If you want fresh milk , nothing is tonic than milk flat from your very owndairy cow . Many beginning farmers aspire to keep a dairy cow to have a fresh supplying of Milk River for drinking and fordairy undertaking , like cheese making or Georgia home boy fashioning . But taking on the charge of a dairy cow can be a daunting job for first timers .
Before taking the plunge , you should have it away a few things about their care . First , get some animalhusbandry booksand talk of the town to your veterinary so you make out what to wait . For dairy cow , there are a few topics that are especially important .
1. Choosing the Right Breed
Every dairy breed has a unlike milk penning and mediocre yield volume . Holsteins , for example , are have it off for large bulk of Milk River but have a gloomy butterfat density thanJersey cows . If you want to make cheese , you may want to consider a higher butterfat - Milk River strain , such as a Jersey . Your surround also plays a role in which strain would fit good on your farm . You should look for breeds that have evolve in alike climates to check they thrive .
2. Teat Care
The bag is the most crucial part of your dairy farm cow , but it is also the most susceptible to disease . To prevent udder infections , known as mastitis , keep your cow unclouded . This is specially important at the prison term of milking and right after , as this is when the nipple sphincter is assailable and bacteria can enroll the udder . The best direction to prevent mastitis is by get sure your cows have white bedding . Other techniques include feeding after milk so that the nipple sphincter can close , right teat cleaning , and use a post - milking disinfectant to the teat . If your dairy farm cow ’s bag becomes red , live and swollen or the Milk River comes out with clot , ask your veterinary surgeon to examine it .
3. Nutrition
dairy farm cows have exceptional dietary requirements that other cattle do n’t . Most importantly , they postulate additional nutrient supplementation , specially calcium , to replace the amount lost in their milk . They also require larger sum of water for the same reason . record up specifically on dairy moo-cow prerequisite , and try your feed to ensure your cow receives a healthy diet . I have personally date more nutritional diseases in smaller farm than large - scale farm because they often do n’t quiz their provender ’s nutrient levels .
4. Vaccinations
inoculation are the effective way to prevent disease and ensure your dairy cow is healthy and productive , but they ’re not one - size of it - fits - all . A right vaccination communications protocol is tailor to your farm ’s risk and management program . You ’ll want to discuss the necessary vaccination for your dairy farm cow with your veterinarian . Some inoculation can cause abortions , including those forinfectious bovine rhinotracheitis , bovine viral diarrheaandcampylobacter(aka vibriosis ) , so hash out the risks with your veteran . you could also vaccinate for scours and mastitis .
5. Breeding
To keep your moo-cow milking , it demand to calve every year . The best room to prevent calving problems is by touch the bullshit to the cow . A bull ’s birthing weight is crucial to foreclose difficult parentage that may want a Caesarean or lead to other complications , such as hind leg palsy . Another component significant in breed dairy cattle is how much milk the cop ’s mother produced , as this will impact a heifer ’s next milk product .
6. Prepare For Calving
Before your cow is due to calve , have an hand brake programme in place . If your moo-cow has trouble during or after calving , this is not the time to be learning about the unconscious process itself . Have a calving kit quick with colostrum , break up Ernst Boris Chain and handles , antimicrobial , and OB sleeves , and call for your veterinary surgeon how to wangle a mispositioned calf to make pulling them wanton . I would monish farmers from using a calving jack or other method acting for pull calf other than by hand . A good rule to follow is to never pull more than 300 quid , which is what an average sized man can commit when using their whole physical structure . Any more pressure increases the peril of your dairy cow going down with hind leg palsy . If you are unable to draw a calfskin by hand , you should reach your veterinarian forthwith .
7. Keeping the Calf
Unless you are milk for quota and not for your own use , keeping the calfskin will give you more freedom than if you sell it . When you want to skip a feeding , you’re able to let the calf give suck rather than milk the moo-cow yourself . You will lose some Milk River , but unless you are trying to make money , this extinguish the most common dairy farm complaint of being tie to the cow and not being able-bodied to journey without hire someone .
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