Animal, Plant & Soil Science Lesson C7-4 Feeding and Managing Dairy Cattle.

Animal, Plant & Soil Science

Lesson C7-4Feeding and Managing

Dairy Cattle

Interest Approach Have students brainstorm the steps a

dairy producer must take each day to ensure a healthy, productive dairy cow herd. What are the common tasks required for feeding and managing a dairy herd? Once students have a well-developed list, post some of their ideas on the board.

Interest Approach Discuss the importance of feeding. What

are common dairy operation feedstuffs? How do producers know what type and/or amounts of feed to use? Bring in some feedstuff samples (grain concentrates, high-quality legume forages, and corn silage), and allow students to see and feel the samples. Then discuss the importance of energy levels for milk production.

Objectives Analyze the production practices

involved in the care of dairy calves from birth to weaning.

Analyze the production practices involved in the care of dairy replacement heifers, lactating cows, and dry cows.

Objectives Describe the common dairy feeding

systems, such as the total mixed ration system.

Determine the importance of body condition scoring, and describe how it is used to modify feeding practices.

Objectives Examine the role of Dairy Herd

Improvement Associations. List and describe the Predicted

Transmitting Ability (PTA) used in the dairy industry, and describe how pedigrees and PTAs are used to improve herd quality.

Objectives Discuss the selection process for

dairy cattle, and examine the role of artificial insemination and other breeding technologies.

Terms artificial

insemination (AI) body condition

score challenge feeding colostrometers colostrum

crossbreeding culling Dairy Herd

Improvement (DHI) dry cows hybrid vigor outcrossing

Terms Predicated Transmitting Ability (PTA) purebreeding reliability total mixed ration

What production practices are involved in the care of dairy calves from birth to weaning?

Dairy calves need an appropriate environment, a quality nutritional program, and a preventive health care plan to ensure high-quality care.

The greatest chance for high mortality within a dairy herd is between birth and weaning.


A. Dairy calves should be housed in a clean, dry environment with little stress and protection from heat, cold, wind, and rain. Calves need adequate

space and proper ventilation. Individual pens and calf

hutches are the most common facility type used in the care of dairy calves.

These facilities should be cleaned and disinfected on a regular basis to reduce disease-causing pathogens.


B. Feeding and nutrition are important considerations in maintaining healthy calves.

1. The calves receive colostrum (the first milk given by the mother, containing important nutrients, such as immunoglobulins, protein, fat, minerals, and vitamins) during the first few days. It is important for the producer to collect, store,

select, and feed colostrum to calves within the first 24 hours.


2. Colostrometers are used to select the highest quality and to measure the specific gravity of colostrum. a. The ability to absorb important

immunoglobulin starts to decline within hours of birth. Therefore, it is important for the producer to feed calves immediately.

b. Some cows will produce an excess of colostrum, which can be frozen or refrigerated for later use.

What production practices are involved in the care of dairy calves from birth to weaning? C. A well-managed health care program will

decrease death losses. 1. Calves should be born in a dry, clean environment

because this is the best way to control infections. 2. Equipment used for feeding

should be cleaned and sanitized after every use.

3. Vaccinations should be used to prevent any major/common diseases within the herd.

4. Some heifer calves are born with extra teats—more than four.

5. Dehorning is conducted before weaning to protect other animals and the handlers and to reduce feeder space requirements.


D. All calves should be identified. 1. Ear tags, neck chains,

neck straps, and ankle straps are common temporary identification.

2. Ear tattoos, hide brands, and computer chips are common permanent identification methods.

What are the production practices involved in the care of dairy replacement heifers, lactating cows, and dry cows?

Several common production practices occur during the different stages of heifers/cows.

The quality of care the animals have received during various life stages affects lactating cow performance.

Over the past 20 years, the dairy industry has made improvements in genetics, nutrition, milking systems, facility design, health programs, care, and management.

These changes have attributed to an increase in milk production.

Dairy animal welfare is critical to dairy success and to providing high-quality, safe, and wholesome dairy products.


A. Replacement heifer care starts at weaning and continues onto the first calving period. 1. Calves should be weaned

gradually to allow for adjustments in feeding before joining a group of growing calves.

2. Careful management decisions will prevent health problems and maintain growth schedules.

3. Clean and fresh water should be provided at all times.

4. Calf pens should be designed to drain well and should provide ample amounts of shade.


5. As heifer calves grow, group sizes may increase.

6. Providing appropriate housing, proper feed and management, and weather stress attention will help producers maintain a healthy replacement herd.

7. Vaccinations are recommended for heifer calves.

8. Other good health production practices include parasite and fly control.


B. Lactating dairy cow care starts with proper facility design to provide comfort as well as a clean and safe environment.

1. Comfortable environments reduce stress.

2. Clean and safe environments reduce the risk of disease or injury.


C. Dry cows are cows that are not producing milk.

The dry stage usually occurs 40 to 60 days prior to the next calving period.

This allows the cow to prepare itself for the new calf and for the production of colostrum.


1. Dry cows are usually housed within groups and should be protected from the weather in one of several types of facilities.

2. Proper feeding and attention to body condition are critical production practices for dry cows.

What are the common dairy feeding systems? Feeding and nutrition practices are

essential in maintaining healthy, well-conditioned cows within a dairy herd.

Nutrition starts at the point of colostrum management and continues as the animal grows and prepares for milk production.

A. Feeding practices for birth to weaning include the use of colostrum, whole milk or milk replacer, and a calf starter feed.

What are the common dairy feeding systems? 1. Calves are fed colostrum for the first

four days of life. 2. Fresh whole milk

or milk replacer is used until weaning. Milk replacers

should provide a minimum of 20 percent crude protein and should be mixed with fresh, clean water.

What are the common dairy feeding systems? 3. The calf should also

receive a calf starter feed and quality hay. The feed should be

palatable, easily digested, and high in protein.

Calves can consume 2 to 5 gallons of water until 6 months of age.

It is important for calves to have access to fresh, clean water at all times.

What are the common dairy feeding systems? B. Feeding practices from weaning to

calving for heifers include fresh, clean water; starter and grower feeds; and high-quality hay.

1. Calves usually stop milk feeding within a few days before weaning.

2. Calves should continue on the same starter ration.

What are the common dairy feeding systems? C. Feeding practices for lactating dairy

cattle should include energy, protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

1. Body fat is necessary as an energy source for lactation. However, excessive body fat can cause metabolic diseases and calving problems.

What are the common dairy feeding systems? 2. Regularly evaluating the body condition

of cows should be part of the management practices so feeding can be altered as needed.

What are the common dairy feeding systems? D. Feeding dry cows aims at

stopping milk production by eliminating grain concentrates, high-quality legume forages, and corn silage at the early part of the dry period.

These feedstuffs are replaced with lower energy, high-fiber forage (e.g., grass or oats).

The feeding program for dry cows will vary and should be appropriate for the body condition, provide growth for the fetus, and prepare for lactation.

What are the common dairy feeding systems? 1. Forages (e.g., hay) serve as the primary

feedstuff for dry cows, but protein and minerals are essential. a. All dry cow rations should contain at least 15

percent crude protein. b. Calcium, phosphorus, and potassium intake

are important during the dry period.

What are the common dairy feeding systems? 2. The body condition determines

appropriate feed rations. a. Dry cows in the proper body

condition should gain 1 to 1.5 pounds per day for fetus growth.

b. Thin cows should be grouped separately and should receive higher energy rations.

c. Oversized cows should be grouped separately and should receive low-quality forages with protein supplements.

Why is body condition scoring important? How is it used to modify feeding practices?

Body condition score is used to evaluate cows in relationship to the ideals for a specific stage of lactation.

This score indicates the energy status and fat cover of each cow.

Certain scores are assigned to the amount of fat observed on several skeletal areas of the dairy cow.


A. Different point systems are used to score the cows. The most commonly used system has a range

from 1.0 to 5.0 in increments of 0.1 to 0.25. As the dairy cows experience lactation,

changes in body condition scores will occur. Dairy cows are expected to lose body weight

during peak production. These changes in body condition due to fat

cover will shift the energy balance.


A negative energy balance will not allow cows to perform at maximum capacity for the herd.

Therefore, lactating cows should be fed well-balanced rations to put on fat before the animal moves into the dry period.

Ideal cows should enter the dry period with a body condition score of 3.5 to 4.0.

This will allow for the cow to reserve energy/tissue that will enable more milk production in early lactation.


B. Body condition scores will greatly influence feeding practices. This scoring should be used as a management tool for

producers to establish an ideal nutrition plan for the herd.

Improvements made in nutrition will greatly improve milk production as well as the reproductive performance and health of the dairy cows.

1. Cows that are too thin will have metabolic problems and decreased milk production.

2. Cows that are obese will also have metabolic problems and calving trouble.


C. Body condition scores should be gathered at various times: first breeding, calving, and throughout lactation. These scores should be

recorded to help monitor cows.

For consistency, it is important for the same person to score the animals.

What is the role of Dairy Herd Improvement Associations?

Performance data is used in dairy and beef cattle, swine, and sheep production industries.

A. The dairy industry utilizes Dairy Herd Improvement (DHI) programs and records to promote accuracy, credibility, and uniformity in the industry. The Dairy Herd Improvement (DHI) program

is a national dairy testing and record-keeping program through which a herd is tested and compared to other herds across the nation.

What is the role of Dairy Herd Improvement Associations? 1. Records are compared

within a herd and with other herds on a local, state, and national level.

2. Producers can use several testing plans to improve herd efficiency.

3. Purebred associations have U.S. registries for each dairy cattle breed. These registries promote outstanding

production performance and maintain pedigree records.


B. The dairy goat industry taps into the National Cooperative Dairy Herd Improvement Program (NCDHIP) with dairy producers. Cows and goats are treated uniformly and are

tested similarly. Dairy goat owners enjoy the privileges of

testing listed in the National Dairy Herd Improvement Association (NDHIA).

What are the PTA values? How are these PTAs and pedigrees used to improve herd quality?

In dairy cattle, the Expected Progeny Differences (EPDs) are called the Predicated Transmitting Ability (PTA).

Predicated Transmitting Ability (PTA) measures the bull’s ability to transmit milk-producing capacity to daughters.

A. PTAs can be positive or negative. These values depend on whether the bull’s daughter

yields more or less milk than daughters of another bull under the same environmental conditions.

The USDA calculates and publishes data on cows in testing programs to show the relationship to the bulls.


Common PTA values used to estimate the sire or dam’s potential are the following: PTA value for dollars (PTA$), milk (PTAM), fat (PTAF), protein (PTAP), cheese yield dollars (PTA$cheese), percentage of fat (PTA percentF), and percentage of protein (PTA percentP).

Other breed associations calculate a PTA for a specific type.

Reliability is another term used in the dairy industry.

Reliability refers to the confidence in the PTA value.


B. Pedigrees are used to evaluate the performance of past generations and to compare genetic traits through the use of PTAs. The use of performance or production data is

crucial in animal quality improvement. Selection of animals should be based upon

pedigrees, individual appearance, individual performance, and progeny testing.

These selection components are herd improvement tools.

Pedigree knowledge can be a useful tool in assessing genetic abnormalities and traits.

What is the role of artificial insemination and other breeding technologies? What is the selection process for dairy cattle?

The ability to recognize desirable and undesirable traits is important in herd improvement.

Breeding techniques should be used to continually improve a herd while removing animals based on set criteria or other situations that may arise.

Culling is the practice of removing animals in poor condition or animals that do not express the desirable characteristics of the herd.


A. Using the Dairy Herd Improvement program, also known as DHI, can help with herd improvement.

B. Permanently removing or culling animals from the herd is a way to create space for more profitable animals.


C. Breeding may involve a bull or artificial insemination. Artificial insemination (AI)

is a method, other than natural mating, used to bring sperm in contact with eggs.

D. Purebreeding is another means of herd improvement. Purebreeding is the

mating of a purebred animal to another purebred animal of the same breed.


E. Outcrossing is another useful system of breeding. Outcrossing is the mating

of an unrelated male and female.

It will increase genetic diversity and will help produce hybrid vigor in the breed.

Hybrid vigor increases the strength of different characteristics, which is referred to as heterosis.


F. Crossbreeding is mating one breed of cattle to a recognized but different breed. For example, a Holstein could mate with a

Jersey animal. Crossbreeding advantages include higher

production and more disease resistance. Disadvantages include not being able to

register the animals because they are not purebred and difficulty predicting offspring appearance.

Review What production practices are involved in

the care of dairy calves from birth to weaning?


What are the common dairy feeding systems?

Review Why is body condition scoring important?

How is it used to modify feeding practices?


Review What are the PTA values? How are these

PTAs and pedigrees used to improve herd quality?


Animal, Plant & Soil Science Lesson C7-4 Feeding and Managing Dairy Cattle.

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Transcript of Animal, Plant & Soil Science Lesson C7-4 Feeding and Managing Dairy Cattle.