 80 CM cases, including the failure and preventive costs, was 1,196,871.4 LE, including 1,169,150.4 LE failure costs (106,336.0 LE in direct costs and 1,062,814.4 LE in indirect costs) and 27,721.0 LE preventive costs. The average cost per CM case was 28,760.9 LE, including veterinary time and consultation fees of 250.0 LE (1%), labor 562.5 LE (2%), premature culling 736,000.0 LE (77%), decreased milk production 4085.18 LE (13.7%), discarded milk 185.3 LE (1%), and drugs and treatments 328.9 LE (1%). The total costs of CM (expenditures) extra control and preventive measures, including the diagnosis of CM for 80 cows annually in 20 Egyptian dairy farms were 27,721.0 LE, representing 346.5 LE or 1% of the total cost of CM cases. The cost of monitoring and diagnostic measures was 8635.2 LE, representing 107.9 LE or 1% of the total cost of a case of CM. Conclusion: The method used for cost estimation, in this study, is highly adaptable to individual cattle farms and had a major role in assessing specific control and management measures. The concepts described in this paper help to improve our understanding of the full economic impact of clinical and subclinical mastitis in cattle in Egypt. Assessing the economic losses from mastitis to determine the economic costs and losses occurring in Egyptian dairy farms is critical for encouraging farmers to acknowledge the scale of the problem and implement effective management practices aimed at improving mastitis control and reducing the associated costs.


2018 ◽  
pp. 110-118
Author(s):  
Oleksii Vasylchenko

Introduction. The development of dairy production, which the consumption of milk and dairy products depends on, should be based on the effective functioning of market-oriented agrarian formations. The experience of the recent years indicates the creation of a powerful group of dairy farms, whose share in production is constantly increasing. The article analyses the dynamics of the main indicators of the economic efficiency of milk production in agricultural enterprises of Ukraine. The structure of production costs is considered. The directions of their reduction are determined. Grouping of agricultural enterprises is made depending on the number of cows, their productivity, concentration and specialization of production. Purpose. The article aims to develop methodological principles for estimation the impact of some factors on the economic efficiency of milk production in agricultural enterprises in Ukraine. Results. It has been established that milk production as a whole has become profitable during the last decade, especially for groups of farms with 500 and more cows. It has been proved that in case of impossibility of influence on the purchase price, one of the directions of maintenance of profitability is the increase of cows’ productivity. The main factors that influence the economic efficiency of milk production have been identified. They are the concentration and specialization of production, the deepening of which will provide profitability to ensure expanded reproduction, intensification of production, introduction of innovative technologies, increase the competitiveness of domestic dairy farms.


2009 ◽  
Vol 2009 ◽  
pp. 132-132
Author(s):  
A Heravi Moussavi ◽  
M Danesh Mesgaran

Revenue from dairy farms is directly dependent upon reproductive efficiency because it affects milk production and the number of calves born (Thurmond et al., 1990). Pregnancy loss can have devastating effects on economical success in dairy farms. Normal annual abortion risks have been cited to be 3–5%, once cows are beyond 42 days of pregnancy (Hovingh, 2002), or similarly an observable 2–5% in most dairies (Kirk, 2003). Although, there is little or no indication that milk production is a risk factor for increased pregnancy losses in dairy cattle (Santos et al., 2004), there is little information on the effect of pregnancy losses on subsequent milk production. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of different calving classes including eutocia, dystocia, stillbirth and abortion in the first calving on subsequent milk production in Iranian Holstein dairy cows.


2007 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 50-60 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marek Wroński ◽  
Marek Cichocki ◽  
Katarzyna Borkowska ◽  
Jan Redmer

Author(s):  
Sylwia Małażewska ◽  
Edyta Gajos

The aim of the article was to present the changes in the profitability of milk production in farms associated in EDF and situated in Poland and selected European countries in 2006–2012. It was found that after the Polish accession to the EU, the situation has improved for milk producers – economic and production results have risen. In 2008–2009, there was a significant deterioration in the profitability of milk production due to, among others, significant declines in milk prices. Since 2010, gradual improvement of the situation is observed. Similar changes occur in dairy farms in other European countries, such as Germany, France and the United Kingdom. This shows how big the interconnectedness between countries is and that the situation of agricultural producers in Poland does not depend only on the local and national market fluctuations, but primarily on fluctuations in the European and global markets.


2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 20-29
Author(s):  
Hussaini Ojagefu Adamu ◽  
Rahimat Oshuwa Hussaini ◽  
Cedric Obasuyi ◽  
Linus Irefo Anagha ◽  
Gabriel Oscy Okoduwa

AbstractMastitis is a disease of livestock that directly impede livestock production and thus hindering the socio-ecological development of sub-Saharan Africa. Studies have estimated the prevalence of this disease in 30% of Africa countries, with Ethiopia having the highest prevalence. The coverage is low, despite the wide livestock and dairy farms distribution in Africa. Furthermore, estimated economic losses due to the impact of mastitis are lacking in Nigeria. The disease is endemic in Nigeria as indicated by the available data and there are no proposed management plans or control strategies. This review is thus presented to serve as a wakeup call to all parties involved to intensify efforts towards the diagnosis, control, and management of the disease in Nigeria.


2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 143-148
Author(s):  
Michael W. Overton

AbstractBovine respiratory disease (BRD) is a frequent disease concern in dairy cattle and is most commonly diagnosed in young dairy heifers. The impact of BRD is highly variable, depending on the accuracy and completeness of detection, effectiveness of treatment, and on-farm culling practices. Consequences include decreased rate of weight gain, a higher culling risk either as heifers or as cows, delayed age at first service, delayed age at first calving, and in some cases, lower future milk production. In this data set of 104,100 dairy replacement heifers from across the USA, 36.6% had one or more cases diagnosed within the first 120 days of age with the highest risk of new cases occurring prior to weaning. Comparison of the raising cost for heifers with BRD and those without a recorded history of BRD resulted in an estimated cost per incident case occurring in the first 120 days of age of $252 or $282, depending upon whether anticipated future milk production differences were considered or not. Current market conditions contributed to a cost estimate that is significantly higher than previously published estimates, driven in part by the losses associated with selective culling of a subset of heifers that experienced BRD.


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