Understanding the Dairy Cow

ISBN-13: 9781119550228 / Angielski / Miękka / 2020 / 274 str.

John Webster

Spis treści

Acknowledgements xiiiPreface to the Third Edition xivAbout the Companion Website xviPart I How the Cow Works 11 Introduction - The Dairy Cow of Today 3Milk as Food 6Nutrient Supply 7Healthy Digestion 8Taste and Appetite 9Do no Harm 9Biological Efficiency of Milk Production 10Milk Production: Species and Breed Comparisons 11Efficiency of Feed Conversion to Milk, Eggs and Meat: Competitive and Complementary Feeds 12Behaviour and Welfare 142 Digestion and Metabolism 18Structure of the Digestive Tract 18Eating and Rumination 22Grazing 22Salivation 23Rumen Movements 23Rumination 25Digestion 26Fermentation of Carbohydrates in the Rumen 28Utilization of Metabolizable Energy for Maintenance and Production 31Digestion of Crude Protein 32Microbial Protein Synthesis 35Truly Absorbed Amino Nitrogen 37Urea Recycling 38Digestion of Lipids 38Absorption and Secretion of Minerals 39Calcium Exchange 41Appetite and Food Intake 423 Reproduction and Lactation 45Anatomy of the Female Reproductive Tract 45Follicle Development and Ovulation 45The Oestrus Cycle 49Puberty 49Fertilisation 50Pregnancy 51Placental Transfer and Foetal Nutrition 53Parturition 53Dystocia 55Lactation 56Anatomy of the Udder 56Milk Yield 58Extended Lactations 59Hormonal Control of Lactation 60Reproduction in the Male 614 Environment, Behaviour and Welfare 64Environmental Needs 64Behaviour 65Physical Comfort 66Thermal Comfort 68Sensible Heat Loss 68Evaporative Heat Loss 69Metabolic Heat Production 71Climate, Production and Welfare 73Tropical Climates 73Cold Climates 74Security and Social Behaviour 74Sexual and Maternal Behaviour 75Behaviour as an Indicator of Welfare 76Part II Feeding the Dairy Cow 775 Nutrition: Supply and Demand 79Nutrient Requirements and Responses 81Nutrient Allowances for the Lactating Cow 84Mineral Requirements 88Nutritive Value of Feeds 90Ration Formulation 93Prediction of Food Intake 93Assessment of an Existing Ration 94Feeding Plans for Dairy Cows 95Inputs 95Outputs 96Allowances for Growing Heifers 976 Feeds and Feeding Strategies 99Pasture 100Grazing Strategies 102Legumes 104Grass Silage 104Dry Matter 105Metabolisable Energy 106Protein 106Silage Additives 107Hay 107Straw 108Ensiled Whole-crop Cereals 108Other Green Feeds 109Root Crops 109Cereals 109By-products 111Oilseed Cakes and Meals 111Miscellaneous By-products 113Sugar Beet Pulp 113Maize Gluten 113Brewers' and Distillers' Grains 114Wheat Bran 114Balancing Forages and Concentrates 114Feeding Strategies 117Feeding to Yield 117Total Mixed Rations and Flat Rate Feeding 1197 Feeding Problems and Metabolic Diseases 121Feeding Problems 123Rumen Acidosis 123Abomasal Disorders 125Bloat 126Metabolic Disorders 127Ketosis 127Prevention and Treatment 129Parturient Hypocalcaemia ('Milk Fever') 130Prevention and Treatment 131The Downer Cow 132Hypomagnesaemic Tetany (Grass Staggers) 133Prevention and Treatment 135Other Mineral Deficiencies 136Phosphorus 136Copper and Molybdenum 137Cobalt 138Selenium 138Vitamin Deficiencies 139Vitamin A 139Vitamin D 140Vitamin E 140Last Words on Minerals and Vitamins 141Part III Housing Health and Management 1438 Healthy and Humane Housing and Handling 145Accommodation 145The Cow House 146Cubicle Design 150The Cubicle Bed 153Passageways 154Calving and Isolation Boxes 154Heifer Yards 156Handling Facilities 156Lameness 157Conditions that Cause Lameness 159Sole Haemorrhage and Sole Ulcers 159White Line Disease 161Digital Dermatitis 161Interdigital Necrobacillosis 'Foul' 162Aseptic Laminitis, 'Founder' 162Risk Factors for Lameness 162Transport and Slaughter 164Loading and Unloading 164The Journey 165A Gentle Death 1669 Milking and Mastitis 168The Milking Machine 171The Milking Parlour 174Hygiene in the Milking Parlour 174Mastitis 175Indicators of Mastitis 176Contagious Mastitis 177Environmental Mastitis 178Summer Mastitis 180Dry Cow Therapy 18110 Miscellaneous Maladies 182Signs of Disease 183Sudden Death 183Drooling 185Abdominal Symptoms 186Nervous Symptoms 187Fever 187Inappetence and Anorexia 188Notifiable Diseases 189Bovine Tuberculosis 191Foot and Mouth Disease 192Other Infectious Diseases 193Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD) 193Johne's Disease 194Salmonellosis 194Leptospirosis 195Parasitic Diseases 195Part IV Breeding and Fertility 19711 Breeding 199Selection Criteria 202Genomic Selection 206Sexed Semen 206Cow Selection 207Beef Bulls 20912 Fertility 211Fertility Management 212Behaviour at Oestrus 212Aids to Oestrus Detection 213Synchronisation of Oestrus 216Time of Insemination 217Pregnancy Diagnosis 217Rebreeding 219Infertility 219Ovarian Dysfunction 220Uterine Disorders 221Retained Placenta 221Endometritis 222Early Foetal Death 222Abortion 223Nutrition and Infertility 223Condition Score at Calving? 225Condition Score at the Time for Rebreeding? 225Milk Yields in Early and Mid-lactation? 225How Well Does Nutrient Supply Match Requirements? 226Transition Management 226Part V Cows, People and the Environment 22913 Cows, People and the Living Environment 231Most of Those who can Consume Too Much Meat and Milk 232Food We Could Eat is Fed to Animals While the Poor Grow Hungry 233Intensive Livestock Production is Incompatible with Animal Welfare 233Livestock's Long Shadow is Destroying the Planet 235Methane Production and Climate Change 237Pollution from Dairy Units 238Alternative Husbandry Systems 240Organic Dairy Farming 240Traditional and Village Systems 241Fair Play for Cows, People and the Planet 242Herd Health and Welfare 242Herd Health Management 243Animal Welfare: Quality Assurance and Quality Control 243Further Reading 247Index 252

O autorze

About the AuthorJOHN WEBSTER, MA, Vet MB, PhD, DVM (Hon), MRCVS, is Emeritus Professor of Animal Husbandry in the School of Veterinary Science at the University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.