life on the production line anne swinerd 1. nz provides about 35% of the worlds dairy products(150+...
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Dairy CowsLife on the Production Line
Anne Swinerd
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Intro into NZ Dairy Industry
• NZ provides about 35% of the worlds dairy products(150+ countries)
• is this countries biggest export earner, bringing in no less than $11 billion per annum
• is responsible for feeding over 100 million people worldwide
• produces no less than 13 billion L of milk each year, which equates to 1.1billion Kilos of milk solids *in 2012 over 19billionL produced.
(Go Dairy, n.d)
• The dairy industry is VITAL to NZs economy
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Advantages of the Dairy Industry…
FOR SOCIETY
Income(on a national & individual scale)
Calcium rich food source Breast milk replacement
for our babies(Formula) Job opportunities both
direct and indirect (Fonterra, Veterinary industry)
Immune booster meds
FOR THE COW
Free access to grass Always have access to
fresh water Supplementation
(silage, palm kernel, hay, crops)
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Income from a dairy cow/calf
Primarily for Dairy Products
Secondary income by becoming:Pet foodProcessed meat for humansLeatherOffal into fertilisers
Secondary income the calf:Heifer replacementsVealLeatherPet foodFoetal Bovine SerumCan be sold to other farmers
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How we get
milk…
• calf born & taken from Cow
• CIDRd
• Impregnated
• Gives birth to calf which is taken within 24hours
• Cow goes into milking herd
• The cycle continues year after year until the cow is no longer useful.
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“A Cow can only produce Milk once it has given birth to a calf” (Dairy Australia Ltd, 2014)
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Calving time…
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• “A cow bonds with her calf in a matter of minutes after birth,…..removing the calf at any stage is always going to be stressful.” (Dr Clive Dalton,2009)
• “…weaning induces severe psychological stress in cattle..”
(Solano.J, et al)
At about 9 months the cow will give birth to a calf
As with ANY labour it is a time of stress and pain to the mother
Calves are born Live, dead, or too early “slipped”
A Calves life decided by gender & taken from cow within 6-24 hours of birth
Cow is now ready to be milked!
Cows Body condition score goes down due to the stress of losing her calf, milking, & healing.
Cow/calf video
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Calves: What happens to them?
HEIFER REPLACEMENTS Fed measured
colostrum and milk. Warm & dry in calf
sheds Can develop scours
which can be Fatal!!
BOBBY CALVES
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Males are put in a pen for the bobby truck to pick up
No legal requirement to feed bobbies, just a recommendation
Don’t have any real value to farmer
Common Illness
There are two types.
*Non Infectious DiarrhoeaNutritional Scours Caused by a number of different things, but all in relation to Poor management by the farmer/calf rearer.Can lead to death.
*Infectious diarrhoeaBacteria, viruses, and protozoa cause this
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Calf Scours
“Shedding and environmental stress is a common cause of scours” (Ngahiwi Farms Ltd, 09-14)
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Cows and Heifers, after calving Cows colostrum is milked
out into buckets Once her colostrum is
gone, she joins the other calved cows in the milking herd
She is milked 2x daily for another 10months.
After being reared, the Heifer replacements will join the rest of the cows
Soon she will be CIDRd for her 1st time to produce a calf by the time she is 2
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Milking Time Cows walk considerable
distance On some farms Cows
pushed/rammed by farm bikes
In some yards backing gates send electric shocks through cows system
Milking yards without shade Cowshed is generally very
loud If cows can be whacked,
squirted, yelled abuse at. “what he does to cows when
they don't let their milk down, he uses a pipe to blow air into their vagina”(Granny56r, 2013)
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CIDRs (Controlled Internal Drug Release)
Cow is pushed up the bails or into a vet race so she is confined for CIDR insertion
Used to synchronize estrus in milking herd
Inserted into vagina by Vet or Vet Tech
How to insert CIDRs
The CIDR is removed after 7-14 days (dependant on type)
2x injections of prostaglandin hormones administered.
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Mating/Breeding/Ultrasound 66 hours after CIDR
removal, AI commences. Cows are again confined
to have device inserted to make them pregnant
It is now at AI that cows receive their 2nd Prostaglandin injection.
Any cows that have been “missed” by AI will be caught by the bull that is put out to graze with them
Vet will pregnancy scan or manually palpitate, both methods performed internally.
Empty cow=Cull cow
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Illness associated with Dairy farming…
Lame cows Standing too long on
concrete Walking long distances
daily on hard surfaces Reversing out of rotary
bails Being pushed, shoved &
rammed by motorbikes of impatient farmers
Forced in and out of trucks by electric cattle prodders
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Illness associated with dairy farming cont….
MastitisA trial conducted in 2008 to 2009 in NZ showed these results: Only 12% of farms mixed and applied
Teat spray correctly. 49% demonstrated faulty cluster removal 34.5% showed poor completeness of
milking Is it our practices that cause
Mastitis??
(Inflammation of the mammary gland in the udder, typically by infection by damage to teat)
Milk Fever Low blood calcium interferes with muscle
function Cows become very weak and lethargic Can cause heart failure Most common in older cows as it is
harder for their body to mobilize calcium from their bones
(Hypocalcemia)
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Induction of Dairy cows
Used to be common Dairy Farming Practice
Induction rates have been decreasing annually since 2010
Currently only 4% of a herd is allowed to be induced to bring on lactation
Induction is simply using Vet medication to induce labour, producing dead or dying calves known as “slinks” to get cows lactating
***Induction will be completely banned by 2015*** (“Vet”.personal communication. July 2014)
Vet Council. Induction. PDF
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Dairy farming and the 5 Freedoms/Code of
WelfareCopy and Paste this link if you wish to know more about the Dairy Cattle Code of Welfare: http://www.mpi.govt.nz/Default.aspx?TabId=126&id=2296
Freedom from Hunger and Thirst - by ready access to fresh water and a diet to maintain full health and
vigour.
?Freedom from Discomfort - by providing an appropriate environment including shelter and a comfortable resting area
?Freedom from Pain, Injury or Disease - by prevention or rapid diagnosis
and treatment.
Freedom to Express Normal Behaviour - by providing sufficient space, proper facilities and company of the animal's own kind
XFreedom from Fear and Distress - by ensuring conditions and treatment which avoids mental suffering
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Bibliography Bruce.E.Eilts.(2010, Oct 1). Estrus cycle control in a cow. Retrieved from http://www.vetmed.lsu.edu/eiltslotus/theriogenology-5361/bovine_estrous_cycle.htmClarice Yeung. (2012, Dec 3). 798. [Blog post] Retrieved from http://blogs.ubc.ca/clayeung/2012/12/03/798/Dairy Australia Ltd (2014) Discover Dairy:How cows make milk. Retrieved from
http://www.dairy.edu.au/discoverdairy/Teachers/From-Farm-to-Plate-Module/How-Cows-Make-Milk.aspxDairy NZ.(n.d) retrieved from http://www.compliancetoolkit.co.nz/index.asp?pageID=2145876425Dairy NZ.(n.d) Bobby calves. Retrieved from http://www.dairynz.co.nz/animal/calves-and-young-stock/bobby-calves/Dairy NZ(n.d) Welfare: The Five Freedoms. Retrieved from http://www.dairynz.co.nz/animal/herd-management/welfareDon Fraser.(2014) Cowsheds some serious considerations. Retrieved from http://www.fraserfarmfinance.co.nz/articles/fff323.htmlDr Clive Dalton.(2009, Jan 25). Cattle Farm Husbandry when to remove a calf. [blog post]
http://woolshed1.blogspot.co.nz/2009/01/cattle-farm-husbandry-when-to-remove.htmlEric Grant (2006, Feb 1) Understanding CIDR. Retrieved from http://beefmagazine.com/mag/beef_understanding_cidrFonterra Co-Operation (2014) The New Zealand Dairy Industry. Retrieved from:
http://www.fonterra.com/global/en/financial/global+dairy+industry/new+zealand+dairy+industryGo Dairy: The Big Picture. (n.d) retrieved from http://www.godairy.co.nz/the-big-picture/facts-and-figuresGranny56r.(2013, November 18) Cow not letting down her milk…any tricks[blog post] retrieved from
http://www.lifestyleblock.co.nz/lsb-forum/showthread.php?t=37925Heifermax. (2011,April 13). Tube feeding Calves. [blog post] retrieved from http://www.heifermax.com.au/blog/tube-feeding-calves/Jamie Small. (2013, May 23). The Rural: Understanding Mastitis in Dairy Cows. Retrieved from
http://www.therural.co.nz/livestock/understanding-mastitis-in-dairy-cowsMilk Facts: Mastitis and Somatic Cells.(n.d) retrieved from http://milkfacts.info/Milk%20Microbiology/Mastitis%20and%20SCC.htmMinistry of Primary industries (2014, 12 June) Code of Welfare: Dairy Cattle. Retrieved from http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/animal-welfare/codes/dairy-cattleMinistry for Primary Industries.(2011, May 13). The Animal Welfare Act - A Framework for the 21st Century. Retrieved from
http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/legislation/animal-welfare-act/index.htmNgahiwi Farms Ltd(2009-2014) Scours-Nutritional. Retrieved from http://www.ngahiwifarms.co.nz/cms/calf-health/scours-nutritional.htmlSolano.J, Orihuela.A, Galina.C.S, Aquirre.V.(2007,Jan-Feb). A note on behavioral responses to brief cow-calf separation and reunion in cattle (Bos indicus).
Journal of Veterinary Behavior: Clinical Applications and Research.2(1). 10-14. Retrieved from http://www.journalvetbehavior.com/article/S1558-7878(06)00154-7/abstract
The Dominion Post.(2008).NZ FARMER: Another game of two calves. retrieved from http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/535708/Another-game-of-two-calves
Vet Council (2010 June) Operational Guidelines: Induction calving. Retrieved from http://www.vetcouncil.org.nz/documentation/Other/OperationalGuidelines_InductionOfCalving.pdf
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QUESTIONS…..