ANFS 181 Lecture 2: Dairy Production

• School: University of Delaware
• Department: Animal and Food Sciences
• Course: ANFS 181
• Professor: Melinda Shaw

Document Summary

Dairy production in the us - dr. gressley. From birth until first calf at about 2 years old. Cows that are between lactation cycles and are not being milked. Females stay at ud until 5 to 6 months of age. Housed in hutches until weaned at 2 months old. From 5-6 months of age until about 22 months (approx 2 years) Housed in barn from arrival until confirmed pregnancy. Housed in field between confirmed pregnancy and return. Lactating and dry cows held at ud to ud. Housed in freestall pens (separate pens for lactating and dry cows) Nearly 100% of cows are bred by ai. Rapid improvement in dairy cow performance driven by intensive selection of ai bulls. Producer must evaluate cows for estrus (heat) and breed accordingly. Approx 50% of total farm costs are for feeding cows. Different raions for each group of cows. Milks cows daily starting at 4:30 am and at the 3:00pm milking.