Getting Down and Dirty on the dairy farm with Emma & Jet.

Transcription

1 Getting Down and Dirty on the dairy farm with Emma & Jet

2 Emma and Jet My name is Emma I am 16. As part of my HSC I am doing a dairy traineeship at Clover Hill Dairies. My name is Jet. I am also doing a dairy traineeship with Alan and Leesa Swan at Hillview Dairy.

3 Hi I m Jet Hi I m Emma

4 What are we going to learn about dairy farming today????? Today we are going to find out why Jet and Emma decided they would like to work on a dairy farm

5 Jet and Emma began their careers in the dairy industry after being part of a Strezlecki Lion s Club dairy industry school project called How it all started

6 Want to know how it all works? Well read on

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9 Jenna Thompson from the Lake Times newspaper interviewed Emma last year. Lets see what Emma had to say to Jenna about Cows Create Careers.

10 So now you have an idea how it all works!!! Cows Create Careers is a 6 week program. First of all a local farmer donates two calves to the school to raise for 3 weeks. The students monitor the progress of the calves and do a PowerPoint presentation. The reward for effort for the best school is $500. Last year Jet and Emma s school was the best senior school in their region. Jet and Emma and their friends Natalie and Lauren created a great PowerPoint presentation. Would you like to see it? Yes please!!!

11 Everybody works in teams. Jet and Emma s team is called Cattle Grids

12 Okay. Everyone gather round This is the A to Z Story of Dairy by Jet, Emma and Natalie

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14 rtificial insemination Artificial insemination is when sperm is taken from a bull and processed, stored and then artificially introduced back into the female reproductive system for conception to occur. AI is now one of the most and reliable forms for artificial insemination used for mostly dairy cattle. Some advantages of using this method include: Maximum use of superior sires. Early detection of infertile bulls Elimination of danger from handling wild bulls. However there are a few disadvantages when using AI, which can be overcome through proper management. These include: A human detection of heat is required. Success or failure of AI depends on how well this task is performed. Proper implementation of AI requires special training, skill and practice. HOME

15 obby Calves A bobby calf is a bull calf that is less than six weeks old and is not accompanied by its mother. Young calves get stressed and diseased very easily. If you produce or sell or transport bobby calves, you need to pay close attention to how you manage them. Think about using good animal welfare practices and avoid practices which will result in high stress levels. The Code protects very young calves by saying that all calves presented for sale should:. be in their 5th day of life or older. have dry withered navel cords. have been fed within 6 hours prior to delivery to the point of sale or collection. be over 23 kg live weight. be fit and strong enough to be transported for sale or slaughter.

16 ell count Somatic cell count is the total number of cells per milliliter in milk. SCC is made-up of white blood cells that are produced by the cow s immune system to fight an inflammation in the mammary gland or mastitis. Since the white blood cells in the udder increase and the inflammation worsens, SCC gives information on the degree if mastitis in an individual cow or in the herd. However they are ways to monitor SCC. The most common method is to do herd recording. This is when each individual cow s milk is tested and sent away. Results will be sent back with the Somatic cell count of each cow.

17 airy Farm Hand A Dairy Farm Hand s work is mainly concerned with milk production. Dairy Farm Hand s perform a variety of duties, depending on their area of specialization. Dairy Farm Hands may perform the following tasks: Prepare milking machinery and assist with all milk harvesting Feed livestock Be involved with breeding and raising of livestock Clean and sterilize milking machines Clear away animal waste and hose out operational areas. Cultivate soil, sow crops and control weeds Operate tractors and hand tools Assist in artificial Insemination Maintain and repair farm buildings, fences, machinery, troughs and other equipment However being a dairy farm had can be physically demanding with long hours.

18 . t.t A cow normally produces only one egg per estrous cycle (which lasts 21 days) and the gestation period is 40 weeks. On average, a cow produces only 2-3 calves in her lifetime. Therefore, without intervention, the rate of improving the genetic status of a heard with a particularly desired cow is slow. However, recent advances in techniques for embryo transplantation are transforming the rate of genetic improvement. The following stages are carried out for E.T: Cows of particularly fine pedigree are treated with hormones to increase the number of eggs released at ovulation. The cows are artificially inseminated using semen from a proven bull After 6-7 days the embryos are flushed out non-surgically, using a catheter placed into the uterus. On average, 4-7embryos are collected The embryos may then be implanted into recipient cows whose oestrous cycle is at the correct receptive stage.

19 oot Rot Foot rot is a hoof infection that is commonly found in cattle, sheep and goats. Foot rot rots away the foot of the animal, mainly the area between the two toes of the affected animal. It is extremely painful and contagious. It can be treated with a series of medications but if not treated the whole herd can become infected. The cause of the infection in cattle is two anaerobic bacteria (bacteria that can grow without oxygen), Fusobacterium necrophorum and Bacteroides melaninogenicus.

20 estation Gestation is the carrying of an embryo or fetus inside a female viviparous. Mammals during pregnancy can have one or more gestations at the same time. The time interval of a gestation plus 2 weeks is called gestation period and the length of time plus 2 weeks that the offspring have spent developing in the uterus is called gestational age. In mammals, pregnancy begins when a fertilized zygote is implanted into the females uterus and ends once it leaves the uterus. The average gestation period in cattle is 283 days.

21 eifer A heifer is a young female cow before she has had her first calf. It is very important that heifers are well looked after and treated well as they will become replacements for your milking herd. There are many requirements heifers need. With a lot of intensive care a female calf is reared until she is able to cope on her own. From weaning, it will take a heifer 15 months to grow to a size that is suitable for her to be mated. Heifers need a constant source of protein for best bone and muscle growth and a clean environment. The objective of rearing heifers is to produce an animal that is 80-85% of mature live weight by first calving.

22 nteresting Facts Cows can detect odors up to 5 miles away Cows can see colour A cow stands up and lies down about 14 times a day Per day, a cow spends 6 hours eating and 8 hours chewing cud A cows heart beats between beats per minute Cows can hear lower and higher frequency's better than humans The oldest cow ever recorded was Big Bertha. She reached 48 in 1993 and holds the record for producing 39 calves. Twelve cows are know as a flink Cows have almost total 360-degree panoramic vision Cows can live 25years if people would let them

23 ersey Jersey s are a small, honey-brown breed renowned for the high butterfat content of their milk. The Jersey breed originated on the Island of Jersey (small British island in the English Channel) and is one of the oldest dairy breed. The main factor contributing to the popularity of the breed has been their greater economy of production. This is due to the ability to carry a larger number of effective milking cows per unit area. They are more tolerant of heat that the larger breeds and are excellent grazers, performing well in intensive grazing programs.

24 idney Kidneys play a vital role in the excretory system; they help balance the water level in the blood. They remove nitrogenous wastes and produce urine. They also discard any unwanted bodily waste. Just like humans, the kidney is an important part in the body if a cow. It is one of the organs that cows and humans cannot survive without. Without the kidney, toxins in our body would build up and we would die, just like the cow.

25 actation Once a calf is born its mother produces colostrum to help boost the calf immune system and help prevent any disease. After a couple of days the cow will then start to produce milk for about 300 days, which is called the lactation period. On average a cow may produce 5000 litres per lactation period, which is an average of 17 litres per day. However, the amount of milk produced is not the same everyday. More milk is produced at the start of lactation and less towards the end of the lactation period. About 60 days after calving the cow will be mated again so that she will have a calf to initiate milk production in 9 months from mating or next lactation.

26 astitis Mastitis is a common infection in cows. When a cow gets mastitis the tissue and the milk will change. The milk will become lumpy and the infected quarter will become very hard, may turn red and become hot. An increase in somatic cells will also change. Mastitis can be treated by inserting penicillin into the inflamed gland. There are a few ways in which mastitis can be prevented. These include: Thoroughly cleaning the dairy after each milking. Isolate cow Keep contaminated milk away from proceeds. This will avoid the whole milk supply having to be chucked out because of contamination.

27 utrition It is extremely important that cows get the full nutrition they need in order to have enough energy to produce quality milk. Through out a cows life, each nutrition requirement needs to be met on a daily basis. A newborn calf must receive a sufficient amount of high quality colostrum in the first 6 hours of their life. Colostrum is a special milk containing lots of vitamins, minerals, protein and energy, which provided the calf with life-boost and a protection against disease. A heifer must receive enough protein and energy to be able to put on enough fat in order for her to be mated with a bull. A cow must receive enough protein and energy in order for her to produce a substantial amount of quality milk.

28 vulation Day 0 of the heat cycle is the first day of heat. This is the period of the heat cycle in which the cow will stand to be mounted by the bull or herd mate. Under continuous surveillance with the HeatWatch system, it was observed that cows are in heat for only 6 to 8 hours. During this time, there is a structure on the ovary known as the follicle. The follicle is a fluid filled blister-like structure that contains the egg. The follicle also produces the hormone estrogen and it is this hormone that is responsible for the increase in vaginal mucous.

29 edometer Cows in oestrus have increased activity. The level of activity of an individual cow can be measured by using pedometers (monitoring distance walked) or neck chain monitors (measuring movement of the head). The level of activity is indicative of oestrus activity data which is read by an antenna, when cows enter the milking parlor. Cows with high activity relative to their previous baseline may be in oestrus. Although pedometers or neck chain monitors are less accurate than some other technologies for predicting oestrus, they may be more robust and simpler to use.

30 - Fever Q-Fever is a disease that is caused by an infection with Coxiella burnetii, a bacterium that affects both humans and animals. This organism can be found in cattle. The infection results from inhalation of contaminated particles in the air and from contact with the vaginal mucus, milk, feces, urine or semen of infected animals. The incubation period is 9-40 days and is considered possibly the most infectious disease in the world. However, treatment of the Q-Fever with antibiotics is very effective. Q-Fever can be prevented by intrademal vaccination with a vaccince composed of killed Coxiella burnetii organisms.

31 umen The Rumen, also known as the Fermentation vat or Paunch, is the first sector of the stomach. This is where most food is collected after eating and then sent back up to the mouth as cud to thoroughly be chewed by the cow again. This forms the larger part of the reticulorumen; This is the first chamber in the digestive tract. It is the primary site for Microbial fermentation of ingested food. Cows have a rumen as they have four stomachs.

32 pringer A springer is either a cow or a heifer that has 2-3weeks left until they calve. Spinger s will begin to form an udder and a stomach in the last few weeks of pregnancy. They are usually placed in paddocks close to the dairy or the farmers house, so they can be monitored. Springer s need to be supplied with the right nutrition and energy to assist them with calving.

33 est Buckets Using test buckets is very important as if there is a cow that had been treated with antibiotics or is fresh then her milk can not go into the vat. Having test buckets available allows the cow to still be milked but prevents her milk going into the vat and contaminating the rest of the proceeds.

34 ltrasound Dairy farmers especially, have been quick to grasp the benefits of using ultrasound pregnancy testing on their herds. What was once a slow, stressful practice, with often very variable results in accuracy is now a streamline operation. There are many benefits with using ultrasound. These include: Less stressful Accurate. Quicker throughput Cost effective Preg scan earlier Identify late calvers

35 accination Vaccinations are extremely important as they prevent many diseases in cattle. There are many different types of vaccinations that prevent a wide range of diseases. Some of these include: killed vaccines, live strain vaccines, antitoxin injections, and immune response vaccines. Black disease, black leg, tetanus, red water and tick fever are some of the diseases that vaccinations prevent. Disease risk needs to be properly managed to prevent devastating effects on animal performance. A good way to do this is by having a vaccination program. This will minimise the need for antibiotics and should reduce losses from preventable diseases.

36 ater Water plays a crucial part in the lives of calves. Water keeps the calves healthy and dehydrated. Water makes up 70-75% of a calf s body weight. Which inturn helps them produce quality milk. Calves are very susceptible to diseases from a young age and by having fresh water available at all times this assists in preventing and treating fatal diseases.

37 enophobic Xenophobic is being afraid or having a phobia of strangers. Calves are very fragile creature and get scared very easily. Therefore you could say calves are xenophobic creatures. Stress can come from xenophobia and is unhealthy for calves. If a calf became very stressed out than they could potentially get ill or catch a disease.

38 eild Yielding is another term for producing. Just like a chicken yields eggs a cow yields milk. There are many factors that contribute to the amount of milk a cow yields. Factors include how old the cow is, the health of the cow (if the cow is sick then obviously it may not produce as much milk as usual), the size of the cow (if the cow is a small build, it may not produce as much as a cow that is larger in size), and nutrition (if a cow is not fed the right food for her needs, this may show in how much milk she produces)

39 oologist Zoologists are scientists concerned with the study of animals, their anatomy, physiology, ecology, evolution and embryology. They work in many different roles. For example, environmental zoologists and conservationists are responsible for protecting wildlife in a particular area. Zoologist may be able to work in field surveying, recording and monitoring animal species and conducting scientific surveys of natural habitats. Most zoologists are employed by colleges and universities where they teach and do research.

40 Wow I learnt a lot of stuff I didn t know before. Perhaps we can see if we can do the Cows Create Careers program next year. What do you think?? Well we have certainly got all the necessary credentials!!! We know how to raise calves and we are certainly getting the hang of this PowerPoint stuff!

41 If your school would like to be part of the program and have a chance of winning $500. Why don t you give John and Deanne a ring??? We think John and Dee are the best. We know you will too.

42 Acknowledgements Farm yard animal graphics have been created for the Jet and Emma Get Down and Dirty on the Farm series by students from Mt Terry Public School

43 Watch this space we will be back soon