Understanding the dairy cow

Description

Cover Title Page Copyright Page Dedication Page Contents Acknowledgements Preface to the Third Edition About the Companion Website Part I How the Cow Works 1 Introduction – The Dairy Cow of Today Milk as Food Nutrient Supply Healthy Digestion Taste and Appetite Do no Harm Biological Efficiency of Milk Production Milk Production: Species and Breed Comparisons Efficiency of Feed Conversion to Milk, Eggs and Meat: Competitive and Complementary Feeds Behaviour and Welfare 2 Digestion and Metabolism Structure of the Digestive Tract Eating and Rumination Grazing Salivation Rumen Movements Rumination Digestion Fermentation of Carbohydrates in the Rumen Utilization of Metabolizable Energy for Maintenance and Production Digestion of Crude Protein Microbial Protein Synthesis Truly Absorbed Amino Nitrogen Urea Recycling Digestion of Lipids Absorption and Secretion of Minerals Calcium Exchange Appetite and Food Intake 3 Reproduction and Lactation Anatomy of the Female Reproductive Tract Follicle Development and Ovulation The Oestrus Cycle Puberty Fertilisation Pregnancy Placental Transfer and Foetal Nutrition Parturition Dystocia Lactation Anatomy of the Udder Milk Yield Extended Lactations Hormonal Control of Lactation Reproduction in the Male 4 Environment, Behaviour and Welfare Environmental Needs Behaviour Physical Comfort Thermal Comfort Sensible Heat Loss Evaporative Heat Loss Metabolic Heat Production Climate, Production and Welfare Tropical Climates Cold Climates Security and Social Behaviour Sexual and Maternal Behaviour Behaviour as an Indicator of Welfare Part II Feeding the Dairy Cow 5 Nutrition: Supply and Demand Nutrient Requirements and Responses Nutrient Allowances for the Lactating Cow Mineral Requirements Nutritive Value of Feeds Ration Formulation Prediction of Food Intake Assessment of an Existing Ration Feeding Plans for Dairy Cows Inputs Outputs Allowances for Growing Heifers 6 Feeds and Feeding Strategies Pasture Grazing Strategies Legumes Grass Silage Dry Matter Metabolisable Energy Protein Silage Additives Hay Straw Ensiled Whole-crop Cereals Other Green Feeds Root Crops Cereals By-products Oilseed Cakes and Meals Miscellaneous By-products Sugar Beet Pulp Maize Gluten Brewers’ and Distillers’ Grains Wheat Bran Balancing Forages and Concentrates Feeding Strategies Feeding to Yield Total Mixed Rations and Flat Rate Feeding 7 Feeding Problems and Metabolic Diseases Feeding Problems Rumen Acidosis Abomasal Disorders Bloat Metabolic Disorders Ketosis Prevention and Treatment Parturient Hypocalcaemia (‘Milk Fever’) Prevention and Treatment The Downer Cow Hypomagnesaemic Tetany (Grass Staggers) Prevention and Treatment Other Mineral Deficiencies Phosphorus Copper and Molybdenum Cobalt Selenium Vitamin Deficiencies Vitamin A Vitamin D Vitamin E Last Words on Minerals and Vitamins Part III Housing Health and Management 8 Healthy and Humane Housing and Handling Accommodation The Cow House Cubicle Design The Cubicle Bed Passageways Calving and Isolation Boxes Heifer Yards Handling Facilities Lameness Conditions that Cause Lameness Sole Haemorrhage and Sole Ulcers White Line Disease Digital Dermatitis Interdigital Necrobacillosis ‘Foul’ Aseptic Laminitis, ‘Founder’ Risk Factors for Lameness Transport and Slaughter Loading and Unloading The Journey A Gentle Death 9 Milking and Mastitis The Milking Machine The Milking Parlour Hygiene in the Milking Parlour Mastitis Indicators of Mastitis Contagious Mastitis Environmental Mastitis Summer Mastitis Dry Cow Therapy 10 Miscellaneous Maladies Signs of Disease Sudden Death Drooling Abdominal Symptoms Nervous Symptoms Fever Inappetence and Anorexia Notifiable Diseases Bovine Tuberculosis Foot and Mouth Disease Other Infectious Diseases Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD) Johne’s Disease Salmonellosis Leptospirosis Parasitic Diseases Part IV Breeding and Fertility 11 Breeding Selection Criteria Genomic Selection Sexed Semen Cow Selection Beef Bulls 12 Fertility Fertility Management Behaviour at Oestrus Aids to Oestrus Detection Synchronisation of Oestrus Time of Insemination Pregnancy Diagnosis Rebreeding Infertility Ovarian Dysfunction Uterine Disorders Retained Placenta Endometritis Early Foetal Death Abortion Nutrition and Infertility Condition Score at Calving? Condition Score at the Time for Rebreeding? Milk Yields in Early and Mid-lactation? How Well Does Nutrient Supply Match Requirements? Transition Management Part V Cows, People and the Environment 13 Cows, People and the Living Environment Most of Those who can Consume Too Much Meat and Milk Food We Could Eat is Fed to Animals While the Poor Grow Hungry Intensive Livestock Production is Incompatible with Animal Welfare Livestock’s Long Shadow is Destroying the Planet Methane Production and Climate Change Pollution from Dairy Units Alternative Husbandry Systems Organic Dairy Farming Traditional and Village Systems Fair Play for Cows, People and the Planet Herd Health and Welfare Herd Health Management Animal Welfare: Quality Assurance and Quality Control Further Reading Index EULA