Dairy

Black and red friesian dairy cows

Dairy production is as old as 2000 years. Life without milk, yogurt, cheese, quark, ice cream, whipped cream, clotted cream and many other dairies is not feasible for most people. Breeding and keeping of today's high yielding cows requires specific knowledge and a particularly qualified management regarding environment, feeding and care.

Tethered housing

Economical efficiency requires healthy and productive dairy cattle. Major factors influencing herd health and profitability of a dairy organization are type of facilities, herd size, cost of labor, degree of mechanization and climate.

Heifers (Holstein-Friesian)

Veterinarians of today are not only competent in traditional ways of treatment. Due to the recent knowledge about the complex interactions among host, agent, environment and management, prevention and control became the hallmarks of modern veterinary sciences.

Your vet may be a competent consultant on issues such as milking technique and hygiene, housing, climate, feeding and handling. He may also recommend a competent agricultural engineer to plan structural changes.

Requirements

• optimum humidity: 70%
• optimum temperature: 12 to 20°C (54 to 68°F)
• minimum continuous air exchange of 4 changes per hour (winter) and 30 in summer
• airflow < 0,2 m/sec
• ammonia fumes < 20ppm

Dairy herds are susceptible to certain infectious diseases:

• IBR
• BVD
• enzootic bronchopneumonia of older calves and adult cattle
• mastitis
• campylobacteriosis
• leptospirosis