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