Cow Signals - Sesonal grazing - USA edition

d a ir y f ar m e r i s ho w to i nterpret these signals and use them.'

Dutch vet and cow enthusiast Jan Hulsen has drawn on his expertise and wide experience to write Cow Signals- Seasonal grazing: a richly illustrated farmer’s guide on how to interpret the behavior, posture and physical characteristics of groups of cows and individual animals.

SIGNALS

Seasonal grazing A practical guide for dairy farm management

When observing cows it is important not to jump to conclusions immediately, but always to ask yourself three questions: What do I see? Why has this happened? What does this mean?

What signals can you get from rumen, gut and body condition? They give you specific information on the feed intake of respectively today, last week and last month.

In seasonal grazing systems cows utilize grass in a simple and low cost way. But this also requires special management. You have to focus on other issues than in farming systems where the cows are housed at least part of the day. Fertility management, feed availability, water supply and cow monitoring are very different. But also herding requires specific skill and special attention has to be given to cow tracks.

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SIGNALS

Seasonal grazing

A practical guide for dairy farm management

If you know what to look for, you can pick up the signals everywhere and any time.

Cow Signals- Seasonal grazing will show you how.

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Cow

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w e ll- be i ng , nutr i ti o n, and production. The challenge for th e

Cow

Cow SIGNALS Seasonal grazing

'Co w s s e nd o ut s i g na l s continuously about their health,

Jan Hulsen

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978-90-8740-102-3

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Cow Signals - Seasonal grazing Author Jan Hulsen, Vetvice® Group Translators Klaas-Jan and Gerda Buist Randy T. Dingwell, Ontario Veterinary College Jack Rodenburg, OMAFRA

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Photography Cover: Marcel Bekken All other pictures: Jan Hulsen (unless stated otherwise)

Special thanks to Neil Anderson, Sarah Baillie, Nick Bell, Mette Bouwman, Neil Chesterton, Gerrit Hooijer, Paul Hulsen, Martin Kavanagh, Aart de Kruif, Dick de Lange, Jos Noordhuizen, OMAFRA, Kees Peeters, QMPS, Nick Reynolds, Jack Rodenburg, Thomas Schonewille, Bill Tranter, Joe, Narelle and Terry Tranter, and numerous dairy farmers, veterinarians, farm advisors, and agricultural extensionists in many countries of the world.

Illustrations Marleen Felius, Trudy Michiels, Herman Roozen and Dick Rietveld Design and layout Erik de Bruin and Dick Rietveld, Varwig Design

With contributions from • Dirk Zaaijer (Future Fertility Systems, NL) • Joost de Veer (InterAct, NL) • Menno Holzhauer (GD, NL) • Otlis Sampimon (GD, NL) • Joep Driessen (Vetvice, NL) • Nico Vreeburg (Vetvice, NL) • Bertjan Westerlaan (Vetvice, NL) • Jan Rietjens (PTC+, NL) • Andrea Murphy B.Sc. (Agr) M.Sc. NZARN (Dairy Nutritionist, Maple Grove Consulting Ltd.)

© Jan Hulsen, 2015

Cow Signals Seasonal grazing is part of the successful Cow Signals series. ®

ISBN: 978-90-8740-215-0

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without prior permission in writing from the author.

The author and publisher have compiled this publication with great care and to the best of their knowledge. They cannot be held liable for any damage, whatever its nature, resulting from actions and/or decisions based on the content of this book. The author can be contacted for details on the references mentioned in the text.

For books and custom editions:

Roodbont Publishers B.V. P.O. Box 4103 7200 BC Zutphen The Netherlands T + 31 (0)575 54 56 88 E info@roodbont.com I www.roodbont.com For farming and shed construction advice:

Vetvice® Group Moerstraatsebaan 115 4614 PC Bergen op Zoom The Netherlands T + 31 (0)165 30 43 05 E info@vetvice.com I www.vetvice.com For training and education:

CowSignals® Training Center Hoekgraaf 17A 6617 AX Bergharen The Netherlands T + 31 (0)6 54 26 73 53 E info@cowsignals.com I www.cowsignals.com

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Contents

Introduction

4

2 On pasture

Cow tracks and holding pens Herding, not scaring Stress-free herding in six steps

22 Health, standard values and risks 22 The ultimate grazer 23 Permanent pasture and suckler cows 24 A cow’s senses 25 Group behavior 26 Lying down and getting up 28 29 Heat (estrus) Attention to cow comfort 30 Hooves on pasture 31 Locomotion score 32

3 Seasonal grazing 34 Risk periods are critical Quick scan of feed intake Youngstock - the future success of your herd Heifers and fresh cows Water

36 37 39 40 41

42 44 45

4 Confined housing 46 Use a critical eye Differences between animals Space and social order Risk locations Light and climate Floors Hoof score Other causes of lameness Hoof problems: the consequences The need to lie down Stalls Looking and understanding Bedded packs Cleanliness score

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1 Observing purposefully 6 From large to small 8 Evaluating cow signals 9 Look and compare 10 Risk groups 12 Indicator animals 12 Risky locations 14 Times of risk 15 Intentional movements 16 Unclassified notable observations 17 Anatomy of a cow 18 Risk management 20 Criteria for success 21

47 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 55 59 60 61

5 While eating and

digesting Rumen score: intake and digestion Manure Manure score A Manure score B Ration preparation Dry matter intake Location of the feed barrier Water Body condition score Body condition score chart What does the condition score tell us?

Risk groups

62 64 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76

6 The milking parlor 78 Learning to see more Behavior entering the parlor Behavior leaving the parlor Peace and quiet during milking Behavior during milking Cleanliness and hygiene Hocks Hooves Evaluating milk Teat health Teat score Rumen fill

7 Robotic milking 90 Success factors for robotic milking Cow traffic Hoof health Active cows are keen to eat Know yourself Health: how do you assess this?

Disease and discomfort: how do you assess this?

90 92 92 94 95 96 97

8 Heifers and dry cows 98 Universal or farm specific Growth and development The first days of life Changes Cows learning Raising young stock Dry period Around calving

98 99 100 101 102 103 104 107

Health and Welfare Checklist 108 Sickness and Distress Checklist 109 Index

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79 80 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89

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The modern dairy farmer is hard working and needs to know a tremendous amount of information. These days, there is an increasing volume of information: about cattle husbandry, housing and farm business management. There is so much to know that sometimes it is difficult to see the forest for the trees! With the expansion of farming enterprises, workloads, and the need for detailed knowledge, dairy farmers and their advisors could find themselves in the situation where they are losing sight of the cows.

Remember, dairy farming is about the cows.

A cow gives out signals about her well-being and health. She does this through behavior, posture, and physical traits. You can make use of these cow signals to optimize your farm’s profitability. The first step involves

careful observation, followed by searching for causes, and then translating what you learn into practical solutions. You should be asking yourself certain questions over and over again: l What do I see? l How did this happen? l What does this mean?

Learning to observe purposefully This practical guide was compiled for and with dairy farmers along with veterinarians to provide farmers with additional tools for observing and using cow signals. Our goal is to prevent diseases, improve cow comfort and optimize production. “How can I tell a couple of days before a cow becomes sick that something is already wrong?” a dairy farmer asked me recently. “That way, I would be able to save on vet bills, prevent production

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Introduction

losses, and improve the production of the cow.” This question actually touches on the issues that are fundamental to Cow Signals. The challenge is to pick up as many signs as possible before real problems occur, to evaluate risks before they claim victims, and to notice symptoms before the disease fully shows itself.

Another reason to look more purposefully at cow signals is the danger of ‘farm blindness’: thinking that what you see every day on your farm is normal. This is a potential danger for everyone and means that there is a risk that you fail to notice what is happening around you. Making a point of including specific observation times in your daily routine, discussing matters critically with colleagues and advisors, and visiting other farms, all help to reduce this risk.

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Introduction

points (sometimes literally). In the barn you will look at conformation, on pasture you can evaluate locomotion, and in the parlor you can see all four legs in detail from the front, side, and rear. When foot trimming, the sole provides additional information.

The format of Cow Signals will encourage you to ‘graze’ through the book more than once. As a result, every time you pick up the book you will find something new and interesting. ­The text can be searched easily using the index at the back.

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A book on observing Cow Signals is not a textbook. It’s about observing and evaluating. Therefore, there are more than 250 pictures and illustrations that clearly show the observations that can be made about cows. Looking at the examples and working through the picture puzzles will help you to start looking at your own cows from a new perspective.

Ultimately, you will look at the barn and your management through the eyes of the cows.

When writing this book, we made a conscious decision not to approach the subject by focusing on individual aspects of farm enterprises, disciplines, or the anatomy of the cow. So, you won’t find chapters about milk production, housing or lameness. The book focuses on both the place where you make the observations and the reason why you are looking. Lameness, for example, will be mentioned in various places, but from different view-

Wishing you pleasant reading and viewing.

Jan Hulsen, author, veterinarian, and cow lover

‘Not knowin g so m e t h in g ca n h a p p e n t o a n y o n e .

But not se e in g so m e t h in g , t h a t is st u p id ’ A farmer

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CHAPTER 1

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Observing purposefully

Aim to observe and note everything that you can about a cow, a calf, a bull, or a group of cattle.

Try to pick up the signals that cows are giving out all the time; that is the challenge of cow-

focused management. Then use the information you gather to improve and maintain the health, welfare, and productivity of your herd – that will pay!

In order to understand why a cow behaves in a particular way, you should consider literally getting under her skin. However, as this is not possible, you have to make sure that you notice all of the signals given out by the cow. Cow signals provide important information for farm management.

Observing and looking are not the same. You can look at something without really noticing anything.

Observing purposefully provides information that can directly improve management.

Set aside time each day to carefully observe your animals.

Observing purposefully can be done in two ways: 1. Focused observation You are looking for things to evaluate.

Is everything as it should be or are there situations present that might pose a potential risk?

2. Open-minded observation Forget about any excuses and preconceived ideas you might have, and look around as if you were viewing the situation for the very first time.

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When making your observations, always ask the following questions:

should always be a matter for discussion. In practice, the measurements that we choose depend on our own situation. You only need to select the

most relevant ones and those that can be changed. Clearly, the measurements chosen will vary depending on the particular situation.

1. What do I see?

A calf sucking another calf.

What do I see?

Describe the situation objectively.

2. How does this happen?

The calf has a need to suck and satisfies this desire, nearly always choosing the same calf.

When evaluating “Is this normal or do I need to take action?�, you compare the observation with a standard. In this book, we present these standards as cow signals, since they provide measurable parameters for our goal: a comfortable, healthy, and productive cow.

In our daily lives, many standards are expressed as measurable units, such as inches (for the size of stalls) and pounds (of bedding, dry matter intake).

These are derived standards because they provide information about the means and not the goal. Four inches (10 cm) of sawdust bedding, for example, is a means of ensuring comfort when the cow lies down. But the same goal can be achieved with a rubber mat or sand. For this reason, the standards

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How did this happen?

Try to identify the cause.

What does this mean? a. Is this a signal from a single animal or are more animals involved (group signal)? b. Is this acceptable or do I need to take action?

Observing purposefully

Asking questions

3. What does this mean?

The teats of the calf being sucked can become injured and therefore susceptible to infections or growths.

The solution: Separate the calf doing the sucking because it will just find another calf to suck.

1. What do I see?

All of these pregnant heifers have injured hocks.

2. How does this happen?

The animals were injured while lying on a hard, rough surface. This problem is more severe if the stalls are too small.

3. What does this mean?

The heifers will experience pain and may develop infections and prefer not to lie down.

The solution: Increase the size of the stalls and provide a soft base.

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Observe from large to small. First you evaluate the entire herd, then groups within the herd, and finally the individual animal. Repeat from large to small again. Every animal and every group of animals provide their own information.

From large to small Observing should be done from large to small, from many to few, and from far to near. But remember, things that catch your eye can only be evaluated well if kept in context. So you also observe from small to large. Most people have a tendency to move closer when they see something interesting even though it is often better to take a few steps back.

These heifers prefer the outside row of stalls to the two rows in the middle. In this situation, critically evaluate the comfort level and climate.

Observations begin with the largest group of animals, followed by a smal足 ler group within that group, and end up with an individual animal. While making your observations, you need to focus but also keep an open mind.

Ask yourself questions such as: Is the herd uniform? If not, what are the differences between animals? Are there coat changes? Variations in size? Cleanliness?

Body condition? Abdominal fill? Or something else? Which animals are affected? Are they part of a group that is at risk? How are the animals distributed throughout the building? Do they prefer a particular area because, for example, the stalls are more comfortable or because the environment is better? How many cows are in the alleyways? How many are in the stalls? What percentage of the cows are lying down? Does this reach the minimum target of 85%?

For these types of observations, checklists can be very useful.

Evaluating the herd Distribution in the space provided Use of alleyways and stalls Movements, congestion, and conflicts Uniformity

Evaluating the animal Alertness Coat Growth Cleanliness Condition Rumen and abdominal fill Skin injuries Swelling and pain

Behavior Posture and locomotion Production Has something changed? Is there anything else?

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Why is this cow doing what she is doing?

There are generally three reasons why a cow behaves like she does: 1. The behavior satisfies a need.

The cow wants something.

Examples: eating, lying down, being nosey.

2. The behavior is a reaction to a stimulus in the environment. For example, she tries to avoid something painful. Think about when the cow moves away from people or dominant cows, or when she jumps after touching an electric fence.

3. The behavior is due to a physical urge caused by disease, pain, hormones, or calving.

The question “Why is this cow doing what she is doing” therefore provides us with some valuable information.

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Genuine cow signals repeat themselves If cow signals are really genuine they will be repeated. When a cow kicks off a cluster a single time, it doesn’t necessarily mean anything. However, if the same cow does this repeatedly, then she doesn’t like being milked.

Why not? If several cows are kicking off clusters then there may be a common cause: over-milking, the vacuum level is too high, teat injuries, or severe fly irritation. So you should ask yourself: does this happen frequently, at other times, with other cows, on other farms?

Observing purposefully

Evaluating cow signals In order to evaluate cow signals well, they should be kept in context. This means that you need to think about the relationship between the circumstances, the cow, and the cow signal.

Clear identification of the ‘at risk’ animal or animals means that you can locate them quickly during a herd check.

For this reason, some farmers identify fresh cows with a halter, or using a marker on the tail-head or forehead.

The calves want to lie on the slats but cannot because of the gate, but why would they want to do this? Does it have to do with social order, stall comfort or climate, air quality, or overcrowding?

Many farmers don’t like to see manure in the stalls. However, ten percent of the stalls should have some manure in them, because if the smaller heifers do not pass manure in the stalls, then the stalls will be too small for larger cows.

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Look and compare If you don’t know whether something is normal or not, compare the animal in question with another. First, do this on your own farm and then have a look elsewhere. A comparison with completely different situations can provide really useful information.

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Do cows prefer to stand with their front feet higher than their back feet?

This is often said although on a hill you rarely see this behavior. Cows can be seen grazing uphill as well as downhill. However, when lying down they often prefer to have the front end somewhat higher.

Sufficient lighting and a good view of the whole barn are necessary in order to observe all of the animals.

Here the central structure limits the view.

Be prepared In the barn, make use of your eyes, nose and hands. ‘Paper’ information plays a supporting role too in the form of action lists, milk production data, as well as fertility and disease charts. Notes from previous inspections together with today’s action lists are helpful when making observations. In this way, observing begins in the office.

Work systematically Cow focused management depends on a routine and a structured approach to observation. Use check lists when doing rounds. Work with a daily and weekly schedule in order to make effective and efficient use of time.

These observations are additional to those made at other times, such as milking and feeding.

Ensure that every group of animals receives attention: l Evaluate the dry cows, springing heifers, and milking cows three times a day. l Look at the young stock and breeding heifers twice a day.

Invest in routines Routines and handy tips play an important role in the quality of daily checks. Don’t forget to walk among the heifers and dry cows. Walking through the stalls is preferable to just going down the feed alley. Walkthrough spaces in the feed barrier can provide easier access to animals. A well placed trimming chute ensures that you can look at a lame cow whenever necessary. These are all examples of simple things that can help provide you with a lot of information.

Sufficient lighting everywhere in the barn means a lot more light than you need to read a newspaper.

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Observing purposefully

It is important to make the connection between cause and effect. We see the effect (lump on the back) and look for the cause (stall). By the way, the cow in the picture on the left has not eaten enough and appears to favor her left hind leg.

Reminders are valuable Nobody can remember everything accurately. Therefore, write things down, work with a notepad, chalk board, or computer. With data from previous observations on hand, new observations can be kept in context.

On farms with more than one employee, exchanging information helps ensure everyone is up to date. In addition, writing things down forces you to describe clearly what you see, and this will help you make even more purposeful observations.

Arrange that notes can easily be made, the information cannot be overlooked, and is readily available where it can be seen and where it is needed.

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Poor stall design causes swollen hocks and skin injuries on large and heavy cows and cows that have difficulty walking.

Waiting cows tell you there is something that stops them from doing what they want to do: eating, drinking, lying down, ruminating or being milked.

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Waiting cows

Pregnant heifers are susceptible to mineral deficiencies because their ration is often not supplemented with concentrates. This manifests as reduced resistance to infections at calving (mastitis), retained placenta, and birth of weak calves, etc.

Risk groups Certain groups of animals are at greater risk than others. Animals in risk groups are the first to send out the signals that something is going wrong. If you see something abnormal in an animal from a risk group, a flag should go up; others are likely to develop similar symptoms. This is a group signal.

Every risk has its own associated risk groups, and every group has its own associated risks. High yielding cows, for example, will be the first ones to show that there is a problem with the ration. Risks are always present.

It is a challenge to identify them early, respond quickly, and limit them, so that they do not cause too much damage.

Indicator animals When certain risks first become appa足 rent in certain groups of animals, then you can use these groups to monitor for these risks. The cows in the risk group therefore function as indicator animals. For example: if you have concerns about the availability of forage because access is limited, then you monitor the animals that will have a problem first: recently fresh heifers.

If their production and food intake is disappointing, then this is an indication that more forage needs to be provided.

High yielding cows are vulnerable.

They often function as signal animals in the herd. 29 liters equals app. 64 pounds.足足足

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Observing purposefully

Risk groups, risks, and cow signals Some – randomly selected – examples of risk groups, risks and cow signals used to monitor them

Risk group

Risk

Cow signal

Fresh Cows Metritis • Slow Mastitis • Fever (> 39 ºC / > 102.5 ºF)

• Swelling, discharge • • • •

Slow, depressed appetite Cold ears Weak muscles, unable to stand up No fever

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Milk fever

Insufficient energy intake

• Slow • Poor rumen fill (score < 2) • Smell of acetone on breath & in milk • Ketotest® positive (in milk) • Milk fat: protein inversion (fat % equal or less than protein %)

Cows in heat Insufficient feed intake

• Insufficient rumen fill • Reduced feeding time

This cow has milk fever. This signal may indicate that all dry cows are at an increased risk – the transition cow management needs to be evaluated critically.

Injuries • Activity of a cow in heat

• Restlessness, evasive actions

Calves that do Scours not receive colostrum

• Dull, depressed • Diarrhea, dehydrated • Cannot stand, refuse to drink

Tall cows are the first ones to indicate that the top rail of the feed barrier is too low. Check the neck of tall cows when in doubt about the correct height of the top rail.

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Examples of risk locations A long path, for instance to the pasture. Heavy wear of the hooves and possible injury from small stones.

Cold, wet bedding for calves. Calves are very susceptible to drafts and damp.

Pasture. At pasture, cows are very susceptible to the weather. Sun, wind, and rain can lead to reduced food and water intake.

A pointed iron bar in a passage.

The cow will hesitate to pass by.

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Risky locations In addition to risk animals, there are also risk locations that can be identified on the farm. These are places where animals could be injured or be at risk for dangers in their environment. Risk locations require regular monitoring and assessment. Imple足 ment improvements if the risk of injury is high.

The unfenced ditch, or any areas where stagnant water pools, represents several risks for cattle. Liver flukes, Prototheca causing mastitis, and Leptospirosis are all of increased concern. Most leptospiral infections are subclinical and result in abortion.

The modification shown here reduces the risk of cold air and drafts over the calves.

The board on the wall can be folded down during cold periods. This provides a more comfortable environment.

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Observing purposefully

Example of times of risk It is essential to be prepared for and to monitor these risk periods. What might happen? Often preventive measures can be taken to ensure animals get through these periods without problems. Responding rapidly to problems can prevent serious consequences. Plan ahead and then you will be able to assess whether everything is as it should be and detect problems promptly.

Drying off New cows in the herd Calving & just fresh Dietary changes Weather changes Busy or absent farmer Moving cattle Heat stress Standing for more than an hour Restlessness

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Times of risk Times of risk are identified as periods in which there is an increased risk of disease, ailments or discomfort.

This can be related to season, age, stage of lactation and certain activities (mo­ving cattle, mixing groups).

Make more frequent checks during these times. In many cases, stress and change play an important role. Stress causes a decrease in feed intake and weakening of the immune system.

Cows in heat create risks, for themselves and other cows. On concrete, cows can slip and fall and risk breaking a bone, stepping on teats, and other injuries.

Separating a cow that is in heat can prevent some of these risks.

Young calves experience lots of changes. Consider: weaning, changing pens, and combining groups. Monitoring growth and development, as well as comfort, are important in order to make the best management decisions.

Judging by the hairy appearance of this heifer, it is autumn.

Is there still enough palatable grass? The abdominal fill of this animal indicates she hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t eaten enough.

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Intentional movements A cow intends to do something, she makes an attempt to do it, and then she stops. Why didn’t this cow follow through with her intention? What circumstances or stimulus made her change her mind? When you have learned to recognize intentional movements, waiting cows, and thus learn to identify things that inhibit the normal behavior of the cow, then you have acquired valuable information about under­lying relations in a herd, housing, or the health of a cow.

Why aren’t these cows doing what they want to? The cow on the left can’t stand up properly because the neck rail is obstructing her. Perhaps the floor is also too slippery.

The high step is an obstacle for the cow in the straw yard.

Picture puzzle What is this cow telling us?

Apprehensive eyes and ears suggest nervousness. She seems to be walking cautiously.

Possible causes are slippery slats, lameness, bullying in the herd, or maybe deficiencies (e.g. magnesium) or poisoning (e.g. lead).

The one cow looks for food, the other one looks straight ahead and is dribbling saliva.

It appears that these animals would like more to eat but the leftovers are not very appetizing.

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Also with UNOs, you should remember to go through the three steps used to evaluate cow signals: 1. Describe exactly what you see.

2. Ask yourself what the cause is or ask someone else.

3. Determine what influence the signal has on cow comfort, health and production, and decide whether or not to take action.

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course not every UNO will give cause for concern. However, after recogni­ zing a potentially harmful UNO, you will be looking for an explanation.

Why is this happening? You try to find the reason yourself. If you fail, then ask advisors, other farmers, or search the internet. The quest for an expla­ nation will hopefully end with the exclamation “Oh, that’s why!”

Observing purposefully

Unclassified notable observations Any observations for which there is no apparent explanation represents an extremely valuable type of cow signal.

A collective term has been invented for this: unclassified notable observation (UNO; “you know”). At first glance, the findings may appear to be insignificant but on reflection and after further consideration the observations will begin to stick in your mind. Of

Example 1 1. This cow drinks dirty water as she comes in from the field.

2. She does this because she is thirsty and the water is there. Is she the only one doing this? (Some cows lick objects and drink dirty water for unknown reasons).

3. Dirty water may contain germs and toxic substances. Therefore, the behavior is undesirable. Supplying clean drinking water at easily accessible locations in the field provides a possible solution.

Example 2 1. The cow on the left has her nose near the air intake and appears to be looking outside.

2. She does this in order to breathe in fresh air and also out of curiosity.

3. A barn must have good ventilation because a milking cow produces a lot of heat, which is released when she breathes. Fresh air at the nostrils is particularly important.

An open side wall in the barn (picture on the right) ensures good ventilation and provides an outside view.

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Anatomy of a cow In order to gain a full understanding of the cow and to be able to talk about her, some knowledge of the anatomy is important. Where is the knee for example? Which part of the leg are we talking about? Where are the lumbar vertebrae, the paralumbar (rumen) fossa, dewlap, tail hollow, and suspensory ligaments? As well as knowing the anatomy, it is also important to know what certain terms refer to – the

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1 forehead 2 cheek 3 bridge of nose 4 muzzle 5 chin 6 neck 7 throat 8 breast 9 dewlap 10 withers 11 shoulder blade 12 point of shoulder 13 elbow 14 knee 15 front shin 16 fetlock 17 coronary band 18 hoof/claws 19 back 20 loin 21 lumbar vertebrae 22 paralumbar (rumen) fossa 23 chest wall, ribs 24 flank

height at the withers, for example.

Even farmers with years of experience can use the wrong names for certain structures. It would be a shame if this stood in the way of gaining a full understanding of cow signals. For this reason, we have included a short section on anatomy at the end of this chapter. See the pictures on this page and the next.

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25 brisket 26 milk vein 27 navel (umbilicus) 28 flank 29 inguinal fold 30 fore udder 31 rump 32 tail head 33 vulva 34 hook bone 35 rump plate 36 pin bone 37 tail head ligaments 38 hip joint 39 thigh 40 stifle 41 Achilles tendon 42 hock 43 hock joint 44 switch 45 rear shin 46 dew claw 47 pastern 48 heel 49 interdigital space

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Left

1 nose bone 2 upper jaw 3 lower jaw 4 neck (cervical) vertebrae 5 ribs 6 thoracic vertebrae 7 chest bone 8 lumbar vertebrae 9 sacrum 10 tail (coccygeal) vertebrae 11 hook bone 12 ischium (pin bone) 13 ilium 14 scapula

(shoulder blade) 15 shoulder joint

16 humerus 17 elbow joint 18 radius & ulna 19 metacarpus (shin) 20 proximal sesamoid 21 proximal phalynx 22 middle phalynx 23 distal phalynx 24 hip joint 25 femur 26 patella (knee cap) 27 stifle joint 28 tarsal or hock joint

4

hook bone anus vulva rear udder attachment median suspensory ligament

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s)

tail head tail hollow pins

Right

Observing purposefully

The skeleton

groin rear udder

hock

9

8

10

shin

11

14

1 2 3

5

15

nts

16 7

24

13

17

25

26

27

12

Viewed from behind, the cow has a pear-apple shape. On the right, the pear shape is due to the weight of the intestines or the calf. On the left, the rumen gives the apple shape.­­­­­

18 28 19

20

21 22

ce

23 19

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Risk management To a large extent, risks can be control­ led. We can distinguish between two types of risk: known and unknown.

For the known risks, a dairy farmer needs to do his/her homework. You can control known risks by using a good

management strategy. In order to mini­mize unknown risks, it is important to be alert at all times. The damage caused by these risks will depend on how effectively you respond.

Prevention and damage control Prevention How?

Examples

= reduce the likelihood of a risk occurring

-

Guaranteeing success

Excellent silage and feed management

co pr py ot rig ec h te t d

-

- Incorporate risk reducing strategy into daily routines

- Calve all cows in a clean, safe, and accessible area - Maintain a closed herd (do not purchase cows or share bulls)

- High quality housing and equipment

- A well functioning self-locking chute - An accessible, well functioning foot trimming chute with sharp hoof knives

- Go to courses and meetings and stay up to date on technical issues - Be willing to change - Check the youngstock and dry cows twice a day - Try to prevent ‘farm blindness’ developing

- Ongoing alertness and control

When the risk happens

Damage control

How

Examples

= ensuring that any damage resulting from the risk is minimized

- Identify the risk as soon as possible - Take action as soon as possible - Take action as effectively as possible

- Thorough checks - Discipline - Have the knowledge, skills and equipment available and make use of them

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A farm can develop into a first rate operation by eliminating management mistakes, controlling risks, and subsequently concentrating on fine-tuning the whole operation. The cow types listed on the right side of the chart represent those best suited to the particular type of farm management listed on the left.

co pr py ot rig ec h te t d

And farm management with: quality risk management; l optimal availability of feed, with high quality, palatable dietary components in the right proportions; l good housing and outstanding care. l high

Monitoring the criteria for success Keeping track of the criteria that measure success is the most important part of animal and herd checks. At any particular time, you must determine whether everything is as it should be (all farm activities, health status) and whether this is likely to continue (risk management).

Observing purposefully

Criteria for success Avoiding risks and working out what has gone wrong are important steps in improving any farmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s management. But even without doing this, you can continue to improve your farm. A successful farm is not determined by the absence of mistakes but by proper development of prerequisites for success.

Successful businessmen identify and focus on key factors within their ope­ ration. These factors, which will lead to success, depend on the objectives of the business. On a farm some of the goals could be: cows that produce an average of 10,000 liters of milk, consume a lot of forage, remain healthy, and become pregnant. The above statement could, in practice, apply to cows with: l good health, especially feet and legs; l high genetic potential for confor­ mation and production; l a capacity to consume lots of feed and utilize it effectively.

The farm and management are well run, taking into account all farm activities, monitoring and fine-tuning them. The success factors and risks are known and are managed with foresight

Fine tuning of the criteria for success

Attention to areas needing improvement

Attention to shortcomings

Top farms

The farm and management have room for improvement.

The success factors are known and controlled fairly well. Risks are not managed well

The farm and management contain structural faults. The success factors are poorly implemented which results in fluctuating production and undesirable incidents occur

High-yielding cow

Average cow

Hardy cow

Problem farms

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w e ll- be i ng , nutr i ti o n, and production. The challenge for th e d a ir y f ar m e r i s ho w to i nterpret these signals and use them.'

co pr py ot rig ec h te t d

Dutch vet and cow enthusiast Jan Hulsen has drawn on his expertise and wide experience to write Cow Signals- Seasonal grazing: a richly illustrated farmerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s guide on how to interpret the behavior, posture and physical characteristics of groups of cows and individual animals.

Cow

SIGNALS

Seasonal grazing

A practical guide for dairy farm management

When observing cows it is important not to jump to conclusions immediately, but always to ask yourself three questions: What do I see? Why has this happened? What does this mean?

What signals can you get from rumen, gut and body condition? They give you specific information on the feed intake of respectively today, last week and last month.

In seasonal grazing systems cows utilize grass in a simple and low cost way. But this also requires special management. You have to focus on other issues than in farming systems where the cows are housed at least part of the day. Fertility management, feed availability, water supply and cow monitoring are very different. But also herding requires specific skill and special attention has to be given to cow tracks.

CowSignals_Cover_Seasonal_USA.indd 1

www.vetvice.com

Cow

SIGNALS

Seasonal grazing

A practical guide for dairy farm management

If you know what to look for, you can pick up the signals everywhere and any time.

Cow Signals- Seasonal grazing will show you how.

www.roodbont.com

Cow SIGNALS Seasonal grazing

'Co w s s e nd o ut s i g na l s continuously about their health,

Jan Hulsen

www.cowsignals.com

978-90-8740-102-3

01-12-14 13:43