US MILK PRODUCTION
•Trends
•Fairly steady slow increase in production
•Consistent decline in number of dairy operations
•Rise in number of cows per operation
US MILK PRODUCTION
• Since 1970, milk production risen by almost half, even though cow numbers have declined
• Milk production per cow has doubled
• Number of dairy operations has decreased
• Average herd size increased fivefold
US MILK PRODUCTION
•West & North
•Most diary cows are Holsteins
• Production rests largely in hands of individuals or families
• Producers belong to cooperatives
US MILK PRODUCTION
• 1/3 processed into fluid milk & cream products
• 2/3 goes into manufactured dairy products
• 9 billion pounds of cheese per year
• Mozzarella most popular variety of cheese
• 1.5 billion gallons of ice cream
CULLING
• Infertility
• Failure to conceive and reduced milk production
• Most fertile between 60-80 days after calving
• Failure to expel afterbirth from precious pregnancy, luteal cysts, metritis, uterine infection
• Mastitis
• Persistent mammary gland infection
• Reddeing & swelling of infected quarter of udder
• Whitish clots or pus in the milk
CULLING
• Lameness
• Persistent foot infection or leg problems causing infertility & loss of production
• High feed levels of digestible carbs cause acidic conditions in rumen
• Leads to laminitis
• Production
• Failure to produce economic levels of milk to justify their feed costs
ANIMAL WELFARE
• How often they’re impregnated
• Separation of calves from their mothers
• Culled at relatively young age
• Environmental concerns
HOLSTEIN
• Europe
• Highest producing dairy animals
• Black & white
• Can be red & white
• Large size
• Outstanding milk production
BROWN SWISS
• Switzerland
• Second largest quantity of milk
• Brown
• Large size
• Large ears
• Cold & heat resistant
• Docile
GUERNSEY
• British Channel Island of Guernsey
• Known for rich flavor of milk
•Milk is golden color
• Fawn
•White markings
AYRSHIRE
• Scotland
• Brown markings
•Medium size
•With or without colored legs
• Low somatic cell count, grass into milk efficiently, hardiness, calving ease, longevity
JERSEY
• Channel Island of Jersey
• Small size
• Fawn
• Light band around muzzle
• Dark switch
• Black hooves
• High milk butterfat content, lower maintenance costs, gentle disposition
MILKING SHORTHORN
• Great Britain
• Average size
• Red, red with white markings, white, roan
• High fertility, grazing efficiency, ease of management, longevity, calving ease