In this article we will discuss about Dairy Animals:- 1. Housing for Dairy Animals 2. Selection of Dairy Animal 3. Feeding 4. Milking 5. Breeding Care 6. Care during Pregnancy 7. Marketing of Milk 8. Care of Calves.
Housing for Dairy Animals:
The following specifications are followed for construction of cattle house (Fig. 9.25) for farming:
1. Construction of shed on dry, properly raised ground should be made.
2. Water-logging in marshy and heavy rainfall areas must be avoided.
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3. The walls of the sheds should be 1.5 to 2 metres high.
4. The walls should be plastered to make them damp proof.
5. The roof should be 3-4 metres high from the floor.
6. The cattle shed should be well ventilated.
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7. The floor should be pucca/hard, even non- slippery impervious, well sloped (3 cm per metre) and properly drained to remain dry and clean.
8. There should be a 0.25 metre broad, pucca drain at the rear of the standing space.
9. A standing space of 2 x 1.05 metres for each dairy animal is needed.
10. The manger space (for cleaning and providing food and water) should be 1.05 metre with front height of 0.5 metre and depth of 0.25 metre.
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11. The corners in mangers, troughs, drains and walls should be rounded for easy cleaning.
12. It is recommended 5-10 sq. metres loaf space for each dairy animal.
13. There should be proper shade and supply of cool drinking water in summer.
14. In rainy season and winter, animals should be kept indoor during night.
15. Individual bedding should be provided daily.
16. Maintenance of sanitary condition around shed is of prime importance.
17. For control of external parasites (ticks, flies, etc.), spraying the pen sheds with Malathion or Copper sulphate solution should be done regularly.
18. Draining of urine into collection pits and then to the field through irrigation channels will give additional advantage.
19. Proper disposal of dung and urine to a gobar gas plant will be an ideal utility of excreta. Where gobar gas plant is not constructed, the dung along with bedding material and other farm wastes can be converted into compost.
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20. Adequate space for the dairy animals should be provided.
Selection of Dairy Animal:
1. Healthy, high yielding animals will be selected with the help of veterinary/animal husbandry officer of State government/ Zilla Parishad, etc.
2. Freshly calved animals in their second/third lactation will be a good purchase.
3. Before purchasing, actual milk yield by milking the animal three times consecutively should be ascertained.
4. Identifying marks in the newly purchased dairy animal should be given immediately by ear tagging or tattooing.
5. Vaccination is a must to the newly purchased dairy animal.
6. Newly purchased animal should be under observation for a period of about two weeks and then allowed to mix with the general herd.
7. Purchase a minimum economical unit of two milch animals.
8. Purchase the second animal/second batch after 5-6 months from the purchase of first dairy animal.
9. When the first animal is in its late stage of lactation and is about to become dry, purchase the second animal. It will maintain continuity in milk production vis-a-vis income. This will ensure availability of adequate funds for maintaining the dry animals.
10. Follow judicious culling and replacement of animals in a herd.
11. Cull the old animals after 6-7 lactations.
Feeding of Milch Animals:
1. Best feeds and fodders should be provided.
2. Adequate green fodder in the ration is necessary. It will be better to grow green fodder on own land wherever available. The fodder should be chopped at the right stage of their growth and chaff roughage before feeding.
3. Crushed grains and concentrates are mixed with flaky and crumbly oil cakes. They are moistened before used as feed.
4. Adequate vitamins and salt licks besides addition of mineral mixture to the concentrate ration should be provided.
5. Adequate and clean water should be provided.
6. Adequate exercise to the dairy animals should be provided.
7. To estimate the daily feed requirement, remember that the animals consume about 2.5 to 3.0 per cent of their body weight, on dry matter basis.
Milking of Dairy Animals:
1. Milking of the animals two to three times a day at fixed times is recommended.
2. As far as possible, milking should be done by the same person regularly.
3. Milking the animal in a clean place is necessary.
4. The udder and teat should be washed with antiseptic lotions/lukewarm water and dry before milking.
5. Milker should be free from any contagious diseases and should wash his hands with antiseptic lotion before each milking.
6. Milking should be done with full hands quickly.
7. Sick cows should be milked at the end to prevent spread of infection.
Breeding Care of Dairy Animals:
Close observation of the animal and keeping specific record of its coming in heat, duration of heat, insemination, conception and calving are essential factors. This helps the animals to breed in time. The onset of oestrus will be within 60 to 80 days after calving.
Timely breeding helps achieving conception within 2 to 3 months of calving. Breeding should be done when the animal is in peak heat period (i.e., 12 to 24 hours of heat). High quality of semen, preferably frozen semen, of proven sires/bulls should be used.
Care during Pregnancy:
Special attention should be given to pregnant cows two months before calving by providing adequate space, feed, water, medical aid, etc.
Marketing of Milk:
Marketing of milk should be made immediately after it is drawn, keeping the time between production and marketing of the milk to the minimum. Use of clean utensils and handling the milk in hygienic way are primary requirements.
Milk pails, cans, utensils are washed thoroughly with detergent and finally rinsed with chloride solution. Too much agitation of milk during transit must be avoided. Transportation of milk during cool hours of the day is recommended.
Care of Calves:
Caring of newborn calf is vital. Treatment and disinfection of the navel cord with tincture of iodine as soon as it is cut with a sharp knife is essential. Feed colostrums to calf. Assisting the calf to suckle on its own within 30 minutes of calving is a good practice, in case it is desired to wean the calf immediately after birth, then feeding the colostrums will be in bucket.
The calf should be separated from birth till two months of age in a dry clean and well-ventilated place. Protection of the calves against extreme weather conditions, particularly during the first two months is necessary. Grouping of the calves according to their size will be done. Calves should be regularly vaccinated.
The calves should be dehorned around 4 to 5 days of age for easy management when they grow. Dispose off extra calves not to be reared or maintained for any specific purpose as early as possible, particularly the male calves.