FA: Dairy Production Concepts

Dairy production cycle

Calf --> hutch/calf pen --> weaning --> group pens --> breeding age heifer --> preg heifer --> springing heifer --> fresh --> high group --> medium group --> low group --> far off dry cows --> close up dry cows --> maternity pen --> calf

What parts make up youngstock?

Calf through springing heifer

Consistent cash flow requires:

Consistent milk production, which requires Consistent cows in peak lactation, which requires Consistent fresh cows (calvings) As cattle leave the herd (culled), we need to replace them with heifers

Continuous vs. seasonal calving

Cont gives consistent cash flow and best use of facilities See seasonal calving with grass fed cows, but less consistent cash flow, facilities have stocking density too high at times, and labor demands fluctuate

Dairy economics

Drives decisions except in cases of animal well-being Farms must be profitable and sustainable Vets should be an asset, not a cost

What does each part of this eqn correspond to in a dairy: Ep * I --> T * M = Profit

Ep - milk per cow I - cows in milking herd T - cwt shipped M - revenue per cwt (based on milk price - cost of production basically) P - profit

Cost of production - fixed costs

Facilities, replacements Doesn't change with increase in production

What are expenses?

Feed is main on Replacements Facilities Labor Drugs Overall - cost of production

Cost of production - variable costs

Feed, drugs These do increase as production increases

What part makes up lactating herd?

Fresh, and high, med, low groups

Efficiency of production - the last pound of milk

Has the lowest production cost, the highest marginal return, and is the most profitable Same as an appetizer at the restaurant - you've already paid for labor, food, etc. if you're purchasing dinner. The appetizer has a higher marginal return because it's extra on top of that.

Cwt

Hundred weight - 100lbs

How do you describe cycle time in dairy cows?

Lactation length

How do you calculate marginal profit?

Marginal revenue (how much more do you make off the product if you add that thing) - marginal cost (how much does it cost to make that extra amount)

What part makes up dry cows?

Maternity, close up and far off dry cows

Marginal revenue = Income - expenses What are income sources?

Milk, mainly (based on milk price) Also cull cows and calves sold

Vet's role in a Dairy

Monitor health, intervene if necessary Monitor reproductive efficiency - arm and brain Monitor milk quality - udder health, harvest, post-harvest Monitor cow comfort - housing, feet, heat stress Monitor replacement heifer program

Trends of fluid vs. milk products

Moving away from fluid milk in the US, toward things like Greek yogurt, powdered products, butter, etc.

Why do we give a 60 day dry period prior to calving?

So the mammary tissue can involute, and she'll repopulate all those cells again to peak again with this next calf. Forget? She won't produce much milk.

What is production medicine?

The integration of health maintenance plans with production and management plans to give whole-farm best effect.

How do you calculate length of lactation?

Time post calving until pregnant + gestation length - dry period (60 days) (so time from calf to calf minus dry period) If it takes her 2 years to get preg, going to dry her off 7mos later, so 2yrs +7 mos. Gets preg at 90 days, it's 90days + 7 mos.

If a cow is very persistent, what will her lactation curve look like?

Will have a very gradual slope. If not persistent, steeper slope.

How will a lactation curve for a Lact 3+ look compared to a lact 1?

Will have quicker (higher) peak and less persistence compared to first lactation cow.

So costs 10 cents a lb to get to 100. The extra pound only costs 2 cents. That one more pound, that marginal milk, is MUCH more profit....

yeah

E density of feed is .77, of milk is .33. How much milk can we get per 1 pound of food?

.77/1 x .33/x = 2.3lbs milk per 1 lb DMI

How much feed would it take to get one extra pound of milk?

0.42 lb feed

Dairy industry in GA

250 dairies 80,000 lactating dairy cows Avg herd size 320 cows 1.5 billion pounds of milk in 2012 About 30,000 tanker loads

How much is one tanker of milk?

50,000lbs, or about 5800 gallons Since cost is about $26 per 100lbs, in one tanker there's about $12,000 worth of milk.

Feed cost and why it doesn't cost as much for that last pound

Basically half the feed/maintenance cost is already going to be spent on the cow whether she's producing more or not, so you're really only paying an extra half part of that for that extra pound. Have to look at variable cost