Cow management US Fall 2015

ED ITION U .S. V O LU M E 7 NO 4 FALL 2015

FINAL EDITIO N

IN THIS ISSUE

H EA LTH

Manage bacterial resistance in dairy cow manure H O U SIN G SPEC IA L

LEDs in dairy barns quickly pay their way FEED IN G

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CO NTENTS

FEATURES

5 9 13 15 30 31 38

Cow talk CRV breeding information Barenbrug news Beyond the barn Lely information Veterinarian column Shows and events FARM REPORT

10 Zonneveld Dairy MANAGEMENT

16 The transition into robotic milking 18 Red clover in dairy forage 36 Provide a healthy hoof environment FINAL EDTION

32 Six years of CowManagement

John Zonneveld: “If we can’t get better while being profitable, we explore other areas” 10

Jaap van der Knaap The final edition of CowManagement

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ew life, new start, new magazine.

With those words I started the first editorial comments in October 2009 in the brand new magazine CowManagement U.S. I used the birth of a calf as a metaphor to mention that all the processes on a dairy operation start at that moment. It is a crucial moment, for the cow, the calf, the dairyman. But when the calf is on the ground and she is in good health, something beautiful will develop. With the right care, the right housing, feeding and treatment a wonderful heifer and cow is raised.

Therefore, you need the right information from the freshest knowledge and the best research and techniques.

That is what we aimed to do during the last six years – share knowledge about feeding, breeding, health, and milking techniques in well-written features designed with great pictures. And we did not stop at getting information at

the U.S. border, we used sources from all over the world.

I am proud of what our team published in six years, because I am pretty sure it helped the dairy industry.

Therefore, it is sad to let you know this will be the final edition of CowManagement U.S. After six years of hard work we decided not to continue the magazine. To stay on the right track in this competitive and digital world, we had to take new direction. After thorough investigation we decided we should not continue.

As in the calf metaphor, does ending the publication of CowManagement mean we abandoned a calf ? No, for me it feels we leave her at the top of her lactation in perfect condition.

Therefore, I wish to thank my team for all their hard work. But a special and final word is for our readers. Thank you for reading us. It was an honor working for you.

Management Antibiotic resistance

Special section Housing

Health Lameness

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Research highlights about antibiotic resistance in livestock waste.

Lighting typically accounts for about 13% of a dairy farm energy costs.

A lame cow will not meet her milk production genetic potential.

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FINAL EDITIO N

This is the final edition of CowManagement U.S. The CowManagement team have really enjoyed working hard to produce this interesting and informative magazine.

We would like to thank you for your interests in our magazine and we wish you and your business all the best for the future.

Team CowManagement

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13th annual Northeast Regional Dairy Challenge Penn State University hosted a successful Northeast Regional Dairy Challenge that drew 109 students from 10 northeastern U.S. and two Canadian universities to State College, Pa., October 22-24, 2015. This event marked the 13th annual Northeast Regional Dairy Challenge, an innovative, threeday educational competition designed to prepare students for careers in the dairy industry.

Working in mixed-university teams of four or five students, contestants assessed all aspects of a working dairy farm, including facilities, nutrition,

financials, reproduction, animal health and much more. Students collaborated on a 20-minute team presentation that detailed their observations and suggestions to a panel of judges and participating farm families. Teams were ranked based on how well their evaluations matched the judges’ assessment of the dairy operation.

The objective of Dairy Challenge is to create a real-life situation that stresses the importance of teamwork and professionalism.

Farms evaluated at the 2015 competition included Schrack Farms in

Loganton, Pa.; Ti Glo Farm in Howard, Pa. and Willow Behrer Farms in Spruce Creek, Pa. All teams also participated in educational workshops at Evergreen Farms in Spruce Creek, Pa. Teambuilding and fun activities were held throughout the weekend to encourage networking among students and dairy industry sponsors.

First place teams, which were named after top sponsors of the Northeast Regional Dairy Challenge, included: Holtz-Nelson Dairy Consultants, LLC, Semex and Merck Animal Health.

Source: www.dairychallenge.org

NMPF tail docking phase out The National Milk Producers Federation board has set January 1, 2017, as the date for dairy farmers participating in the industry’s Farmers Assuring Responsible Management (FARM) Animal Care Program to phase out the routine practice of tail docking.

At the Federation’s annual meeting, the board approved a resolution hastening by five years the previously established 2022 deadline for discontinuing tail docking. The resolution will be incorporated into the dozens of animal care measures designed for the FARM

Program to ensure the consistent, optimal care of dairy cows in the U.S. NMPF started the FARM Animal Care Program in 2009 to highlight how much the dairy industry is doing to improve animal care. Dairy farmers supplying milk to dairy cooperatives and processors representing more than 90 percent of the nation’s milk supply now participate. The program demon-strates the commitment dairy producers have to providing quality care to their cows.

Source: www.nmpf.org

Zoetis acquires PHARMAQ Zoetis Inc. has reached an agreement to purchase PHARMAQ , the global leader in vaccines and innovation for health products in aquaculture, for a price of $765 million on a debt-free basis.

PHARMAQ is the market leader in sales of vaccines for farmed fish.

Privately-held PHARMAQ has approximately 200 employees, is based in Oslo, Norway, and has subsidiaries in Chile, the United Kingdom, Vietnam, Spain, Turkey, Panama, and Hong Kong.

With this acquisition, Zoetis adds

vaccine brands such as AlphaJect® (an injectable vaccine) to its diverse portfolio of more than 300 product lines. It also adds parasiticides such as AlphaMax® to protect farmed salmon from sea lice. PHARMAQ also provides dip/immersion vaccines, therapeutics, and technical support services tailored to the needs of farmed fish operations.

Zoetis completed the acquisition in early November.

Source: www.zoetis.com

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Research highlights antibiotic resis

Tracking antibi ot Antibiotic resistance is a growing concern. Working with a veterinarian to prescribe antibiotics and limiting the use of antibiotics that impact resistance can help address this concern. This article will share information about antibiotic resistance and the role agriculture can play in reducing resistant antibodies.

by Amy Ryan

D

r. Timothy LaPara is very familiar with antibiotic resistance and he recently shared some research on this topic at the National Institute for Animal Agriculture’s Antibiotic Symposium held earlier this month. LaPara has been in the Department of Civil, Environmental, and GeoEngineering at the University of Minnesota since 2000 and is currently a professor there. For the last twelve years, his research has focused on waste water management and more specifically, tracking microbes around the environment by analyzing DNA. When looking specifically at antibiotic resistance, LaPara has been tracking organisms that carry genes that confer resistance to antibiotics.

“Our purpose is to understand the spread of antibiotic resistance. Specifically, in our research, we are looking at raw sewage, the levels of antibiotic resistance in that sewage, how waste water treatment can impact those levels and what happens when the waste water leaves the facility,” states LaPara. “In general, we have found that raw sewage has a high level of background (bacterial) resistance and this resistance increases with the use of antibiotics.”

So what does this mean for agriculture and the dairy community in general? LaPara says it all comes down to perception. “The scientific community and the general public give agriculture a lot of attention as according to recent numbers released from the FDA, 80 percent of antibiotics are used in agriculture,” he says. “Certainly agriculture does play its role, but overall, agriculture waste water represents the same resistance levels as raw sewage or human waste water.

In my opinion, in addition to the role of antibiotic use in agriculture, we need to focus more on waste water treatment and its impact on antibiotic resistance and what can be done to minimize this impact.”

Based on his research pertaining to agriculture, LaPara recommends producers utilize a few tactics to help reduce

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otic resistance in livestock waste

bi otic resistance antibiotic resistant bacteria in waste water. Namely, these methods include: supervised use of antibiotics, good agronomic practices, possible heat treatment of waste water and careful ration development and implementation.

Supervised antibiotic use Due to the constant buzz around antibiotics in the agricultural industry, it is of utmost importance that producers work closely with their veterinarian to promote the sensible use of antibiotics on their animals. Developing a veterinary-client patient relationship (VCRP) is a step that dairy producers have in place to ensure this is happening.

While this VCRP helps eliminate milk and meat residues, it can also be important to help record what antibiotics are being used and how that use may have an impact beyond producing quality products in the consumers’ eyes.

According to LaPara, when specifically considering the dairy industry and antibiotic resistant bacteria in waste water, their relative contribution is quite low. He attributes that low contribution to that close working relationship Dr. Timothy LaPara: between veterinarians and dairymen; “Management practices can namely that they use antibiotics under reduce resistant bacteria” the close supervision and advisement of their veterinarians for the prescribed treatment of a disease or condition.

This veterinary advised treatment differs quite substantially when compared to prophylactic use of antibiotics or the use of antibiotics to maintain health and prevent infections.

Moreover, the prophylactic use of antibiotics can be categorized as growth promoting antibiotics and is used in other areas of the agricultural industry. Prophylactic antibiotic use generates concern inside and outside the industry as some antibiotics that fall into this category may have an increased chance of impacting antibiotic resistance.

While the difference in resistance levels between using veterinary prescribed antibiotics and subtherapeutic is not substantial, LaPara cites the following research regarding cow and swine manure. “When looking at levels of antibiotic resistance in soil levels fertilized with dairy and swine manure there is a statistical difference in antibiotic resistance levels, although it was not as large as we expected,” states LaPara. “But the small difference was critical, as (bacterial) antibiotic resistance levels in soils to which cow manure was applied returned to background levels within a few months, but the soils to which swine manure was applied

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never returned to background levels.”

For this reason, LaPara advises all agriculture producers focus on the manure. For example, he suggests only applying manure in a way that makes sense from an agronomic standpoint.

In other words, manure is best utilized only to help with nutrient restoration to the soil, especially nitrogen and phosphorus.

When asked about technologies that could be used to monitor or minimize antibiotic loss and thus reduce bacterial antibiotic resistance in agriculture waste water, LaPara recommends the use of a thermophilic anaerobic biological waste water treatment process. While a methane anaerobic digester on a dairy heats manure to between 95 and 100 degrees Fahrenheit, a thermophilic anaerobic digester heats manure to a minimum temperature of 125 to 135 degrees Fahrenheit.

Essentially, the higher the heat, the more antibiotic resistance is reduced.

Reduce resistant bacteria In closing, LaPara reiterates several management practices to reduce the resistant bacteria in agricultural waste water. “First and foremost, supervised use of antibiotics is key and furthermore, I see the need to use less subtherapeutic antibiotics for health and disease prevention,” he states. “To address the concern of feeding subtherapeutic antibiotics, it is important to know what you are feeding your animals and what appears on your ingredient list.

Next is properly utilizing manure to optimize nutrient restoration. Finally, heat treatment of waste water may be a viable option for some producers.”

Knowing and considering the above suggestions can help animal agriculture reduce the bacteria present in their

waste water. Ultimately, LaPara and his team are conducting their research to assist with meeting that goal of slowing, stopping or reversing the spread of antibiotic resistance.

“The goal of our research is to identify these reservoirs of resistance and reduce their presence so we as people are able to keep using antibiotics to treat disease,” he says. “Many medical diseases can result from antibiotic resistance that pose lethal threats to us.

Overall, we propose that any inappropriate use of antibiotics be minimized, new wastewater treatment methods should be investigated and incorporated to reduce resistance in waste water reservoirs. We will keep trying to pin-point things that lead to high (bacterial) antibiotic resistance levels in waste water to achieve our ultimate goal of eliminating the creation of antibiotic resistance bacteria.” l

In addition to the role of antibiotic use in agriculture, dairy producers need to focus more on waste water treatment and its impact on antibiotic

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CRV

B R EEDIN G

N E W S

End of Delta Paramount’s career After a term of service that lasted almost ten years and production in excess of 1.4 million doses of semen, an end has come to the AI-career of Delta Paramount. He also holds the absolute record at CRV for the highest number of doses of SiryX (sexed semen) that have been sold, namely 136,575 doses.

Many dairy farmers know and value Delta Paramount for his transmission of outstanding milk production, strong legs and excellent udders. His daughters are characterized by long, trouble-free production.

Paramount, a son by Jock Besne, enjoyed immense national and international popularity.

Akke 870, daughter of Delta Paramount

CRV seeking dairy genetics intern The product development team at CRV is seeking a summer intern to assist with the analysis of dairy herd performance data to ensure the success of CRV product offerings.

Opportunities will be given to work with herd management softwares such as DairyComp 305 and PC Dart.

If interested, the intern will have the ability to travel and work directly with CRV sales and service representatives in select regions across the U.S. To learn more about the internship, please check out www.crv4all.us. If interested, please email a resume and cover letter to info@crv4all.us

by December 16th, 2015.

CRV welcomes international tour group Early in October CRV welcomed more than 50 guests from 14 different countries to the U.S. for an informational and social tour.

Starting in New York, the group toured five dairies that are using CRV genetics. Discussions were had about the breeding programs of the farms, as well as other aspects such

as nutrition and manure management.

CRV daughters of the bulls: Hunter, Heman, Stanton, Master, Yank, Paramount, and several others were all displayed. Not only were guests able to admire the impressive phenotypes of the daughters, but reports were also shown that the daughters all produce high component, premium milk.

The next stop on the tour was Lomira, Wisconsin where the tour group visited Budjon Farms. At Budjon the guests were able to view the dams of CRV bulls Abel, Paisley, and Amplify.

Discussions were also had about the breeding program of CRV USA, and how Genetics with a Purpose can work around the world. The following day a short business meeting was had, in which topics such as herd management, breeding program goals, and CRV’s unique product offerings were all presented. After the business meeting, the group toured the Miller Brewing Company in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Finally the group headed to World Dairy Expo.

Contact CRV today to learn more about products and services available in your area: TF 855 CRV COWS | info@crv4all.us | www.crv4all.us COW MAN AG E ME N T

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Zonneveld Dairies, Inc. The Zonneveld family has diversified their operation to include 8,500 cows and 1,000 acres of nut trees.

Number of cows: Amount of land: Rolling herd average: Cell rate:

R E P O RT

Laton, Calif.

8,500 7,000 26,000 125,000

Jack, Frank and John Zonneveld

Cropping 7,000 acres

Dream becomes a growing generational dairy business

Diversifying a dream Early emphasis on genetic improvement, steady expansion, and diversification have turned Zonneveld Dairies into one of California’s top operations.

by Amy Ryan

1100

Z

onneveld Dairies, Inc. began with a man’s dream to start a dairy in California. Today, John Zonneveld’s dream has grown to nearly 8,500 cows along with a diverse farming portfolio of pistachios, walnuts and almonds. It is positioned to flourish with the third generation working into the business.

John’s vision for his own dairy was realized in 1968 when he built a flat

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barn for 200 cows in Laton, Calif. Since that time, the herd has expanded substantially and several expansions have occurred to accommodate the growth of the completely closed herd.

About 10 years later a dry lot and the first double-12 herringbone parlor were built, a parlor since been expanded, to a double-18. In 1983, the second dry lot and another double-18 herringbone parlor were added for the growing herd.

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Waiting in the holding pen

Double-30 herringbone parlor

Focused on high quality forages

The expansion continued five years later when the third and final dry lot and double-18 herringbone were built.

More recently, a freestall facility with a double 30-herringbone parlor was constructed and in 2012, the final dairy in the operation was purchased, another freestall facility with a double 30-herringbone. With the original flat barn, that makes six dairies total to house 8,500 milk cows, 1,200 dry cows and 9,500 replacements.

While the herd has grown, so has the family’s involvement in the dairy. Today, it is a family corporation with John’s sons, John, Frank and Jack being the main shareholders. John oversees the financial aspects, Jack handles the cow management and herd genetics and Frank oversees the shop and equipment for the dairy and farming operations.

John’s sons, John and Josh, Jack’s sons, Corey and Piet, and Frank’s son, Andy, have also joined the business in various roles. For John’s sons, calf management falls under John’s umbrella and Josh is involved in the general management of all dairies, while focusing on feeding and nutrition. Corey is following in Jack’s footsteps by overseeing the genetics and reproduction, while Piet runs the transportation and maintenance for the farm. The harvesting and cropping of the alfalfa, corn, wheat, pistachios, walnuts and almonds is under Andy’s care.

regulations and the current water situation, we decided diversifying our business by adding the trees was a good investment.”

This diversification is one way Josh says they have differentiated themselves in their area. He continues to say that building their herd by focusing on genetics in earlier years allowed them to have high producing, high component cows that were appealing to those looking to expand herds in their area.

That early focus on genetics along with their closed herd policy helped them sell many dairy cattle. Back in the early 1990s, when dairies were moving from Chino to their area, they were able to sell close to 600 replacements a year.

The funds from those sales were used to slowly develop their farming business by investing into land which is now home to their trees. They added about 200-300 trees per year for the past 15-20 years and today that acreage has grown to around 1,000 total acres of pistachios, almonds and walnuts.

reached without the use of BST. They achieve this by feeding homegrown forages grown on 7,000 owned cropping acres.

“We currently grow 100 percent of our own hay and 70 percent of the corn and wheat silage that we feed, while we buy the remaining 30 percent from our neighbors,” Josh says. “The current ration consists of 12 pounds of alfalfa, 50 pounds of corn silage and a premix of cottonseed, corn gluten, rolled corn, canola, dried distillers grains (DDG) and vitamins and minerals.”

All replacements are raised on the six Zonneveld Dairy, Inc. locations. Calves start in hutches for the first 75 days and while there they are fed pasteurized milk twice a day up to 60 days old.

Calves also receive free choice calf starter in their hutches.

At 60 days, they switch to a grower grain, which is higher in fiber and lower in protein than the calf starter. When they move into group housing and open corrals at 75 days old, their diet changes to a TMR of alfalfa and wheat silage that is combined with a complete protein pellet.

Expansion through sales While growth as a closed herd over the years has been rewarding, Josh says it has also presented some challenges.

“As we increased herd size, labor was more challenging,” he says. “Additionally, with expansion being harder these days due to land availability, environmental

Managing for production While Zonneveld Dairies no longer sells that many replacements a year, they are still well known for their outstanding production herd with a 26,000 pound herd average, 1,000 pounds of fat and 875 pounds of protein.

As a member of the Land-O-Lakes cooperative, they pride themselves in maintaining a somatic cell count of 125,000 or less, which earns them the highest premium for milk quality and also ranks among the top ten percent of herds in milk quality.

In addition, they are recognized each year by the Fresno County DHIA as one of the top 10 herds for milk production on twice a day milking, a level they have

Advancing the business Along with good feeding and management, genetics have always played a major role in herd success. Jack has focused on this for many years, and now Corey is becoming more involved.

“Our breeding philosophy revolves around developing balanced cows that are not extreme in stature with good udders and sound feet and legs that produce well with high components,” says Corey. “To develop this type of herd, we emphasize components, milk, udders and health traits when choosing sires.”

When looking specifically at sire

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A TMR based on homegrown forages

High production, low somatic cell count

choices, Corey notes there is a lot of O-Bee Manfred Justice bloodlines in the herd and more recently, Ensenada Taboo Planet has been incorporated as well. For the last three years, they have been using primarily (80 percent) genomic sires that are over +2500 gTPI and high components. They also use more elite sires like View-Home Monterey and Seagull-Bay Silver-ET on some pedigrees they feel could produce high offspring.

“Our original herd was registered, so I have the ability to look up bloodlines on them and analyze which animals have the genetic potential to make high genomic daughters and sons,” Corey notes. “We also collect some of our own herd sires with JLG for use within our herd and for others who may have interest in those genetics. We used to sample these sires based on Net Merit of the dam and sire, but we now are pinpointing and genomic testing about 100 cows and heifers that we think may test high.”

Jack closely analyzes the monthly DHI Plus reports looking for cows that standout on paper. If he finds such a cow, he will locate her in the pen and decides if she might be a potential candidate for a high genomic mating.

In addition, Jack has an older son who

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works for an A.I. organization who has assisted with distributing some of the semen collected from their herd sires.

In addition to advancing their genetic potential, Josh cites some technology advances that have proven beneficial to their dairy. While he admits that they may not be the quickest to adopt technology right out of the gate, they use technologies once they are tested and proven. Some examples of this include their use of RFID tags; the movement to a timed A.I. breeding program at one of their facilities; and the addition of 72 inch cyclone fans and soakers in their freestall facilities and holding area.

Their most recent technological investment will be the addition of two solar farms, one for their dairy and one for the farming acres. Each of these will consist of five acres of solar panels which will generate enough electricity to offset 30 percent of their electrical costs each year. The solar farm for the trees will be running by the end of 2015, while the solar farm for the dairy will be complete in 2016.

Never forgetting their roots Zonneveld Dairies, Inc. focuses on profitability whether it be through genetics, management, technologies or

diversification. “We are looking to make our business better each and every year and are tweaking things to stay profitable,” Josh says. “If we can’t get better while being profitable, we explore other areas to diversify our business.”

One of these areas to explore is vertical integration, as Josh says that someday they may consider their own milk processing plant under the guidance of his younger brother who is currently a food scientist for a large corporation. They also plan to continue adding tree acreage in the next few years.

Through all the changes and diversification, the Zonneveld family however, never forgets their roots and where it all started – with their grandfather’s dream of owning a dairy.

“Everything that we have goes back to our grandfather and we all have the utmost respect for him and what he has started,” Josh concludes. “While he is now 89 and has not been involved in the day to day operations for a while, he lives right down the road and our fathers go visit him every morning to let him know what’s going on here.

He always reminds us to never forget where you came from and how you got here.” l

2015

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FORAGE NEWS

Barenbrug forages at the World Forage Superbowl This year marked the 38th year for the World Forage Analysis Superbowl held at the World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wisc.

The Superbowl is split up into multiple divisions for hay including Commercial Hay, Grass Hay, Dairy Hay, Haylage and Baleage. The judging is done 70 percent from a forage analysis report and the other 30 percent is on the visual condition

of the sample. Visual judging consists of analysis of the color, texture, maturity and leafiness depending on the category.

Barenbrug products were represented in the finals for each one of the divisions. The champion haylage produced by Verhassselt dairy of Kaukauna, Wisc., contained Barenbrug’s soft leaved fescue. In the grass hay division, Barenbrug products made up 6

of the top 10 finalist with the highest placing going to Indianhead Holsteins of Barron, Wisc.

Barenbrug continues to put its focus on breeding and producing the highest quality grasses. The results from this competition show the value of Barenbrug products and the success producers reap from using them. All of the award winning grasses can be found in Barenbrug’s Nutrifiber products.

Oregonian Media Group names Barenbrug USA a winner of the Oregon 2015 Top Workplaces Award Barenbrug USA has been awarded a 2015 Top Workplaces honor by the Oregonian Media Group. The Top Workplaces lists are based solely on the results of an employee feedback survey administered

by WorkplaceDynamics, LLC, a leading research firm that specializes in organizational health and workplace improvement. Several aspects of workplace culture were measured, including alignment, execution, and connection, just to name a few.

“The Top Workplaces Award is not a popularity contest. And oftentimes, people assume it’s all about fancy perks and benefits,” says Doug Claffey, CEO of WorkplaceDynamics.

“But to be a Top Workplace, organizations must meet our strict standards for organizational health.

And who better to ask about work life than the people who live the culture every day—the employees. Time and time again, our research has proven that what’s most important to them is a strong belief in where the organization is headed, how it’s going to get there, and the feeling that everyone is in it together.

President James Schneider comments: “We are honored to be chosen through our employee’s feedback for this award.

Our leadership team realizes that the journey to excellence as an employer is never over, but we are humbled and inspired to continue towards achieving this high calling.”

About Barenbrug USA

At its core, Barenbrug USA concentrates on leadership in the research, production, marketing and sale of innovative grass seed products.

Our focus and

determination are evident in the solutions we develop. Our research and development covers all the major U.S. climate zones, and our nationwide network of territory and sales managers provide you with on the ground coverage no matter where you live.

About WorkplaceDynamics, LLC

Headquartered in Exton, PA, WorkplaceDynamics specializes in employee feedback surveys and workplace improvement. Workplace Dynamics also provides consulting services to improve employee engagement and organizational health.

WorkplaceDynamics is a founding B Corporation member, a coalition of organizations that are leading a global movement to redefine success in business by offering a positive vision of a better way to do business.

For more information on BARENBRUG products and services contact customer services: Tel. 800.547.4101 BARENBRUG web address: www.barusa.com • BARENBRUG email address: info@barusa.com COW MAN AG E ME N T

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How to identify the best bulls for breeding a more efficient herd?

If you’re raising a high yield herd, whatever its size, CRV can help.

With Better Life Efficiency you can select the best bulls for a more efficient herd. Simply use the special breeding figure and you’ll enjoy a clear, at-a-glance overview of the best performing bulls. This information is specifically tailored to help you produce cows that provide higher yields without increased feeding, cows that also live longer and enjoy healthier lives. If you’d like to know more about developing a herd that performs better, please visit our website.

Better Life Efficiency now includes the breeding value for feed!

Read more about this on crv4all.us

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Name: Location: Herd size: Hobby:

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Jeremy Plett Steinbech, Manitoba, Canada 200 cows; 150 youngstock Theatrical performer and drama teacher

Building confidence on and off stage

Dairy and drama

by Amy Ryan

A

s a dairyman and herd manager at Sunny Glade Farms, in Canada, 22-year-old Jeremy Plett finds most of his days filled with cows and overseeing their robotic milking and feeding systems. When you look at a bit closer, there is a different side to this story with a dramatic twist. Jeremy is an actor who spends two nights a week teaching, performing, or producing plays and most of his free time writing drama.

“When I was younger, I remember performing for friends and family. I always loved entertaining, making people laugh and being the center of attention,” Plett says. “While I started acting in junior high, my interest peaked in high school where I was a member of our improvisational acting team. As I became more involved, I came to like the drama of acting.”

Plett’s acting continued into college, where he joined a theater group and traveled through Canada during various productions. He also did plays in the community which sparked his involvement in the Backyard Theatre Company.

This involvement led to many acting parts and jobs. For the last four years, he has been employed as the Artistic Director at the Backyard Theatre Company, where he is sharing his experiences with kindergarten through high school students.

“Through acting, I have met fun, expressive people who are my close friends,” Plett says. “Being an actor helps me understand people better as you develop the ability to look at their perceptions. I also like seeing how productions impact people and help them connect to something emotionally.”

Plett does admit that balancing farm management with an acting career keeps him busy. But, with support from his family, some extra planning, and scheduling around the busy summer and fall harvesting seasons, he is able to balance his livelihood with his hobby. This balance allows him to do what he finds the most rewarding part of his acting – working with and mentoring kids through his teaching.

“I often thought about working with kids and when this opportunity came, it offered a great way to be involved in the community while impacting kids’ lives,” Plett concludes. “My goal is to share my experiences with students, build their confidence and help them feel more comfortable with themselves both on stage and in their lives.”

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Partnering with financial institutions in the robot-buying process

Planning to profit How to consider decisions in the course of transitioning into robotic milking. Detailed research and planning provides a solid foundation for success.

by Alfred Kamps

T

he transition into robotic milking requires extensive research. While some producers make the decision to switch to robots in six months, it takes others much longer. Ultimately, robotic

milking is a significant investment and there are multiple components to consider. Proper planning before the first robot arrives on the farm is essential.

One component that should not be

overlooked is financing of a robotic milking system. Before the economic recession, local banks may have been willing to lend money to producers in good standing on the promise of a handshake. Today, in many cases loan applications are reviewed by a thirdparty and can be a lengthy process. It is very important to start securing the financing early.

Let’s consider what decisions a producer typically makes in the course of transitioning into robotic milking: • Robot brand – Which company and equipment does the producer feel most comfortable with; is there a prior relationship? Who does the on-farm support before, during and after the start-up? What are the core values and vision to indicate where the company is headed?

• Barn layout – In order to realize the increased production and labor-saving

Talk with other dairy producers who use robotic systems and your local Lely Center to learn more about robotic barn design

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goals proper cow and people flow must be considered. Are there current structures that can be used to reduce the construction cost, or will the barn and other facilities be built from scratch?

• Construction – After researching and taking bids, who will build the new facilities or retrofit the existing barn?

• Nutrition – What changes in nutrition and other protocols will need to be made for a successful shift to this new way of milking?

Detailed research allows producers to make solid decisions across the board.

Financial decisions regarding this matter are no different than the others, as banks are also suppliers.

Building a business plan The core of financial planning is building a sound business plan. Before a lending institution will approve a loan application for thousands or millions of dollars, it needs initial evidence the borrower has a proven track record of success and a solid game plan to recover that investment and turn a profit.

Lamar King, an experienced robot lender from Fulton Bank in Pennsylvania provided insight on what he looks for in a qualified robot candidate: “The things needed to secure financing require being a good manager and problem solver, and having a good balance sheet with liquidity on it,” says King. “This means managing a well-run dairy with established production metrics and internal herd growth. Being prepared by having some liquidity and a history of many short-term debts paid off is also a positive.”

So what if financial planning is not your strength, yet you still would like the opportunity of the robotic milking lifestyle? Don’t let this part of the puzzle intimidate you. Reach out to an external financial planner who can help you with your plans before applying for a loan. Another option is to seek guidance from a trusted producer who has already made the switch to robotic milking. This person can provide tips on what to prepare in your business plan, and possibly some suggestions based on what he has personally experienced financially (as far as cost-savings,

Build a business plan before applying for financing is a key step to ensuring a successful transition to robotic milking

payback timeline, etc.) through milking with robots.

Now, let’s turn the tables for a moment. What if the problem with securing financing is not a result of the preparedness of the producer, but rather the lack of confidence the lender has in the technology? At Lely, we hear this since robotic milking is still a fairly new concept in the United States.

Even in working with agriculturespecific lending institutions, sometimes a producer will find the lender has the math sense but not the cow sense.

Robots essentially prepay labor King shared some feedback on this topic, as well: “A few common misconceptions are looking at debt/cow or debt service/cow like a conventional dairy,” he says. “This won’t work in a robotic operation. Robots essentially prepay labor, so producers and lenders need to look at total costs of debt + labor/ cwt to compare it fairly. My advice in a situation like this is to find a lender who is willing to learn and educate them.”

Remember, the lender should be

considered a supplier like all other vendors involved in the start-up. Why not have them involved from the very beginning? The more a lender understands the investment and the reliability of the technology, the more willing they will be to stick their neck out. At Lely, we promote advisory groups or “profit groups,” which are teams of all those specialists involved in making a producer’s robotic milking goals a success. Many times this involves one of our Farm Management Support (FMS) team members, the producer’s nutritionist, veterinarian and banker. A group set-up of this nature allows all parties to learn the technology together for a smoother transition. This style of planning also allows the lender to witness the producer’s due diligence and commitment to making this a profitable business move for their operation.

The more prepared you are before sitting down with a loan officer, the better. Do the research and strategic planning, get the experts involved and educated, and move your robotic milking goal from plan to profit. l

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F E E D I N G

Red clover proves to be an excellent dairy forage

Giving red clover a second look

Modified “hay in a day” harvest method makes red clover a premium forage alternative to alfalfa in lower quality soils.

Dairy consultant Tom Kilcer points out that growing red clover increases yield, total dry matter, and forage quality.

by Jesse Bussard

T

om Kilcer sums up producers’ opinion of red clover as a dairy quality forage option in one sentence, “That’s the wet slop my grandfather used to grow.” Despite this prejudice, the dairy consultant from New York notes attitudes are changing thanks to a better understanding of red clover’s forage quality, improved varieties, and new harvest methods.

Nutritionally speaking, Kilcer points out red clover and alfalfa are two very different forages. Some components such as crude protein (16-22%), acid detergent fiber (25-35%), neutral detergent fiber (35-45%), and minerals

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are similar, but there are significant differences.

When harvested at the same time in a first cutting scenario, Kilcer says producers he has worked with have consistently found red clover to have higher fiber digestibility than alfalfa.

Research by Dr. Patrick Hoffman at University of Wisconsin backs up Kilcer’s observations, showing that in a high forage diet with high-producing dairy cows red clover had relative feed value equal to or exceeding that of alfalfa.

Another piece that comes into play with red clover, remarks Kilcer, is the

enzyme, polythenol oxidase, which keeps protein from breaking down during the ensiling process.

“We have more true protein reaching the mouth of the cow and we have less soluble protein which is often what overloads the rumen,” says Kilcer.

In addition, to less soluble protein, he explains more bypass protein is present in red clover (25-35%) compared to alfalfa (15-25%) helping to reduce the need for expensive protein supplements.

The benefits of polythenol oxidase aren’t confined to just the silage bunk though. According to USDA researchers this enzyme also inhibits hyperammonia bacteria from digesting protein in the rumen. Excessive ammonia production by these bacteria has been shown to be a major nutritional inefficiency in ruminant animals.

“By inhibiting that bacterium by feeding clover, you can actually increase the metabolizable energy for milk,” says Kilcer. “In other words, there’s more energy from clover that’s used

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Harvest tips To make the “hay in a day” harvest process more effective, Kilcer suggest the following: • Use at least a 3-inch cutting height • The swath needs to be at least 80% of the cutter bar width to ensure proper drying • To reduce clumping open up the back of the swather so forage can move through from front to back without hitting deflector shields • To help with dry down on heavy cuttings, let red clover dry for 1-2 hours and then tead. This will help to dry lower layers by spreading out the forage and eliminating clumps

Tom Kilcer: “By feeding clover, you can increase the metabolizable energy for milk”

for milk production then.” On the agronomic front, Kilcer says an added advantage of red clover is its ability to grow in soils less than ideal for alfalfa.

In his experience in the Northeast he has found while many fields are not good for growing alfalfa, they are very good for growing clover.

Soil drives rotation “The soil drives the rotation, which in turn drives what the cows are fed,”

says Kilcer. “By growing red clover you actually increase your yield, total dry matter, and forage quality rather than waste time and money trying to plant alfalfa.”

Other upsides of planting red clover include lower seed costs compared to alfalfa and, thanks to the absence of autotoxicity, reseeding into existing stands is an easy task.

When selecting varieties, Kilcer says multi-cut types are what producers want. These varieties have the ability to yield up to three cuttings per year when managed properly, unlike varieties like Mammoth, which he describes as a “one-cut clover.”

Within multi-cut red clover both high and low pubescent varieties exist.

Pubescence refers to the tiny hairs present on plant leaves and stems.

One of Barenbrug’s varieties, Freedom!, was selected to have significantly less pubescence, resulting in quicker drying.

In areas where potato leafhopper is a problem, Barenbrug’s Freedom MR would be a better choice. Barenbrug’s

Barduro, a medium dormancy red clover developed at the University of Florida, is an ideal choice for the south.

Hay in a day While post-harvest dry down of red clover has traditionally been a challenge, Kilcer notes, it is possible to cut and ensile red clover the same day. The key is a modified version of wide swath haylage harvest known as “hay in a day” which Kilcer helped to develop. This harvest management practice involves laying mowed forage in as wide a swath as possible to encourage quick dry-down.

Producers should consider taking a second-look at this tried-and-true forage legume. Red clover has been and continues to be an excellent feed for high-producing dairy cattle with the potential to reduce supplemental feed costs and allow producers to grow high quality forage on acres poorly suited for alfalfa production. l

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VOLUME 13 NO 7 NOVEMB ER 2015

Interested in CowManagement UK? This is the final ever issue of CowManagement US. But, if you’d like to keep receiving CowManagement magazine, you can subscribe to CowManagement UK. Written by an award-winning team of agricultural journalists, CowManagement is recognized for its ’hands on‘ practical approach, combining a mixture of regular columns, such as the vet column that takes a timely look at current herd health issues, with exclusive features and unique herd reports from the UK and abroad.

Each issue contains articles on a mix of topics including cow health and welfare, nutrition, fertility, milk hygiene, breeding, and herd and business management.

Interested?

You can subscribe at: https://www.isubscribe.co.uk and search for CowManagement.

CowManagement UK is published 8 times per year.

The price for one year is £42 and for two years £84.

MEASURI NG EMISSION S

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IN THIS ISSUE

CALF REARING

Maximise growth and keep costs in check

LONG-LI FE COWS

Tips on breeding for improved longevity 23-10-15 10:35

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S P E C I A L

H O U S I N G

Use of LED light isn’t widespread in cattle housing. Page 24 Comfortable cows equal more production and better reproduction. Page 26

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S P E C I A L

Pricey LEDs quickly pay their way

Let there be light

Lighting typically accounts for about 13% of a dairy farm’s energy costs

For years, we’ve been encouraged to use LED (light-emitting diode technology) lamps in our homes to save energy and consequently money. The technology’s use, however, isn’t as widespread in dairy cattle housing.

by JoDee Sattler

O

ver the last couple decades, many U.S. dairy producers implemented long-day lighting – a management practice that artificially extends the duration of light for lactating dairy cows.

Numerous studies confirm that exposing lactating cows to 16 to 18 hours of continuous light at an intensity of 15 to 20 footcandles (fc) typically boosts milk production from five to 16 percent above cows exposed to less than 13.5 hours of light. To achieve this production increase, cows need darkness the remaining six to eight hours.

With lights on more hours of the day, energy and light bulb use obviously increases. (Cows also eat more, which bumps up feed expenses.) However, dairy producers often recoup investment costs in less than a year and gain more than $100 net profit per cow per year.

With LED technology saving consumers significant dollars in energy and lamp (bulb) expenses, should dairy producers use LED indoor lamps in their dairy facilities? We Energies, based in Milwaukee, Wis., reports that, on average, a 60-watt incandescent bulb costs $16 per year to operate and needs to be replaced twice a year; whereas a LED bulb, on average, costs less than $4 per year to operate and only needs to be replaced once a decade. Given these factors, today’s LED indoor lamps

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last up to 25 times longer and use 25% of the power of incandescent lights, while generating less heat.

Incandescent lamps are considered the “energy hogs” of the lighting world, says John Tyson, Penn State University ag engineer and educator. Users often reap savings of 60 to 70 percent when upgrading from incandescent lamps to fluorescent or LEDs. If you have some lights that are rarely used (less than one hour per day), hold off on replacing them. For example, replacing a 60-watt incandescent lamp in a closet (used about 10 minutes per day) with a 13-watt compact fluorescent lamp will take about nine years to recoup the lamp’s cost (via energy savings). “Concentrate on lamps being used several hours of the day,” says Tyson.

Numerous benefits LEDs provide a few other advantages: they are dimmable; they contain no mercury (reduces detrimental environmental impact); they become fully bright when activated; they require less labor due to their long lifespan; and, they work well in cold temperatures – a great feature for northern climates.

Kevin Janni, a University of Minnesota professor and Extension engineer, has tested LEDs in conditions as low as –20°F and feels they function better and last longer in cold conditions. LED lamps work okay in extreme heat.

However, prolonged exposure to heat

greater than 110°F will shorten their functionality.

In addition, some long-day lighting research even shows LED lights fostering more milk per cow production gains than fluorescent lights. Why? One hypothesis is that fluorescent lights flicker and this can stress cows.

LED lights don’t flicker.

A few challenges with LEDs Unfortunately, LEDs provide some challenges in dairy barn applications. In higher light output applications, such as ceiling and high-bay fixtures, you can’t simply replace an incandescent bulb with an LED bulb. This scenario requires replacing the old light fixture with a new LED fixture. Pairing the LED source with the proper LED fixture optimizes energy efficiency and bulb lifespan. While it may be difficult to cost justify replacing a working linear fluorescent or metal-halide fixture, consider replacing these fixtures when the fixture or energy-inefficient bulbs need to be replaced.

LED bulbs have a more directional footprint (emit 120 degrees of light) than fluorescent bulbs (emit light from

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Long-day lighting tips • Provide 16-18 hours of light • Provide 6-8 hours of darkness • Provide light hours at the same time every day • Provide light intensity of 15 fc in all areas where lactating cows spend time • House dry cows in a barn without long-day lighting

360 degrees). Thus, a fluorescent bulb usually illuminates a room better than a LED bulb. A room lit with LED bulbs will have darker corners and edges than a room lit with fluorescent bulbs. If desired, LED-generated light can be positioned to brighten specific areas.

Optimize energy-efficient LEDs come in “warm” colors and “cool” colors. Consider these factors when choosing a color type. Warm LEDs produce a yellowish white hue at about 2,700 to 3,000K (Kelvin). (K measures color temperature.) People usually feel more comfortable and look healthier under warm lighting. Cool LEDs produce a blueish white hue at more than 5,000K. Cooler colors encourage alertness, so this is usually the best choice in dairy housing and production facilities. To create lighting that’s closest to daylight, choose a bright lamp – 5,000 to 6,000K. Due to a barn’s dusty and damp environment, it may seem logical to protect LED bulbs with a protective covering. LED bulbs produce a lot of heat. Enclosing LED bulbs traps heat and consequently diminishes their

efficiency and shortens their lifespan.

“Sometimes, the best tool for improving your lighting system is a rag and a little elbow grease,” says Tyson.

Dirt accumulation on lamps, reflectors and lenses can wreak havoc with a lighting system. “Clean your lighting system at least twice a year to maintain good performance.”

Technology improves Even if you explored LED lighting options for your dairy about a year ago and didn’t like the options, don’t despair. The lighting industry is changing rapidly, which is generating improved products for dairy barn lighting. Today’s high quality LED bulbs provide an attractive light spectrum and can withstand challenging moisture and dust conditions found in dairy facilities.

A high quality LED bulb should last 50,000-plus hours and may cost $35 to $50. To compare LEDs, look at footcandles compared to the cost. You want the most footcandle for your money.

Tyson warns against buying cut-rate lamps or fixtures that don’t perform or don’t last. Network with fellow dairy

producers to find out which high efficiency lamps hold up well in farm conditions and do not fail long before their rated lifespan. “Watch out for off brands and make sure that lighting systems are suitable for farm duty.”

Jason Kollwelter, We Energies agriculture services manager, echoes Tyson’s recommendation.

“Before buying LED bulbs, visit with dairy producers you respect and who have been successful using LED lighting on their dairies. Dairy producers are very open and willing to share their experiences. Ask them to share their LED lighting lessons learned and ask what they’d do differently the next time. Networking and experience sharing can be very helpful, prevent mistakes and save you money.”

Kollwelter also suggests visiting with your electrician when looking for LED lighting recommendations.

To take lighting efficiency to the next level, dairy producers can add automatic controls, occupancy sensors, timers and/or photocells. These tools are readily available and almost always reduce energy use and provide a sound return on investment. l

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H O U S I N G

S P E C I A L

Comfortable cows equal more production, better reproduction and lower cull rates

Cow comfort pays off Maximizing cow comfort means more milk production per cow and ultimately more profitable cows. There are various ways to optimize cow comfort and each comes with a cost.

In this article, two cow comfort specialists discuss strategies and how their benefits outweigh the costs.

by Amy Ryan

D

r. Nigel Cook is professor in Food Animal Production Medicine from the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine. He is also one of the pioneers behind the Dairyland Initiative, a program developed to create an optimal environment for dairy cattle care and well-being.

Cook and other collaborators offer seminars, hands on training and web resources to optimize cow comfort.

“Cow comfort can be broken into several areas: resting time, heat abatement, feed access, water access and injury prevention,” says Cook.

“While they are all important, resting time is a key area to consider and it can be impacted by heat stress, poor stall installation, overstocking and time out of pen for milking.”

Although resting time is not typically measured, activity monitoring devices can assist with pin-pointing problems. To increase cow resting time, Cook advises dairymen to use deep, loose bedded stalls and cool cows in the warm summer months. The improvement in resting time from these tactics has shown less lameness, improved

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milk production and lower culling rates.

Jack Rodenburg is another cow comfort expert who spent 34 years as a dairy extension specialist advising dairy producers on housing and production systems for the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture. After retirement, he became an independent dairy housing consultant with DairyLogix in Ontario and serves as a CowSignals trainer. CowSignals assists producers in analyzing cow behavior to assess their comfort and well-being.

More milk per lactation “To be healthy and productive, cows need unrestricted access to feed, water, light, air, rest and space. When any of these needs is unfulfilled or restricted, cow comfort and well-being will suffer,” Rodenburg states. “What we strive to do with the CowSignals concept is use our observation skills to identify the weak links and areas where dairymen can get maximum bang for their buck.”

Rodenburg says that while dairy producers may not be able to afford to provide maximum comfort, for most dairies the balance between cow comfort and investment in capital and labor is still skewed toward minimizing costs. He feels additional emphasis on cow comfort

would equal higher milk production, better health and better reproduction.

“Improving cow comfort improves profitability. I have conducted CowSignals workshops on dairies that have reported production increases of 6 to 10 pounds per cow within a week of making the recommended changes. I have seen production go up more than that when cows go into a new barn designed with comfort as a priority,” he states. “In the long run, the biggest impact is on reducing the number of health problems like lameness and injuries and metabolic issues related to stress. Fewer problems mean steady production, lower treatment and vet costs, lower culling rates and also less work due to less treatment.”

Cook agrees and adds that bedding has a large impact on production and performance. “While handling sand laden manure can present challenges, it also reaps rewards,” he says.

“According to research done by my university colleague, Dr. Pamela Ruegg, sand bedding has typically yielded approximately 2,000 pounds more milk per lactation when compared with organic bedding over mattresses. This research also showed a 5-8 percent decrease in culling rate when com-

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paring sand bedding to organic bedding.”

When looking at design tactics for cow comfort, Rodenburg says that modifications like changing a few gates to eliminate dead end alleys can give big benefits with virtually no cost. Also, moving neck rails and removing lunging barriers can be done with little expense, but the bigger stalls require more labor to keep them clean. In many older barns, he says every stall, alley and crossover is smaller than desirable and the best fix might be to use the existing barn for older heifers and build new for cows.

Special needs facilities As far as specific technologies to aid in cow comfort, many advisers focus on freestall design and manger space, as Rodenburg notes these are practical places where many barns can be improved. However, he focuses on special needs facilities because cow comfort is really important at times of high stress.

“I focus on high risk animals like small, timid heifers or cows in heat; high risk times like calving; and high risk places like holding areas and the space around robotic milkers,” Rodenburg says. “Providing bedding packs for fresh and lame cows, a separate group for first

calf heifers, roughening slippery floors and opening up space around robots are some things I feel can pay big dividends.”

Rodenburg continues to say that costs of making these modifications vary.

Simple things like adjusting ventilation might cost nothing at all, while others like building a new barn involve a high capital investment. Furthermore, using more bedding has a direct cost for purchasing or producing it and very often improving cow comfort also comes with the opportunity cost of increased labor.

Bigger changes affect capital investment and present direct and indirect costs. For example, adding a bedding pack area for fresh and lame cows close to the parlor or robot, could require new capital to add space. It will add bedding costs because a cow in a pack takes more bedding than in a freestall and it will add labor to feed and bed and clean in an extra area of the barn. While these costs may seem high, Rodenburg says the return on investment is higher.

The cows tell the story Cook offers the following advice.

“Improvements made with cow comfort in mind are rewarded in increased milk production almost every time,” he says.

“In our experience, cows are great at telling producers what they prefer. I suggest trying a change in part of the barn and letting cows show you their preference.”

Rodenburg says considering the type of investment versus return assists with analyzing costs. For instance, low interest rates mean that with access to capital, things that involve a onetime cost (renovating or building) can have an excellent return as they are paid once and their benefits last for at least 20 years. In contrast, changes that add operating inputs (using more bedding) or require more labor (pushing up feed more often) generally have a bigger impact on cost.

“It is possible to experiment and sort out what pays off right on the farm. If more bedding and moving the neck rail forward in 20 stalls has cows lining up to lay down, it probably means that doing that in the whole barn will increase resting times and improve production,” concludes Rodenburg. “CowSignals helps give producers and advisers a fresh perspective on cow comfort. When producers participate in a CowSignals workshop, they go home enthusiastic to make changes and try new things. At the end of the day, acting on what we see and learn is the only way to improve things.”l

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H O O F

H E A LT H

A less traditional approach to managing hoof health could mean significant savings

Genetics holds key to hoof health Poor hoof health drains the wallet, leading to reduced fertility and milk production. Environmental and nutritional factors aren’t the only players in the game, a long-term hoof health goal can be claimed through the power of genetics.

by Andrea Haines

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othing feels better after a long day on your heels than to come home, sit down and put your feet up. As humans, we go out of the way to find comfort from sore or ailing feet; so it’s not too surprising that we would do the same for our cattle that feel the aching affects of troubling hooves.

According to a Colorado State University Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences study, the major culprits of bothersome feet are structures of the foot-fostering sole ulcers, white line disease (defects in the sole at the junction with the vertical hoof walls) and (interdigital necrobacillosis) foot rot. These factors drive up numbers from 88 to 92 percent of lameness in cattle. A more recent study derived from research collected over a 3-year span from the University of Guelph, Valacta and Canadian Dairy

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Network found, “… data in Europe and North America shows 40 to 70 percent of cows in dairy herds have at least one type of hoof lesion. The more common lesion is digital dermatitis (20 percent of affected cows), followed by sole ulcer and white line lesions (7 and 5.4 percent of affected cows, respectively).”

Genetic resistance Management practices also play a critical role in the development of hoof lesions. As we look more thoroughly into environmental factors influencing hoof health, such as housing, nutrition and feeding practices, and finally regularly implemented hoof maintenance, they all tend to lean to the overall factor … genetics.

It’s been understood that under the same management conditions, some cattle will develop hoof lesions, as

others will not. CRV USA sales project specialist Matthew Costello explains, “Modern dairy producers usually look to take a more medical or hands-on approach to disease prevention, and hoof health is no exception. Adding positive hoof health as a criteria to your sire selection is just the first of many steps a producer can take to improve hoof health on a herd level.”

As always, other factors play a large role in hoof health, but selecting for resistance to hoof lesions can contribute towards the long-term prevention of hoof health. Selection for resistance to these troublesome traits can lower the likeliness of unhealthy undercarriage in some herds as genetic intervention can result in a more secure option, providing more stability through multiple generations. Working closely with your breeder, you can plan a

preventative goal to better suit your herd’s long-term standings.

Breeding value available Currently the only U.S. stud providing access to such a genetic stronghold is CRV. CRV has a hoof health breeding value, part of the company’s “genetics with a purpose” campaign. According to David Wilson, CRV USA’s breeding program manager, “The hoof health breeding value is based on actual hoof health and disease data collected by trained hoof trimmers on farms. Disease incidence and lesions are evaluated and recorded, and then combined into an overall breeding value for producers to access.” As CRV supplies the information in the U.S., the Netherlands and Sweden have also implemented indexes to help with sire selection.

A breeding value set forth for claw health was first recorded by Swedish hoof trimmers in 2006. Studies originally set out to determine if breeding for type traits (foot angle or strength), and later proved that type traits would simply not be enough. At the time, the Swedish Agricultural University was proving the genetic relationship between feet and leg traits and hoof disorders were not linked. However, the breeding value for hoof health is determined by selection.

Noting that if a bull has more daughters with hoof issues then he will be valued lower in hoof health. As stated in the study, the heritability for hoof health is on the lower end of the spectrum, but higher than other diseases like mastitis so the projections for coming to a more dependable breeding value is high.

Another step forward Taking a more serious approach of how to manage hoof health could mean significant savings for most producers.

As lameness is one of the major culprits for culling cattle, it also renders loss in fertility and milk production. While nutrition and environmental factors play a heavy role in cow comfort and hoof health, genetics may hold the key for long-term success. l 40 to 70 percent of cows in dairy herds in the U.S. have at least one type of hoof lesion

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L E LY I N F O

Produce and harvest more milk Did you know?

• One percentage point of more feed refusals in the feed bunk costs approximately $20 per cow per year. Prevent any waste of feed from feed storage to the mouth of the cow by pushing feed 24/7.

• Shiny, clean, comfortable cows produce more milk when they run their own schedule. Stay out of the cow pen as much as possible and let them be productive.

• Feeding smaller amounts of feed multiple times per day has a positive effect on the cow’s rumen pH and increases feed efficiency. Fewer feedings per day will drop the rumen pH below 5.8, the threshold for a healthy rumen.

Contact a Lely Center today

Stay connected with Lely Lely has a new look online with the launch of a new website, lelyna.com.

Check out the new site, which is specific to North America for indepth information on Lely products as well as testimonial videos from customers.

“As Lely North America continues to enter new markets and experience rapid growth in the United States and Canada, we want to deliver information dairy producers need when making important decisions for their operations,” says Peter Langebeeke, President of Lely North America. “We present real customers who tell the story of how robotic milking systems and Lely products have made dramatic changes on their

dairies and in their lives.” The site offers a modern design that is easy to navigate and is content-rich.

Key features of www.lelyna.com include: • A guide to the Lely experience including robotic systems, free cow traffic and the Lely life • In-depth product features and customer testimonials • A complete overview of the Lely Farm Management Support and Lely Technical Service Support teams that back each individual’s operation • A Lely Center locator map so customers can contact their local representatives We invite you to learn more about Lely dairy industry innovations at lelyna.com

Joel Eberhart, Lely Vector sales specialist: “Feeding cows via robotic feeding is in its infancy in the U.S.”

Joel Eberhart

Joel Eberhart joined Lely North America earlier this year as the Lely Vector sales specialist. He works with the Lely Centers throughout the United States on providing

information and sales support to customers and prospects about the Lely Vector automatic feeding system.

“Feeding to the needs of the cow via robotic feeding is in its infancy in the United States,” Eberhart says. The Lely Vector automatic feeding system is a concept that was developed in close cooperation with Lely customers and allows for optimal results while maintaining maximum respect for your cows.

“It is very exciting to be at the forefront of introducing this technology to the U.S. dairy market. I also appreciate the fact that I am able to work with

dairy operations and be a part of their success story,” Eberhart says.

He also is enjoying working for and with Lely employees.

“I enjoy all of the Lely staff,” Eberhart says. “The knowledge level of our whole organization is incredible and I am excited to be a part of it.”

Eberhart and his wife Suzanne have been married almost 25 years and have two daughters. One daughter is a contract chemist at Koch Energy in Enid, OK and another daughter is pursuing a Human Resource Management degree at the University of South Dakota.

For more information on Lely products and services, call 1-888-245-4684.

Lely web address: www.lelyna.com, Lely email address: marketinglna@lely.com 30

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Dr. Chelsea Holschbach is a first year Large Animal Medicine Resident at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Veterinary Teaching hospital. In this article, she discusses farm management tactics that can assist in ensuring a safe milk and meat supply.

Ninety percent of meat residue violations originate from dairy

Safe medicine use T

he responsible use of medications on dairy farms has been discussed for years. Like many other facets of agriculture, the dairy industry is under increased scrutiny regarding food safety. As consumers continue their quest for more information on how and where their food is produced, it is our responsibility as veterinarians to work with producers to ensure a safe meat and milk supply.

As a point of reference, ninety percent of meat residue violations originate from dairy; 70 percent from cull cows and 20 percent from bob veal. The top five tissue violator drugs in cull cows are Desfuroylceftiofur, Penicillin, Sulfadimethoxine, Flunixin, and Ampicillin. In bob veal, the top violators include Neomycin, Sulfas, Desfuroylceftiofur, and Enrofloxacin.

While judicious use of antibiotics is a key component to eliminating residues, the following farm management practices can aid producers in ensuring the best quality product.

One of the first steps is developing a valid veterinary-client patient relationship (VCPR) with your veterinarian. This means designating one veterinarian who has the overall responsibility for treatment protocols, drug intervention, prescriptions, personnel training, oversight and drug use on the operation. A valid VCPR provides producers the flexibility to use drugs without a veterinarian present for every treatment. By law, prescription drugs and extra-label drug use require a VCPR.

A common reason for residue violations is the lack of adequate on-farm treatment records. Often times, the people administering treatments are not the same as those making the culling decisions and determining which cows contribute to salable milk. Individual animal identification is critical for accurate record keeping. Easy to read and permanent identification is often overlooked. Whether your records are hand written or kept electronically, having documentation that is easily accessible to those making culling decisions will decrease chances of marketing an animal that has a residue.

Using medications extralabel without adjusting withdrawal times is another common reason for residue violations.

Common extralabel conditions include treatment for mastitis, metritis, and pneumonia. For example, using medications at an increased dosage than labeled or via a different route constitutes extralabel use. Your veterinarian should discuss extending withdrawal times when prescribing use of a drug extralabel. A great resource for determining what these extended withdrawal times may be is FARAD, the Food Animal Residue Avoidance Database. A complete list of prohibited and restricted drugs for use in food animals can also be found on the website.

While these recommendations only scratch the surface of ways to ensure residue free meat and milk, I’m hopeful that as an industry we continue to take strides forward in providing the safest and most abundant food supply in the world!

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Unique herd reports, strong feeding stories, breeding featu

Six years of Cow M The first edition of CowMangement hit mailboxes in the United States October 2009 with a selection of high quality features about calf rearing, genomic selection and dry cow management. CowManagement started as a promising new magazine for the modern American dairy farmer and we’ve produced many informational articles with great pictures in stylish layouts to satisfy that market. Here are a few features we believe are worth showing again as the publication comes to an end. Thank you for reading!

by Jaap van der Knaap

In 2010, CowManagement described the consequences of the popularity of sexed semen in an easy to read and well designed feature.

The story gave a nice overview of the benefits, and advice

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about how sexed semen is best used. Although the usage of sexed semen has slowed down to twenty percent of all reported inseminations in heifers, its use will continue to influence the dairy business.

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eding features and health topics in six years of CowManagement

w Management Derek Orth, Lancaster, WI: “It is important to thoroughly examine what the cow looks like, health status and herd records, before beginning to buy animals” CM U.S. October 2009

Darin Meyer, New Albin, IA: “Breeding is statistics. I use the size of our operation in my breeding program” CM U.S. December 2010

We felt it was good to highlight the dairy industry abroad.

Therefore, we routinely published features and herd reports from outside the U.S. An impressive example was the story about Rhys Williams.

Williams, in Great Britain, owns a grazing based, low-input

dairy operation. To further reduce costs, he started milking cows near the end of their lactation once a day in his 1,000-cow herd. Once a day milking resulted in 10 to 12 percent lower milk production, but saved more than that in labor costs.

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There was a “herd report” in every issue of Cow Management. Herd report features were among the best read articles in the magazine.

For example, the Reuter Dairy of Peosta, Iowa, explained

how over an eight year span they averaged a somatic cell count of 76,000. Strict protocols for mastitis, sand bedding, and a low protein ration contributed to the notable performance of the 850-head family farm.

Several questions came in after we published an article about A2 milk in April 2013. A2 milk is a niche marketing effort in the United Kingdom that’s bringing more people back to drinking fluid milk. In a three page feature, we ex-

plained what A2 milk is and its potential in the United States. In order to produce A2 milk, you need to use sires with the A2 gene. More and more A.I. organizations have now added this information to their sire catalogs.

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Don Bennink, Bell, FL “You need the best people to make it all work” CM U.S. September 2013

Brian Fiscalini, Modesto, Ca “We don’t need to be the largest, but rather the best” CM U.S. Spring 2015

Features about new technology such as robotic milking were published frequently. More and more, robotic milking dairy cows is accepted in the industry and therefore it is good to be aware of the latest developments.

A veterinary column was published in every issue since the beginning of CowManagement. Diseases and management practices were discussed and professional veterinarians provided solutions by sharing their on-farm experiences.

In 2014, we asked three larger dairy producers with three different robot brands about their experiences since they starting robotic milking. Learning from your colleagues in a round table discussion helps further success.

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H E A LT H

A lame cow will not meet her milk production genetic potential

Provide a healthy hoof environment How do you put a value on lameness from an animal welfare

foster outstanding animal care, consider what you can do

the top when it comes to addressing hoof health/lameness. Cows need adequate lying time – at least 12 hours a day. Likewise, restrict out-of-pen time to less than 3 hours daily.

to minimize dairy cattle lameness.

Offer a comfortable bed

(consumer) perspective? To reduce financial losses and

by JoDee Sattler

L

ameness is costly – to a dairy operation’s bottom line and to the dairy industry’s animal welfare image.

Research done by Charles Guard, Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine associate professor, valued lameness at $346 per lame cow, with losses attributed to culling, milk production, days open, treatment and death.

How do you put a value on lameness from an animal welfare (consumer) perspective? Large food purveyors listen to their customers and those customers demand that animals be raised free from cruelty, abuse and neglect. Lame cattle videos could go viral just as easily as animal abuse videos. To reduce financial losses and foster outstanding animal care, consider what you can do to minimize dairy cattle lameness.

Like most ailments, prevention trumps treatment. To prevent lameness, evaluate external factors that influence

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hoof health. “Almost all lameness in cattle occurs in the feet,” says Ernest Hovingh, DVM, Penn State University Extension veterinarian.

“Most often, it happens in the outside claw of their hind feet.”

Like fat in milk, cow comfort rises to

How do you encourage sufficient lying time? Provide stalls that allow cows to enter and recline easily, rest comfortably, and rise and exit easily. Hovingh recommends a benchmark – at least 80% of cows in stalls should be lying down.

While it’s tempting to overstock cattle to spread out fixed costs, overstocking impairs cow comfort. Think of a cow’s frustration (and potential milk production and hoof health impairment)

When trimming hooves, one goal is even weight distribution

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if she wants to lie down and “there’s no room at the inn.” Overstocking reduces resting time and reduces available feedbunk space. “I strongly suggest less than 100 percent stocking density for dry and transition cows.”

Provide a clean, dry and comfortable resting surface. Hovingh cites research from M. Drissler, et al. (Journal of Dairy Science, 2005) that reported cows spending 2.3 fewer hours per day lying in freestalls when the sand level was 5.4 inches below the curb versus being full of sand. “On average, cows spent 25 fewer minutes lying in freestalls for every inch below curb level.”

Just like stall surfaces, clean, dry and comfortable walking surfaces help prevent lameness. Also, floor surfaces cannot be slippery – even when wet.

Hovingh says groves in flooring improve traction. Between grooves, the surface should be flat. Typical grooving is 0.75 inch wide by 0.5 inch deep, on 3.25-inch centers. He says the diamond groove is “superior” to the parallel groove.

“Imprinting is not as good as grooving.”

Some dairy producers have installed rubber flooring to provide relief from concrete. Because rubber flooring gets slippery when wet, it’s important to keep it clean and dry. “Manure eats away at cows’ claws (hooves).” Some agricultural engineers feel that if stalls and alleys are maintained correctly, then rubber mats are not needed in alleys.

If cows have thin soles due to excessive walking, you may want to consider installing rubber mats in transfer lanes

or returns from the milking parlor. Also, you may want to consider areas where cows stand a lot, such as the holding and feeding areas.

To prevent slips and falls, and potentially lameness, handle cows in a calm and slow manner. Low-stress cattle handling techniques include speaking softly (or not at all) and moving slowly.

Trail cattle by at least 2 yards or walk at their side, so you’re within their vision range. Give them time to move at their pace; don’t rush them. Walking at the cow’s pace will most likely take less time than treating lameness.

Footbaths provide another proactive practice to prevent lameness. For footbaths to be effective, cows should have clean hooves when walking through a clean footbath. The “best” footbath solution (and frequency) varies from one dairy to another. Footbaths aren’t just for lactating cows. Dry cows and close-up cows should also walk through clean footbath solution on a regular basis.

When weather conditions exceed a cow’s thermo-neutral zone, provide heat stress relief tools, such as shades, fans and/or water (for example, misters, sprinklers and/or evaporative pads). This is important because cows stand more when the weather is hot, which puts more stress on hoof health. In addition, make sure cattle have access to clean and plentiful drinking water.

When it comes to hoof trimming, the goal is to optimize weight distribution.

Soles should be flat – front-to-back and side-to-side. Hovingh says that increasing the weight-bearing surface area yields decreased pressure.

Maintain clean footbaths

Provide clean and comfortable bedding

Prevent slipping and falling

Excessive pressure on the corium reduces blood flow to the corium. Thus, Hovingh recommends reducing pressure on the corium through proper hoof trimming. In simple terms, shorten the toe (to 3 inches for an average Holstein cow), flatten the sole (maintain adequate thickness – not less than 0.25 inch) and maintain the digital cushion. Maintain a heel depth of 1.5 inches. Oftentimes, heel trimming is not necessary; they just need to be leveled. Leveling the heel will prevent sole ulcers. These practices will help decrease weight bearing in high risk zones. Be careful not to over trim. “Some cows need almost no trimming of the sole or toes,” says Hovingh. “Too much trimming can be a disaster!”

Trim hoofs before calving When should trimming be done? For heifers and cows, trim their hooves three to 10 weeks prior to calving. Do not trim hooves two weeks pre-partum to 40 days post-calving, unless there’s a hoof health issue. During lactation, ask your hoof trimmer to assess cattle once or twice.

Typically, first-calf heifers’ hooves can be trimmed at about 125 days in milk (DIM); multiparous cows’ hooves can be trimmed at 80 to 125 DIM. Assess/trim hooves again approximately 120 days later. For cows with hoof health challenges, assess their hooves every nine to 12 weeks, and trim appropriately, if trimming is needed. Cows should not routinely become lame three to seven days after trimming. To help ensure effective, safe and efficient hoof trimming, use a good chute/table and the appropriately maintained tools. l Cows need adequate time to rest

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C O N TA C T S

SHOWS AND EVENTS

Waiting for the parlor at Delta View Farms, Visalia, Ca. Picture: Mark Pasveer

2016 January 18-19: February 9-11: February 17-19: February 23: February 25-27: April 7-9: April 18-20: May 1-4: June 15-16: June 20-24: June 27-July 1: June 29-July 2: July 7-9: July 19-23: October 4-8:

Pacific Northwest Animal Nutrition Conference, Boise, Idaho World Ag Expo, Tulare, CA 2016 Midwest Regional Dairy Challenge, Platteville, WI Vermont Dairy Producers Conference Western Regional Dairy Challenge, Tulare, CA North American Intercollegiate Dairy Challenge & Academy, Syracuse, NY Tri-State Dairy Nutrition Conference, Grand Wayne Center, Fort Wayne, IN Large Dairy Herd Management (LDHM), Oak Brook, IL 4-State Dairy Nutrition and Management Conference, Dubuque, IA 13th International Colloquium on Paratuberculosis, Nantes, France National Holstein Convention, Saratoga, NY Annual Meetings of the American Jersey Cattle Association and National All-Jersey Inc., San Diego, CA National Red & White Convention, Westminster, MD ADSA- ASAS Joint Annual Meeting (JAM), Salt Lake City, UT World Dairy Expo, Madison, WI

C O N TA C T S Cow Management is published four times per year by CRV Publishing

Editorial team Chief editor Jaap van der Knaap Contributing writers Jesse Bussard, Andrea Haines, Alfred Kamps, Amy Ryan, JoDee Sattler, Editing, design and production CRV Publishing

Chief editor’s address P.O. Box 454, 6800 AL Arnhem The Netherlands Phone 0031 26 38 98 829 Fax 0031 26 38 98 839 E-mail veeteelt@crv4all.com

Subscriptions Cow Management is available free of charge to customers of CRV, 2324 American Lane, Madison, WI 53704.

If you want to ask for a subscription or to cancel a subscription send an e-mail to info@crv4all.us

Advertisements CRV publishing/CowManagement. e-mail: advertenties@crv4all.com

Illustrations/pictures Photographs by CRV Publishing Photography, Mark Pasveer (5- 8, 20, 21, 25, 26, 30)

Disclaimer CowManagement does not necessarily share the views expressed by contributors. No responsibility is accepted for the claims made by advertisers. No responsibility can be accepted

by CRV Holding BV for the opinions expressed by contributors. Whilst every effort is made to obtain reliable and accurate information, liability cannot be accepted for errors. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system without the express prior written consent of the publisher.

Printer Schumann Printers Inc.

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How to identify the best bulls for breeding a healthier herd?

Raising a problem-free, easy to manage herd requires an investment of time and hard work. CRV can help. With Better Life Health you can select the best bulls for a healthier herd. Simply use the special breeding figure and you can benefit from the peace of mind that comes with a problem-free herd and a higher than average yield.

Management of the herd is easier, cows are healthier, fitter and live longer. If you’d like to know more about developing a herd that performs better, please visit our website.

Better Life Health now includes the breeding value Ketosis!

Read more about this on crv4all.us

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