Dairy Farm Management Research Articles

Management and sanitary practices in ewe dairy farms and bulk milk somatic cell count

This study was done to establish relationships between management and sanitary practices on ewe dairy farms and the quality of milk produced. For this purpose, a survey was carried out on 118 farms and a total of 121,117 animals in the Castilla-La Mancha region (Southeast Spain) in which the veterinarians of the Association of Sanitary Defence participated. Flocks varied considerably in size, ranging from 120-7,200 sheep, with an average milking period lasting 3-5 months and milk yields of between 50 and 150 litres per lactation by mechanical systems on 75.0% of farms. Sanitary practices during milking are still not commonplace; 53.3% performed post milking teat disinfection, 37.0% did the California mastitis test, 31.1% had a dry therapy programme and only 18.6% of farms kept records of animals with clinical mastitis. Nonetheless, the results revealed that 42.7% of the farms surveyed showed good quality hygienic milk (bulk milk somatic cell count, BMSCC<600 × 103 cells mL-1). On most farms, the rate of animals with clinical mastitis was less than 5.0%, while that of subclinical mastitis cases was less than 5.0% on 25.6% of farms. Certain factors like mechanical milking, post milking teat disinfection, recording animals with clinical mastitis and controlling the frequency of animals with subclinical mastitis did not exceed 5.0%. Those risk factors for increased BMSCC levels were significant. Therefore, farmers are recommended to bear these factors in mind, and to instil the importance of carrying out these practices when implementing a good dairy farm practices system.

Raising surface water levels in peat areas with dairy farming

Raising surface water levels in peat areas is a measure to reduce soil subsidence , to prevent decay of wooden foundations and to stimulate wet nature restoration and reduce greenhouse gas emissions . However, in these areas dairy farms are present and farming at wetter soils is difficult due to lower bearing capacity of the soil for cattle and machines. Water boards are responsible for the water management of peat areas and thus have to evaluate the effects of water management strategies for the different land use functions. Therefore the hydrological, agronomical and economic effects of different surface water levels are calculated for dairy farms. The ‘Waterpas’ model is used to simulate hydrological effects, dairy farm management and economic results for different meteorological years. The raised surface water level causes a decrease in gross grass yield and a reduction in grass quality. This leads to higher costs and less farmers’ income relative to a reference situation with a freeboard of 60 cm. Raising the surface water increases the average costs for farmers with €89 ha −1 year −1 for a freeboard of 50 cm, €170 ha −1 year −1 for a freeboard of 40 cm and €239 ha −1 year −1 for a freeboard of 30 cm. However, water boards are not only interested in the effects for individual farms, but also for an entire region. A new spatial method was developed for upscaling from farm to polder level. For grassland fields in a typical Dutch peat area classes can be distinguished using GIS data on soil type, soil surface elevation, surface water levels, locations of farms and farm characteristics. The classification is based on 4 classes of freeboards of the grassland fields and 7 typical distributions of grassland fields within a dairy farm. The farm economics were simulated for these typical classes. An increase in costs was simulated for the whole polder Zegveld (1400 ha grassland) of €119,000 year −1 at 10 cm surface water level rise; €133,000 year −1 at 20 cm surface water level rise and €185,000 year −1 at 30 cm surface water level rise. For an integral environmental evaluation of changing hydrological conditions it is advised to incorporate effects on nutrient emission to groundwater and surface water and emission of ammonia and greenhouse gases to the atmosphere.

Calf health and management in smallholder dairy farms in Tanzania.

Smallholder farmers’ knowledge and practice of dairy calf management on 129 farms with calves less than 10 months of age in Southeastern and Southern Highland areas of Tanzania was assessed. The method of study included both a farm visit and completion of a questionnaire. Most of the farmers were female, with a primary level of education, and majority kept 1–3 milking cows that yielded 6–10 l milk/cow/day. Most of the calves were fed milk using a residual calf suckling system. Weaning age was 3–8 months. Overall, the body condition of the calves was poor, ranged from 1 to 2.5 with a mode of 2. The majority of the farmers believed that helminthosis was the most common disease condition affecting the calves; diarrhea was ranked as the second. Calf death was reported by 20% of the farmers to have occurred in their herd lasting the 2 years prior to the study. Calf body condition score was related to body weight for calves younger than 9 weeks, and older than 23 weeks of age, whereas no such relationship existed in the age group 9 to 23 weeks. The sex distribution was skewed with less male calves being older than 23 weeks. We hypothesize that male calves experience inferior management compared with female calves. This study demonstrates a low level of knowledge on, and poor practices of calf management among the surveyed farmers that suggest the need for educational intervention.

Examination of Optimal Benchmarks for Herd Health Management of Dairy Farms in an Area of Eastern Hokkaido

Examination of Optimal Benchmarks for Herd Health Management of Dairy Farms in an Area of Eastern Hokkaido

The Actual Situation of Dairy Farm Management in Inner Mongolia, China

The Actual Situation of Dairy Farm Management in Inner Mongolia, China

Optimal dairy farm adjustments to increased utilization of corn distillers dried grains with solubles

The purpose of this paper was to identify effective dairy farm management adjustments related to recent structural changes in agricultural commodity markets because of expanded biofuels production and other market factors. We developed a mathematical programming model of a representative dairy farm in New York State to estimate the effects of changes in the relative prices of important feed components on farm profitability, identify optimal adjustments for on-farm feed production, crop sales, and dairy rations that account for expanded utilization of corn distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS), and point out potential implications of these adjustments on whole-farm nutrient planning. We mapped out an effective farm-level demand curve for DDGS by varying DDGS prices relative to other primary feed ingredients, which allowed us to compare DDGS utilization at alternative market conditions. Had the relative prices of major feed ingredients remained at their historical averages, our results suggest that there is only modest potential for feeding DDGS through supplementation in rations for dry cows and heifers as a substitute for soybean meal. However, the relatively lower DDGS prices experienced in 2008 imply an expanded optimal use of DDGS to include rations for lactating cows at 10% of the total mixed ration. Despite these expanded opportunities for DDGS at lower prices, the effects on farm net returns were modest. The most important considerations are perhaps those related to changes in the phosphorus (P) levels in the dairy waste. We showed that including moderate levels of DDGS (10%) in rations for lactating cows did not significantly increase P excretion. However, if the rations for dry cows and heifers were supplemented with DDGS, P excretion did increase, resulting in sizable increases of plant-available phosphorus applied to cropland well beyond crop nutrient requirements. Although our results show that it is economically optimal for the dairy producer to incorporate DDGS into these rations, some operations will be unable to accommodate the additional P because of existing nutrient management recommendations, soil P status, and the number of acres available for manure spreading.

The Use and Value of Information Systems as Evaluated by Dairy and Specialty Crop Farm Managers

ABSTRACT Little recent research is available about where specific types of farm managers search for information about better production practices. The objective of this study was to investigate what information sources managers used and how they rated the usefulness of each source. The authors administered mail questionnaires to probability samples from sampling frames they developed for four groups: dairy and fresh market vegetable producers from Wisconsin and berry and nursery producers from a multistate region. Questionnaire items asked operation managers to check off, from a list of information sources, those that they used in the last year to learn about new equipment or procedures to improve their operations and then to rate the usefulness of each source. In the last year, nursery, dairy, and berry managers most often used information from print media (63% to 84%), followed by other farmers (50% to 80%). Fresh market vegetable growers used conferences (60%) most often, followed by print media (41%). The information source rated most useful was “other farmers” for the nursery, dairy, and fresh market vegetable managers. Nursery and fresh market vegetable managers rated conferences as second most useful, whereas dairy managers rated print media second. Berry managers were not asked about usefulness. Farm manager information behavior exhibits some common features but is also specific to their operation type. Research and outreach efforts intending to communicate information to farm managers may be able to be more efficient at reaching and persuading their intended audience if they first investigate manager information behavior.

Intervention to Increase Adoption of Safer Dairy Farming Production Practices

We conducted an intervention to increase adoption of three dairy farming practices shown to reduce certain traumatic and musculoskeletal injury hazards. The intervention disseminated information to 4,300 Wisconsin dairy farm managers about three safer, more profitable production practices (barn lights, bag silos, and calf feed mixing sites) using information channels upon which these managers were known to rely. We evaluated rolling, independent, community-based samples at baseline and after each of two intervention years. We also evaluated a single sample after the intervention's second year from 1,200 Maryland dairy farm managers who were exposed only to the intervention's nationally distributed print publications, as a "partially exposed" comparison group. In before/after comparisons, Wisconsin managers reported getting more information from print media, public events, and resource people for barn lights and bag silos. Also, Wisconsin managers, in comparison with Maryland managers after the intervention's second year, reported getting more barn lights and bag silo information from public events and resource people, but not from print media. Analyses that adjusted for farm manager, farm operation, and herd variables associated the intervention with increased Wisconsin manager adoption of all three practices after the second intervention year: barn lights (odds ratio [OR] = 2.268, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.476, 3.485), bag silos (OR = 3.561, 95% CI 2.684, 4.728), and calf feeding sites (OR = 2.433, 95% CI 1.059, 5.591). There were also increases in awareness of barn lights and calf feeding sites. Disseminating information to managers through well-known information channels was associated with increased reports of information gathering, adoption, and awareness of safer, profit-enhancing work practices in a high-hazard industry.

Development and Evaluation of a Simulation Model for Dairy Cattle Production Systems Integrated with Forage Crop Production

Crop-livestock mixed farming systems depend on the efficiency with which nutrients are conserved and recycled. Home-grown forage is used as animal feed and animal excretions are applied to cultivated crop lands as manure. The objective of this study was to develop a mixed farming system model for dairy cattle in Japan The model consisted of four sub-models: the nutrient requirement model, based on the Japanese Feeding Standards to determine requirements for energy, crude protein, dry matter intake, calcium, phosphorus and vitamin A; the optimum diet formulation model for determining the optimum diets that satisfy nutrient requirements at lowest cost, using linear programming; the herd dynamic model to calculate the numbers of cows in each reproductive cycle; and the whole farm optimization model to evaluate whole farm management from economic and environmental viewpoints and to optimize strategies for the target farm or system. To examine the model's validity, its predictions were compared against best practices for dairy farm management. Sensitivity analyses indicated that higher yielding cows lead to better economic results but higher emvironmental load in dairy cattle systems integrated with forage crop production.

A Competitive Dipstick Enzyme Immunoassay for Diagnosis of Early Pregnancy in Bovine

Early pregnancy diagnosis in bovines is one of the important aspects in efficient dairy farm management. In order to develop a competitive enzyme immunoassay (EIA) employing low cost reagents, anti-progesterone antiserum and progesterone-penicillinase enzyme conjugate were prepared. Using this anti-serum and conjugate along with pencillinV-starch-iodine substrate system, the competitive EIA was standardized. In the experiment, danazol, a weak androgen used to extract the progesterone bound to proteins in milk, was included after standardizing the optimum concentration. Incubation period and temperature and pH of the reaction mixture were also optimized. The developed test was validated with milk samples obtained from dairy farm and individual animal owners. Confirmation of the pregnancy was made by per rectum examination of the genital tract around 60 days post-insemination. The user friendly test procedure showed sensitivity and specificity of 83.3% and 87.5%, respectively as compared with residual binding method which was earlier developed in the laboratory with sensitivity and specificity of 100% and 87.5% respectively.

Near-infrared spectroscopic sensing system for on-line milk quality assessment in a milking robot

A near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopic sensing system was constructed on an experimental basis. This system enabled NIR spectra of raw milk to be obtained in an automatic milking system (milking robot system) over a wavelength range of 600–1050 nm. Calibration models for determining three major milk constituents (fat, protein and lactose), somatic cell count (SCC) and milk urea nitrogen (MUN) of unhomogenized milk were developed, and the precision and accuracy of the models were validated. The coefficient of determination ( r 2) and standard error of prediction (SEP) of the validation set for fat were 0.95 and 0.25%, respectively. The values of r 2 and SEP for lactose were 0.83 and 0.26%, those for protein were 0.72 and 0.15%, those for SCC were 0.68 and 0.28 log SCC/mL, and those for MUN were 0.53 and 1.50 mg/dL, respectively. These results indicate that the NIR spectroscopic system can be used to assess milk quality in real-time in an automatic milking system. The system can provide dairy farmers with information on milk quality and physiological condition of an individual cow and, therefore, give them feedback control for optimizing dairy farm management. By using the system, dairy farmers will be able to produce high-quality milk and precision dairy farming will be realized.

Praxisumfrage zu Elektronik und Informationstechnik in der Landwirtschaft

In summer 2006, Agroscope Reckenholz-Tanikon Research Station ART and the Swiss College for Agriculture (SHL) carried out a farm survey in order to obtain more information on the use of electronics and information technology (IT) in Swiss agriculture. The aim of the survey was to analyze the use of electronics and IT in crop farming, dairy and pig production and farm management and to draw conclusions regarding farmer satisfaction, their needs and technological requirements. Satisfaction with technology is generally high; potential for optimization exists in the reliability of individual components, as well as in training.

Young Farmers, Masculinities And The Embodiment Of Farming Practices In An Australian Setting

In the past decade a growing body of work situated at the intersection of masculinity and agriculture has emerged in the literature of rural sociology and human geography. A number of these studies have examined masculinity through discursive analytical frameworks which focus on the symbolic, cultural and embodied representations of what it is to be masculine in agriculture. It is with the latter that this paper is concerned. Here gender is located in a social constructionist framework and understood as something that is produced as a set of cultural practices which constitute men’s and women’s bodies in different ways. Two focus group discussions were conducted with ten young male dairy farmers in northern Victoria. A comparative analysis of the data suggests that perceptions from the masculine perspective of the non-farm work of women could be changing away from a traditional emphasis of a supportive and administrative role toward one where women’s roles are acknowledged more as managerial in terms of the financial management of dairy farms. What also emerges from the young farmers’ discourses is a degree of doubt and uncertainty about themselves and their own identities as managers. It would appear that they are far more confident in their roles as hands on farmers doing the outdoor physical work.

Effect of dairy farm management on Swallow Hirundo rustica abundance in The Netherlands

Capsule Dairy farm management methods have no influence on numbers of Swallow breeding pairs. Aim To identify differences in Swallow abundance between organically and conventionally managed dairy farms, by examining three factors: farm buildings, food availability and farmer attitudes to Swallows. Methods Organic and conventional dairy farm holdings were compared in pairwise fashion. On visits to individual farms the number of occupied Swallow nests was counted, the number and type of farm buildings recorded, food availability assessed and the farmer's attitude gauged via a questionnaire. Results No significant difference was found in the number of Swallows on organic and conventional farms. Nor was there any significant difference in food availability or farmer attitude between the two types of holding. On conventional farms there were significantly more buildings qualifying as preferential Swallow breeding sites, but this did not result in more Swallows on these holdings. Conclusions Our results show that the adopted regime of dairy farm management (conventional versus organic) has no influence on the number of breeding pairs of Swallows.

Near-infrared spectroscopic sensing system for online monitoring of milk quality during milking

There has been a need in recent years for a method that will enable dairy farmers to monitor milk quality of individual cow during milking. We constructed a near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopic sensing system for online monitoring of milk quality on an experimental basis. This system enables NIR spectra of unhomogenized milk to be obtained during milking over a wavelength range of 600–1050 nm. We developed calibration models for predicting three major milk constituents (fat, protein and lactose), somatic cell count (SCC) and milk urea nitrogen (MUN) of unhomogenized milk, and we validated the precision and accuracy of the models. The coefficient of determination (r 2) and standard error of prediction (SEP) of the validation set were obtained: for fat, r 2 = 0.95, SEP = 0.42%; for protein, r 2 = 0.91, SEP = 0.09%; for lactose, r 2 = 0.94, SEP = 0.05%; for SCC, r 2 = 0.82, SEP = 0.27 log SCC/mL; and for MUN, r 2 = 0.90, SEP = 1.33 mg/dL, respectively. These results indicated that the NIR spectroscopic sensing system developed in this study could be used to monitor milk quality in real-time during milking. The system can provide dairy farmers with information on milk quality and physiological condition of each cow and therefore give them feedback control for producing milk of high quality and for optimizing dairy farm management.

Issues in Dairy Farming Management Caused by the “Ecological Migration” Policy

Issues in Dairy Farming Management Caused by the “Ecological Migration” Policy

The management of intensive dairy farms can be improved for better welfare and milk yield

Abstract The intensive breeding is often considered a risk of low welfare in dairy cows. Namely, the high yield has been suggested to be per se a cause of well-being reduction. Conversely, we have in many farms demonstrated that high milk yielding cows are not necessarily in a bad welfare condition, while many environmental and management problems can cause a distress situation and a reduced milk yield. To confirm these results, in an average yielding dairy farm affected by several problems, the welfare was assessed according to an Integrated Diagnostic System which considers health status, milk yield and quality, feeding strategy, blood profiles etc. The same check-up has been repeated a year later, after some attempts to correct main mistakes previously observed: dry and lactating cow diets, n° of cubicles, hygiene conditions, preparation and milking procedures etc. In one year only part of the mistakes have been fully corrected; nevertheless, the animal response was definitively improved suggesting a better welfare situation: improvement of teat and body condition (BCS) scores and reduction of open days, of legs and feet lesions and of somatic cell count (SCC : 283 vs . 456 cells/μl) as well as an increase of milk yield (25.2 vs . 20.1 kg/d). Results confirmed that better breeding techniques can optimise the animal welfare and optimise milk yield in the intensive systems.

Major Advances in Extension Education Programs in Dairy Production

The dairy industry has seen structural changes in the last 25 yr that have an impact on extension programming. The number of cows in the United States has decreased by 17%, whereas the number of dairy farms has decreased by 74%. The average milk production per cow has increased from 5,394 to 8,599kg/lactation. Even though there are fewer farms, dairy farm managers are asking for more specific and targeted information. The extension resources available have also decreased during this period. Because of these changes, shifts have taken place in extension programming and staffing. A key change has been a shift to subject matter-targeted programs and workshops. Extension has also incorporated and expanded use of the Internet. Discussion groups, subject matter courses, and searchable databases are examples of Internet use. There will be continuing shifts in the demographics of the US dairy industry that will influence future extension efforts. It is also probable that fewer extension professionals will be available to provide programming due to changes in funding sources at national, state, and local levels. Future shifts in extension programming will be needed to provide the information needs of the industry with a smaller number of extension workers.

Human Resource Management Risks: Sources and Control Strategies Based on Dairy Farmer Focus Groups

Human resource management in agriculture and associated risks are under-researched topics. To identify the sources of human resource management risks confronting dairy farms, gain insights into how dairy farmers perceive the impacts of these risks, and identify control strategies, four focus group discussions were held with dairy farm managers. Managers' perceptions served to develop a framework for the analysis of human resource management risks in agriculture and derive recommendations for reducing these risks. Results of this study have been used to tailor educational programs for farmers and suggest strategies for future research.

Productivity and quality, competition and facilitation of chicory in ryegrass/legume-based pastures under various nitrogen supply levels

Traditional perennial ryegrass–white clover mixtures have limitations in combined productivity and quality that herbs like chicory may alleviate. This study examined the consequences on productivity and quality of as well as competition and facilitation after introducing chicory into varies ryegrass–legume-based pastures in a field study over three consecutive growing seasons. A cultivar of chicory, suitable for grazing, in pure stand was found to out-yield a pure stand ryegrass in terms of dry matter and nitrogen (N) accumulation but was found to yield similar to mixtures of chicory and ryegrass. The inclusion of chicory, increased N accumulation per area unit irrespective of associated leguminous species but had no effect ( P > 0.05) on the combined dry matter yield of these mixtures as compared to the chicory–ryegrass mixture. Chicory was not found to co-exist well with associated fodder legumes but it co-existed well with perennial ryegrass. Determined by a direct 15N plant labelling technique, chicory transferred little N to associated legumes and under moderate soil N conditions it almost out-competed the white clover whereas lucerne was able to withstand the competition with birdsfoot trefoil as intermediate. Chicory and ryegrass did exchange N amounting to less than 5% of the receiver plants’ N economy whereas the N transfer from the N-rich lucerne constituted 15% of the associated ryegrass’ N economy but less ( P < 0.05) of the chicory's N economy. These differences are ascribed to the species’ root morphology and root zonation. Chicory accumulated large amounts of calcium, potassium, sodium and zinc but significant less of magnesium and manganese, irrespective of the N supply. In the case of sodium it was a short-term effect whereas calcium and possibly also sulphur, copper and zinc accumulation increased over time. It is concluded that chicory may improve the management of intensive dairy farms with a large N surplus because of the increase in productivity per unit area and N uptake efficiency and add significant improvements of the quality of the forage.