Limitations and potentials of dual-purpose cow herds in Central Coastal Veracruz, Mexico

Feed chemical and kinetic composition and animal performance information was used to evaluate productivity limitations and potentials of dual-purpose member herds of the Genesis farmer organization of central coastal Veracruz, Mexico. The Cornell Net Carbohydrate and Protein System model (Version 6.0) was systematically applied to specific groups of cows in structured simulations to establish probable input-output relationships for typical management, and to estimate probable outcomes from alternative management based on forage-based dietary improvements. Key herd vulnerabilities were pinpointed: chronic energy deficits among dry cows of all ages in late gestation and impeded growth for immature cows. Regardless of the forage season of calving, most cows, if not all, incur energy deficits in the final trimester of gestation; thus reducing the pool of tissue energy and constraining milking performance. Under typical management, cows are smaller and underweight for their age, which limits feed intake capacity, milk production and the probability of early postpartum return to ovarian cyclicity. The substitution of good-quality harvested forage for grazing increased predicted yields by about one-third over typical scenarios for underweight cows. When diets from first parturition properly supported growth and tissue repletion, milk production in second and third lactations was predicted to improve about 60%. Judiciously supplemented diets based on good quality grass and legume forages from first calving were predicted to further increase productivity by about 80% across a three-lactation cow lifetime. These dual-purpose herd owners have large incentives to increase sales income by implementing nutritional strategies like those considered in this study.     

Impact of management interventions on smallholder dairy farms of the western highlands of cameroon

A study was carried out to evaluate the impact of interventions to solve constraints in smallholder dairy farms of the Western Highlands of Cameroon. The interventions consisted of improved breeding through introduction of artificial insemination, better feed supplementation, farmers training in milk processing and better veterinary services. Results show that there was a decrease in average monthly expenditures of 18% relative to the month before interventions started. Much of the expenditures were related to feed (38% of all costs). There was an overall increase in farm income. Close to 2/3 of the income were derived from milk products from home processed milk and culled animals. Only 7% income came from milk sold to the processing plant. The partial budget shows that before interventions, farmers lost $4.5/cow/month but gained $38/cow/month because of the interventions. The return was 2.32 and included opportunity income for milk home consumed and shared. When this opportunity income was ignored, the return stood at 1.93. The positive impact of interventions led to poverty alleviation and some farmers acquired more cows. A spill over effect is that more crop farmers are willing to be engaged at least partially in dairy farming. It will be good if many more farmers could benefit from these interventions.     

Association of herd productivity and bulk-tank somatic cell counts in US dairy herds in 1996

OBJECTIVE: To assess the association of bulk-tank somatic cell counts (BTSCC) and the value of herd productivity (milk produced, calves born, and net costs for cow replacements) in US dairy herds in 1996. DESIGN: Randomized stratified national survey of dairy producers. SAMPLE POPULATION: Records from 1,219 dairy herds in the top 20 dairy states. PROCEDURE: Responses for 1,178 herds had complete information for economic analysis. Per-cow value of production was determined for each herd. Data for herds with high (> or = 400,000 cells/ml) and medium (200,000 to 399,999 cells/ml) BTSCC were compared with values for herds with low BTSCC (< 200,000 cells/ml), using a multivariable regression model. RESULTS: In 1996, milk was priced at $0.287/kg ($13/cwt). Herds with low BTSCC annually generated $103.90/cow more in herd productivity than herds with medium BTSCC and $292.39/cow more than herds with high BTSCC. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Increased BTSCC (> 200,000 cells/ml) were associated with a reduced value of productivity per cow. Thus, dairy producers have a financial incentive to seek out and implement cost-effective management practices that will enable them to decrease their BTSCC to < 200,000 cells/ml and maximize herd productivity.     

Constraints on smallholder market oriented dairy systems in the north eastern coastal region of Tanzania

Twenty five smallholder dairy farmers and other stakeholders, through a Participatory Rural Appraisal in three wards of the Tanga township of north east coastal Tanzania, ranked their perceived constraints in descending order of importance: Low milk price and marketing, feed shortage in the dry season, poor management, low animal productivity, poor reproductive performance and diseases. Tick borne diseases were reported on a majority of farms. An Economic Opportunity Survey revealed wide ranges in management indices and improvement in annual milk production, age at first calving and lactation length to represent the best potential for gain. Performance generally was below locally set targets. Farmers spent on average in the three wards between 39% and 77% of income from milk on feed costs yearly. Interventions were instituted emphasising those that farmers could afford immediately. They included farmer training, dry season feed supplementation, tick control, improvement of animal shed/house cleanliness and the formation of a cooperative for milk marketing. Partial budgeting is being used to monitor success. Follow-up meetings and regular visits to farms by field officers are disseminating information on outcomes to encourage farmers to continue with interventions and spread useful knowledge to friends and neighbours.     

光照时间对奶牛泌乳和采食性能的影响

为研究光照对奶牛泌乳和采食性能的影响,分别选择处于第Ⅰ泌乳月和第Ⅳ泌乳月的90头和45头奶牛,采用人工光照的方式,使奶牛每天的光照时间分别由自然光照的9.5 h增加到15 h和18 h.试验期30 d,分析测定了产奶量、乳脂率、采食量及经济效益.结果发现当光照时间为15 h时,试验牛的产奶量和采食量均显著高于9.5 h和18 h试验牛(P＜0.05);且经济效益较好,每头奶牛每天可增收3.95元;各试验组奶牛牛奶乳脂率无显著差异(P＞0.05).综合分析表明在奶牛饲养管理中每天提供15 h光照较好.     

奶牛乳房炎的防治

奶牛乳房炎是一种常见病和多发病,是目前严重危害和困扰奶牛养殖业及产奶业最常见的疾病之一,此病的发生不仅严重地影响了奶牛产奶量和奶质,而且还会造成奶牛使用年限减少,淘汰提前,饲料汇报率降低,治疗和管理成本增加,乳中兽药和抗生素残留,危及人类健康和环境安全等巨大经济损失,直接影响着养殖业的经济收入。为了减少该病的发生,提高乳质量,对我场奶牛进行了奶牛乳房炎的发病规律和治疗情况的调查,并且提出相应的防治措施,有效的控制了乳房炎的发生。     

Simulated efficiency of range beef production. I. Growth and milk production

A revised version of the Texas A&M University Beef Cattle Production Model was used to simulate the effects of growth, milk production and management system on biological and economic efficiency of beef production in a northern plains, range environment. Animals varying in genetic potential for birth weight (BWA), yearling weight (YW), mature weight (WMA) and milk production (PMA) were simulated under both a weanling system of management (weaned calves custom-fed in the feedlot) and a yearling system (calves wintered on the ranch, then custom-fed after their second summer). The yearling system of management was biologically less efficient, but economically more efficient than the weanling system due primarily to heavier slaughter weights of fed animals. The advantage of the yearling system was most apparent for smaller genotypes. Herd efficiency improved with decreased BWA and increased YW, but changed little when WMA was varied while other growth traits were held constant. Increased PMA was favored for production of live weight at weaning and for production of slaughter product when feedlot costs were high. Increased PMA was not favored when feed costs for the cow herd were high. Economic weights generated from the simulation indicated the importance of selection for rapid early growth followed by selection for lighter birth weight. While larger genotypes were generally favored in this study, optimal cow size depended on economic conditions. Larger types were more biologically efficient and more economically efficient using standard costs, but medium- and small-size cattle were more efficient when feedlot costs were high. Small cattle were least efficient when feed costs for the cow herd were high.     

Genetic change results from selection on an economic breeding objective in beef cattle

The objective of this study was to evaluate and quantify the genetic progress achieved in a New Zealand Angus nucleus herd through long-term selection for an economically based, multi-trait breeding objective. A 4-trait breeding objective was implemented in 1976 and selected on through 1993 with traits consisting of slaughter weight and dressing percentage of harvest progeny and cull cows, and the number of calves weaned in the lifetime of each cow. These traits were related to gross income with none related to costs of production. To overcome this, economic weights were adjusted down for increased feed requirements of faster growing (and generally larger) animals. Performance and pedigree information was recorded on 16,189 animals from 1976 through 1993 and included weaning, yearling, and mature cow weights along with the lifetime number of calves weaned by each cow. These traits were used in the phenotypic selection indexes developed to predict the defined breeding objective. Individual performance was adjusted by least squares for major environmental fixed effects and deviated from contemporaneous means. Genetic and residual (co)variances were re-estimated for each of the traits using REML techniques and used to calculate EBV for each trait. These EBV were in turn used to calculate annual genetic changes. The average annual genetic changes for weaning weight direct and maternal breeding value were 0.43 +/- 0.05 and 0.03 +/- 0.22 kg/yr, respectively. Corresponding annual genetic changes for postweaning BW gain, yearling weight, harvest weight, and mature BW were 0.29 +/- 0.03, 0.72 +/- 0.06, 1.7 +/- 0.13, and 0.13 +/- 0.09 kg, respectively. The annual change in number of calves weaned per cow lifetime was 0.006 +/- 0.001 calves/cow and the change in dressing percentage was estimated to be -0.035 +/- 0.003 %/yr. At the end of the program, 3.21 generations of selection had occurred with a mean accumulated selection differential of 3.87 SD. Change in objective traits due to selection was similar to or exceeded change predicted at the onset of the program with the exception of mature BW and dressing percentage. Genetic change in mature BW was not different from zero, whereas the predicted change was 29.3 kg. The overall genetic trend in the breeding objective exceeded that predicted at the onset of the program. Results of this study showed that selection on indexes developed to predict an economically based, multi-trait breeding objective will produce genetic change.     

Herd-level economic losses associated with Johne's disease on US dairy operations

Johne's disease (‘paratuberculosis') is a chronic, infectious, wasting disease that affects dairy cattle. Estimation of its impact on herd productivity and corresponding economic loss on US dairy operations was part of the USDA National Animal Health Monitoring System's (NAHMS) 1996 national dairy study. Johne's-positive herds experience an economic loss of almost US$ 100 per cow when compared to Johne's-negative herds due to reduced milk production and increased cow-replacement costs. For Johne's-positive herds that reported at least 10% of their cull cows as having clinical signs consistent with Johne's disease, economic losses were over US$ 200 per cow. These high-prevalence herds experienced reduced milk production of over 700 kg per cow, culled more cows but had lower cull-cow revenues, and had greater cow mortality than Johne's-negative herds. Averaged across all herds, Johne's disease costs the US dairy industry, in reduced productivity, US$ 22 to US$ 27 per cow or US$ 200 to US$ 250 million annually.     

饮水中添加湿态发酵蛋白饲料提高奶牛产奶量试验

湿态发酵蛋白饲料是玉米经酵母发酵、提取酒精后,又经益生菌发酵、密封包装的产物,其可溶性好、易消化、易吸收、蛋白质含量高。通过对奶牛进行饲喂试验可知,奶牛日添加4kg该饲料,单产可提高2.18kg,每头牛日增利润2.03元,增产效果好,经济效益显著;另外,研究还发现,日添加4kg该饲料对乳成分无显著影响。     

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.     

添加番茄渣单贮和混贮对奶牛生产性能和经济效益的影响研究

研究番茄渣单贮或混贮替代部分全株玉米青贮对奶牛生产性能和经济效益的影响,为今后在奶牛科学养殖中开发和利用非常规饲料资源提供理论依据和技术支持。试验选择体重、泌乳期、胎次和产奶量相近且健康无疾病的30头泌乳前中期荷斯坦奶牛于内蒙古巴彦淖尔市临河区双河镇嘉益奶牛养殖合作社进行为期50 d的饲养试验。结果表明,番茄渣经过单贮或混贮(分别与梨渣、玉米秸秆、小麦秸秆混贮)后用于奶牛日粮中替代部分全株玉米青贮,可有效的降低玉米青贮的使用,降低生产成本,显著提高乳蛋白率(P<0.05)、乳脂率(P<0.05)和奶牛产奶量(P<0.05),提高养殖效益。番茄渣单贮或混贮可提高奶牛生产性能和经济效益,并可作为一种非常规饲料资源在奶牛业中进行推广应用。     

南方地区草田轮作黑麦草饲养奶水牛的探索与实践

南方有大量的冬闲田,利用这些闲置的土地资源轮作黑麦草饲养奶水牛,可以增加农民的收入,并可为奶水牛提供更多优质的牧草,增加奶水牛的产奶量。本项目通过"资料宣传-试验研究-示范种植-引导农户种植推广辐射大面积种植"等措施,引导农户草田轮作黑麦草,收到了较好的经济社会效益。     

Estimation of Milk Production from Smallholder Dairy Cattle in the Coastal Lowlands of Kenya

A study was carried out on 92 smallholder farms in Kwale district in Coast Province of Kenya to estimate the milk yield. The effect of concentrate feed supplementation on milk yield was also evaluated. Data were collected during a one-year observational longitudinal study. Analysis was done for 371 observations following 63 calving events. The mean annual milk offtake was estimated at 2021 kg/cow. Forty-nine (77.8%) of the lactating cows were supplemented with concentrate feeds at varying rates of 0.5-3.0 kg/cow per day. Supplementary feeding of lactating cows led to a significantly higher mean daily milk yield compared to non-supplemented cows throughout the year (p < 0.05). The mean annual milk offtake from supplemented cows (2195 kg/cow) was 18.6% more than offtake from non-supplemented cows, a difference that was statistically significant (p < 0.05). Therefore, supplementary feeding of commercial feed concentrates was a rational management practice. It was also concluded that milk production from smallholder dairy cows in the coastal lowlands of Kenya was comparable to that from similar production systems but lower than national targets.     

Use of a simulation model to evaluate the influence of reproductive performance and management decisions on net income in beef production.

A stochastic dynamic model of reproduction and a deterministic cow-herd economic simulation model were used to evaluate how management decisions and reproductive performance interact to influence net income in a cow-calf operation (1,000 cows) for 1 yr of production. The stochastic model was used to determine herd performance when length of breeding season (45, 70, or 120 d) interacted with three postpartum intervals of anestrus (48, 65, or 90 d) and three conception rates at first service (60, 70, or 80%). Short, moderate, and long postpartum intervals were used to reflect differences in reproductive performance. In addition, replacement heifers were bred beginning either 3 wk ahead of the cow herd or at the same time as the cow herd. Fifty-four simulations were generated. Inputs into the economic model were herd performance, livestock and feed prices, nonfeed costs, and feed requirements for 1 yr of production. Feed requirements were calculated separately for each postpartum interval to reflect three different body condition scores, thin, moderate, and good, to correspond with long, moderate, and short postpartum intervals. Net income was greatest with 70-d breeding seasons when the postpartum interval was short or moderate. When the postpartum interval was long, net income was greatest with 120-d breeding seasons because pregnancy rates, as a result of the long breeding season, were highest and feed costs were lowest for thin cows. Overall, net income was greatest when cows were managed to have postpartum intervals of moderate length. Breeding heifers 3 wk before the cows provided the most economic benefit with long postpartum intervals.     

复合草颗粒生产及饲喂奶牛试验

通过刈割-干燥-粉碎-配制-制粒程序将紫花苜蓿(Medicago sativa)鲜草加工成理想的高附加值商品--复合草颗粒,同时采用随机编号、分组试验法,替代2.5、2.0 kg精饲料饲喂奶牛,测定替代量与产奶量、草料消耗成本之间的关系.结果表明,复合草颗粒是一种体积小,便于运输、贮藏,使用方便,适口性好,营养价值高的...     

Costs associated with selected preventive practices and with episodes of clinical mastitis in nine herds with low somatic cell counts

Nine dairy herds (mean size, 149 cows) with bulk-tank milk somatic cell counts of less than 300,000 cells/ml and greater than 80% of cows with Dairy Herd Improvement Association linear somatic cell counts less than or equal to 4 were selected for study. Each herd was monitored for 12 consecutive months. Duplicate quarter-milk specimens were collected from each cow for bacteriologic culturing at beginning of lactation, cessation of lactation, and at the time of each clinical episode of mastitis. Streptococcus agalactiae was never isolated and Staphylococcus aureus was isolated from less than 1% of all quarters. There were 554 episodes of clinical mastitis. During the year of study, the incidence rate of clinical mastitis varied from 15.6 to 63.7% of cows among the 9 herds. Mean costs per cow per year in herd for mastitis prevention were: $10 for paper towels, $3 for nonlactating cow treatment, and $10 for teat disinfectants. Mean cost associated with clinical mastitis was $107/episode. Approximately 84% ($90) of the costs attributed to a clinical episode were associated with decreased milk production and nonsalable milk. Costs of medication and professional veterinary fees per clinical episode varied significantly among the 9 herds. Three of the herds did not have a veterinarian treat a clinical episode of mastitis during the year of study even though 2 of these herds had the first and third highest incidence rates of clinical mastitis. When calculated on a per cow in herd basis, mean costs of $40/cow/year were attributed to clinical mastitis.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

A survey to identify economic opportunities for smallholder dairy farms in Bangladesh

Identified economic opportunities for planning interventions greatly increase farmers’ compliance with an extension programme. We investigated opportunities for interventions to increase dairy farmers’ income in four areas of Bangladesh, including the districts of Mymensingh, Khulna-Satkhira, Sirajgonj-Pabna and Chittagong. The data were collected from 1440 dairy farms at a one-day visit and were summarized as the difference between management targets and each herd’s calculated management indices. The average number of lactating cows, feed cost as a percentage of income from milk, milk sold as percentage of milk produced, lactating cows as a percentage of mature cows, and lactating cows as a percentage of total cattle varied from 1.5 to 3.4, from 52.5% to 92.1%, from 78.7% to 92.6%, from 81.9% to 86.7% and from 34.3% to 37.7%, respectively. The average age at first calving, calf production interval, lactation length, and milk production were 35.0–44.3 months, 14.0–17.6 months, 249–286 days and 3.5–7.2 litres, respectively, depending on the locality. The average cost for producing 100 litres of milk was 18.9–35.1 US dollars. The production cost increased when daily milk production per cow decreased (r² = 0.43–0.55). Management improvements directed towards increasing average milk production per cow per day, increasing lactation length, decreasing age to first calving, and decreasing calf production interval could expect to yield an average income increase up to a range of 676.3–1730.6 US dollars depending on the milk-producing area.     

Age of calf at weaning of spring-calving beef cows and the effect on cow and calf performance and production economics

Over a 5-yr period, spring-calving cows were used in a carry-over design experiment to evaluate effects of calf age at weaning on cow and calf performance and production economics. Weaning management groups were early (n = 60, calf age 150 d, EW), traditional (n = 60, calf age 210 d, NW), and late (n = 60, calf age 270 d, LW). Cow body condition score (BCS) and weights at the last weaning date were different (P < .05) for EW (5.8, 583 kg), NW (5.5, 560 kg), and LW (5.2, 541 kg) management groups. Pregnancy rates among groups were similar. Days on feed for groups differed (P = .001) and was 247 for EW, 204 for NW, and 164 d for LW steers. Average daily gain in the feedlot differed (P = .01) among groups and averaged 1.5 kg for LW, 1.4 kg for NW, and 1.3 kg for EW steers. Dry matter intake while steers were in the feedlot was greater (P = .001) for LW than for NW and EW calves. Hot carcass weight was greater (P = .01) for EW (328 kg) and NW (332 kg) calves than for LW (321 kg) steers, and fat depth was greater (P = .05) for EW and NW steers than for LW steers. When carcass data for the NW and LW steers were adjusted to the fat depth of EW steers, carcass characteristics among groups were similar. Net income per steer at slaughter for the feedlot phase was greater (P < .001) for the EW ($75.36) and NW ($62.16) steers than for the LW ($10.09) steers. Again, when carcass data for the NW and LW steers were adjusted to the same fat depth of the EW steers, net income differences among groups were reduced. Replacement heifers were developed in a drylot and costs were higher (P < .001) for the EW than for NW and LW heifers. Annual cow costs were greater (P < .10) for the LW ($443.45) than for the EW ($410.09) and NW ($421.35) groups. Break-even for each system on a steer financial basis was not different between the NW and LW groups, and both the NW and LW groups had lower (P = .08) break-evens than the EW group. Age of the calf at weaning affects cow weight and BCS. Net income in each system is influenced by cow costs, month of the year that steer calves are purchased into the feedlot and finished steers are sold, month of the year cull cows are marketed, and replacement heifer development costs.     

Altitude effects on technology and productivity of small bovine farms (milk meat) in Veracruz (Gulf of Mexico)

The dual-purpose bovine system represents 98.4% of the bovine livestock of Veracruz, the main cattle-producing state of Mexico. This system supplies calves to meat companies, a sector in which Veracruz has been the national leader in the last decade. The objective of the present study was to analyze the effect of the altitudinal zonation of farms on livestock technology and productivity in a microbasin of the Gulf of Mexico where small farms predominate. Structured interviews were applied to producers located in three altitudinal zones (at average altitudes of 50, 140, and 450 m, respectively, for lower, middle, and upper zones). Sample size was 135 farms having similar land surface (within a range of 15–22 ha). The results indicated multiple differences among farms located in the three zones. Farms in the middle and lower zones presented higher productive indicators than those in the upper zone. Differences in herd structure and management resulted in important differences in productivity, income, and profits in milk and calf production. We concluded from this study that altitudinal zonation in Veracruz had a clear effect on the differentiation of small farms, which are representative of dual-purpose cattle. The upper zone performs cattle activity under conditions with greater disadvantages in the analyzed region.