Dairy farming financial structures in Hokkaido, Japan and New Zealand

The productivity and financial performance of dairy farms in New Zealand and Japan (Hokkaido) were analyzed. By recomposing the official statistics on the dairy industry relative to Japan, New Zealand has low milk yield productivity per cow, but higher per hectare performance because of their seasonal breeding and pasture grazing systems. In the revenue and expenses analysis, New Zealand had a high cash surplus ratio compared with Hokkaido. In the cost analysis, for expenses on a “per kg of raw milk” basis, New Zealand milk production costs are 29% of those in Hokkaido. More than 60% of the production costs were attributable to feed, interest charges and wages in New Zealand. In Hokkaido, the feed cost alone accounted for 73% of the total cost. There is also a remarkably high interest expenditure in New Zealand caused by non‐subsidized fund procurement from finance organizations. In the financial analysis, New Zealand dairy farms have only approximately 50% of the total assets per cow compared with farms in Hokkaido. But total liabilities per cow in Hokkaido are twofold to threefold greater than in New Zealand. The difference between total assets and total liabilities shows that Hokkaido dairy farmers have an equity that is 50–200% greater than New Zealand dairy farmers. In the management analysis, New Zealand has a low turnover ratio of gross assets caused by the seasonal breeding system. In conclusion, New Zealand has higher per hectare production performance than Hokkaido, but has a low utilization of gross assets caused by a seasonal breeding system based on pasture grazing.     

'Looking up' behavior in the holding area of the milking parlor: its relationship with step-kick, flight responses and productivity of commercial dairy cows

Commercial dairy cows milked in a parlor system are packed close together in the holding area before milking. The present study examined the relationships of ‘looking up’ behavior with some other behaviors and the productivity of 1116–1153 cows from five farms. The individual identities of the cows looking up in the holding area were recorded at 5 min intervals during six intermittent afternoon milking sessions. Entrance into the milking parlor and the numbers of steps and kicks by cows while the milking person was attaching the milking cups, were recorded in six milking sessions. Flight responses in the pasture after milking were recorded over four days intermittently. The frequency of ‘looking up’ behavior weakly, but significantly correlated with flight starting distance (r = 0.10, P < 0.05), while the correlation with the number of step‐kicks during milking was not significant. As for productivity, lactation number (r = ?0.18, P < 0.001), milk yield (r = ?0.15, P < 0.001) and fat content (r = ?0.15, P < 0.001) were negatively correlated with the frequency of ‘looking up’ behavior. Age of cows was correlated with the frequency of ‘looking up’ behavior as well as lactation number (r = ?0.21, P < 0.001). Entrance order was positively correlated with the frequency of ‘looking up’ behavior (r = 0.15, P < 0.001). The ‘looking up’ behavior was observed more frequently in cows in their third or less lactation compared with cows which were in their fourth or greater lactation (P < 0.05). The lactation number of cows was correlated with their milk yield (r = 0.36, P < 0.001) and flight starting distance (r = ?0.21, P < 0.001). In conclusion, ‘looking up’ behavior shown by cows in the holding area before milking might be an indicator of low motivation for milking, mainly because of fear of humans, and an aversion to milking caused by insufficient experience in being milked.     

Intercepted Scolytidae (Coleoptera) at U.S. ports of Entry: 1985–2000

Since 1985, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has maintained the 'Port Information Network' (PIN) database for plant pests intercepted at the U.S. ports of entry. As of August 2001, PIN contained 6825 records of beetles (Coleoptera) in the family Scolytidae that had been intercepted during the years 1985–2000 from countries outside of North America. Of the 6825 scolytid interceptions, 2740 (40%) were identified to the species level, 2336 (34%) to only the genus level, and 1749 (26%) were identified to only the family level. Of the 49 identified scolytid genera, the 10 most common were Hypothenemus (821 interceptions), Pityogenes (662), Ips (544), Coccotrypes (520), Orthotomicus (461), Hylurgops (327), Hylurgus (266), Tomicus (194), Dryocoetes (166), and Hylastes (142). The 10 most common identified species were Pityogenes chalcographus (565 interceptions), Orthotomicus erosus (385), Hylurgops palliatus (295), Ips typographus (286), Hylurgus ligniperda (217), Ips sexdentatus (157), Tomicus piniperda (155), Hylastes ater (75), Hypothenemus hampei (62), and Polygraphus poligraphus (48). Of these 10 species, H. palliatus, H. ligniperda, and T. piniperda are known to be established in the continental U.S. The scolytids were intercepted from 117 different countries; the top 12 countries were Italy (1090 interceptions), Germany (756), Spain (457), Mexico (425), Jamaica (398), Belgium (352), France (261), China (255), Russia (247), India (224), U.K. (151), and Portugal (150). The scolytids were intercepted in 35 U.S. states and 97 port cities. In general, there was a positive relationship between the number of scolytid interceptions from individual countries and the value of the imports from those countries. Overall, 73% of the scolytids were found in solid wood packing materials, 22% in food or plants, and 5% in other or unspecified materials. The products most commonly associated with scolytid-infested wood packing materials were tiles, marble, machinery, steel, parts, ironware, granite, aluminum, slate, and iron. The food products and plants that were commonly infested with scolytids included nutmeg, palms, coffee beans, kola nuts, and macadamia nuts.     

Monitoring insecticide resistance in house flies (Diptera: Muscidae) from New York dairies

House flies were collected from dairies across New York state and the levels of resistance to seven insecticides were measured using standard laboratory assays with three to five diagnostic concentrations. The highest levels of resistance were found for tetrachlorvinphos, permethrin and cyfluthrin. Although levels of resistance to methomyl were somewhat lower, they were among the highest ever reported for field‐collected house flies. Resistance to pyrethrins was limited primarily to the lowest diagnostic concentration. House flies were susceptible to fipronil at all dairies, suggesting that this material would be highly effective for fly control. The levels of resistance were similar at all the dairies, irrespective of their insecticide use, suggesting substantial movement of flies between facilities. Relative to resistance levels found at New York dairies in 1987, resistance levels had increased for permethrin, were unchanged for tetrachlorvinphos and had decreased for dimethoate. To identify a single diagnostic concentration that could be used in the laboratory assays to assess accurately resistance levels in future studies, we carried out a ‘simulated’ field bioassay using formulated materials. A diagnostic concentration for each insecticide is proposed on the basis of a comparison of our bioassays. © 2001 Society of Chemical Industry     

Impact of Mastitis Control Measures on Milk Production and Mastitis Indicators in Smallholder Dairy Farms in Kiambu District,Kenya

Bovine mastitis and mastitis control were investigated on smallholder farms in central Kenya. After an initial observational study, a clinical trial to assess the impact of three different mastitis control strategies – (1) improved udder hygiene, (2) treatment of subclinical cases, and (3) a combination of these – was conducted on 100 randomly selected farms with 332 lactating cows. Before the implementation of control measures, the milk yield was low (mean 6.5 kg/day; median 6 kg/day) and somatic cell counts (SCC) were high, with 80% and 43% of cows having milk with SCC greater than 250×10³ cells/ml and 600×10³ cells/ml, respectively. Infectious pathogens were also commonly isolated, with 63% of cows being positive for pathogenic bacteria. Neither intervention strategy alone had any effect on mastitis indicators or milk yield. In combination, the measures had some impact, lowering the prevalence of contagious pathogens by 18%, but this was not reflected in a significantly increased milk yield, lowered SCC or reduced incidence of clinical mastitis.     

Management of calving in Norwegian cubicle-housed dairy herds.

Sixty of the 65 dairy farms with cubicle houses in the Norwegian county of Oppland were included in a field study of the management of calving in 1990. The farmers recorded the location of the cow when giving birth, farmer presence and whether assistance was given during calving, occurrence of suckling, and time after birth when cow and calf were separated. Such data were recorded for a total of 1125 calvings. About 10% occurred on pasture, while 78% of the remaining calvings took place in the cubicle-equipped section. Thirteen percent calved in a calving pen, the remaining cows being tethered at the time of calving. Thirty-two percent of the calvings took place in houses lacking a calving pen altogether. Farmers were present during 41% of the calvings. Suckling most frequently occurred after pasture calvings, and was least frequent after calvings within the cubicle-equipped section of the cowhouse. Injuries to the calf caused by trampling or contact with fittings etc. were rare, and no more common in association with calving in the cubicle-equipped section than with calving taking place with the cow isolated from the rest of the herd. All calves were removed from their dams within 24 h after birth.     

Detection of Brucella species in the milk of infected cattle,sheep, goats and camels by PCR

One hundred and three milk samples were collected from 52 cows, 21 ewes, 18 goats and 12 camels. The animals tested positive to at least one of the following: (1) standard tube agglutination test (SAT); (2) Rose Bengal plate test (RBPT); (3) milk ring test (MRT). All milk samples were examined by culture and single-step polymerase chain reaction (PCR) techniques for detection of Brucella species. The PCR assay amplified Brucella-DNA from 29 bovine milk samples, 10 from sheep, 13 from goats and one from a camel. The direct culture method detected Brucella organisms from 24 samples of cows' milk, 12 from sheep, 10 from goats and failed to detect any Brucella organisms from camels' milk. PCR detected up to 100 colony forming units (CFU) of B. abortus per millilitre of milk in 100% of diluted milk samples, and 1000 CFU of B. melitensis from 70% of milk samples. Although the overall sensitivity of the PCR was higher than the culture method, it should be possible to increase the sensitivity to detect lower numbers of Brucella organisms in field samples. The speed and sensitivity of the PCR assay suggest that this technique could be useful for detection of Brucella organisms in bovine milk, as well as in sheep, goat, and camels milk.     

饲料对乳制品风味的影响

低脂奶牛日粮会提高风味干酪内源脂肪酸中硬质脂肪水平、蓝干酪风味甲基酮和桃色椰子风味δ-内酯的前体物,而高脂奶牛日粮则与之相反。日粮在瘤胃中产生的丙酸代谢能从日粮油酸中形成芳香味的γ-十二烷内酯、从日粮亚油酸中形成芳香味的γ-十二-顺-6-内酯。味美牧草会产生富含颜色的奶脂肪,并把植醇、二氢植醇、植物烯、植二烯以及它们的低等同族体引入到奶脂肪中。无蛋白合成日粮会降低动物风味的吲哚和粪臭素。     

饲料中添加烟酸对夏季奶牛产奶性能的影响

试验选取9头泌乳早期处于热应激的荷斯坦牛,采用3×3拉丁方设计,分别饲喂基础日粮(对照组)和在基础日粮中添加5g/d和10g/d烟酸日粮,研究添加烟酸对奶牛生产性能影响。结果表明:添加5g/d和10g/d烟酸可使奶牛产奶量分别提高13.20%和9.39%(P<0.05);而4%标准乳量无显著差异(P>0.05);添加烟酸对乳蛋白和乳脂率无显著影响(P>0.05)。     

铬对泌乳期奶牛的生产性能和主要生理指标的影响

研究了泌乳期奶牛日粮中添加吡啶羧酸铬或赖氨酸铬对其生产性能和血液主要生理指标的影响。选择75头泌乳前期（〈80d）的荷斯坦奶牛随机分为试验组A、B和对照组C。试验组A和B每天日粮中分别补充吡啶羧酸铬和赖氨酸铬，供试期间对照组C不添加有机铬。结果表明：铬可提高泌乳期奶牛的生产性能，增强和改善泌乳奶牛的免疫力和应激状态。试验组A和试验组B泌乳量高于对照组C（P〈0．01）；试验组B血清中的甘油三酯的浓度低于对照组C（P〈0．05）；试验组A血清中胰岛素浓度低于对照组C（P〈0．01）；试验组A和试验组B血清中葡萄糖浓度都高于对照组C（P〈0．01）；试验组A和试验组B血清中皮质醇的浓度分别比对照组C低7．21nmol／L和4．92nmol／L，试验组A和试验组B血清中IgG的浓度分别比对照组C高2．1g／L和3．1g／L。