1. Dairy Cattle Production

2. Dairy Breeds
These include Friesian, Brown Swiss, Jersey, Ayrshire and Guernsey (All of temperate origin). Friesian, Brown Swiss and Jersey were all imported to Fiji for crossbreeding with indigenous cattle in order to raise the level of production.
Holstein-Friesian
It originated from Netherlands but it has spread to other parts of the world especially where
emphasis has been on milk production. The colour is black and white or red and white.
World’s highest producing dairy animal. Holstein-Friesian is a cross between the black cattle of the Batavians (Holstein) and white cows of Friesian bred to produce the most efficient milk with limited feed resources. Calf weighs 41 kg or more at birth. Holstein cow weigh 650kg and 147cm tall. Heifers are bred at 13 months and weigh 363kg. Holstein-Friesian
calves for the first time between 23 and 26 months of age. Gestation period is approximately 9 months. Average milk production is 10,443kg, 381kg butterfat and 321kg. Top producing
Holstein milked twice a day produce 30,806kg milk.

3. Characteristics of the Dairy Industry
“The Dairy Cow is a creature of Habit”
The above statement has a number of implications on the management of a dairy farm business operation:
 Dairying is an enterprise that requires patience and a willingness to work long hours.
 Dairy cows must be milked regularly seven days per week.
 The dairy shed and milking parlor must be washed daily and kept clean free of insects and rodents.
 The dairy farmer must keep records, to assist in culling decisions and in the breeding programmes. Records of breeding and calving are kept including health, pasture and business records.
 Good management is needed to get the best returns per hour of labour invested in any dairy enterprise.

4. Advantages & Dis-advantages of Dairying
Some of the advantages of the dairy enterprise are:
Dairy cattle can use feed roughages that might otherwise be wasted.
Dairying provides a steady income throughout the year.
Labour is used throughout the year.
Dairy herd death losses are usually low if good management is followed.
Some of the disadvantages of the dairy enterprise are:
A high capital investment
The labour requirement is high and the operator is confined to a regular schedule of milking.
Training and experience are needed before entering into the dairy business.
It takes a relatively long time to develop a high-producing dairy herd.
The demand for dairy products appear to be continuously increasing while the local supply of fresh milk continues to be dropping.

5. Historical Development of the Fiji dairy Industry
Brief History of Fiji’s Dairy Industry
Fiji’s dairy industry proper commenced after World War I period when Government
acquired land to settle returned servicemen in the Central Division. Milk produced then was
processed into butter. By 1930 production exceeded local demand and the surplus was
exported to the United Kingdom and Canada. With the world wide depression of the midnineteen
thirties, the industry was seriously affected wherein all surplus milk was dumped on
the local market. During this period the dairy industry suffered huge setbacks.
Nonetheless, despite the prevailing air of economic uncertainty the dairy farmers and a few
businessmen formed a co-operative and thereafter expanded its operation into producing
sterilized milk in 1959.

6. Historical Development of the Dairy Industry
Year
Developments
1920 -
First butter factory at Korovou, Tailevu
Second butter factory at Waila, Nausori. (RCDC Ltd.)
1933
- Amalgamation of Tailevu company and Rewa Co-operative (after 1930 depression).
- World wide depression and low return from milk saw another depression of RCDC and the Dairy Industry on the whole
1950
A promising period. - Removal of price control.
- Introduction of sterilized milk – ideal product for tropical climates.
1959
- Company moved to present site – Nabua
- Expansion of operation.
1978
- Installation off sterilized milk-processing plant (N.Z Govt.)
- Expansion and modernization
- Diversification.
- Range of dairy product.
1987
-Installation – U.H.T milk processing plant.
1992
-Deregulation o f the Dairy Industry

7. Formation of the Fiji Cooperative Dairy Company Ltd(FCDCL)
FCDCL was created under the Dairy Restructure Decree in 2010 when the industry was restructured into two companies, FCDCL and Fiji Dairy Company (FDL).
FCDCL owns 20 percent of FDL on behalf of its shareholders, the FCDCL dairy farmers. The Co- operative is owned by the dairy farmers of Fiji and is operated as a commercial company with its own Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer. The Board sets policy, implemented by the CEO. The full Board will be comprised of eight active dairy farmers, elected by the shareholders, and three Government representatives appointed by the Minister of Agriculture.
Latest Development
FCDCL

8. Functions of FCDCL
FCDCL aspires to proliferate the supply of excellent quality raw milk to reduce the volume of imported milk and also make available supplement feed, drugs and farm implements to farmers in order to improve their livelihood.
FCDCL is the principal supplier of raw milk for processing in Fiji.
FCDCL buys milk as per the quality grades and sells it to FDL. The aggregate cost of each grade milk varies due to its quality. Our Quality Assurance expertise assures that farmers are maintaining clean milking environment, Farm hygiene, and water reticulation.
Our extended service is dairy advisory. Its function is to promote good dairy farm practices which not only examine the quality but also the agreeable quantity of the produce Milk.
The Maintenance Division manages engineering function such as electrical, refrigeration and welding services. They also monitor the infrastructure of chilling centers to avoid any factor which may damage Milk quality. For example, Repair of refrigerated VATS at the Bulk Suppliers, Repair of milk pumps and milk separators, Repair of leaking cans ordering and storage of farm parts. Repair and maintenance of power generators and Installation of the milking shed equipment and parts.
FCDCL admin division works closely with appropriate information management system to carry out transparent process to handle about 250+ farmers’ transaction. Maintain the record of supply details from the laboratory that shows milk supplied and the microbiological test results for each farmer and on this base the payments released to farmers. The whole system integrates many situations either it is about making deductions for loans and material purchases of the farmers or generating printing statements showing total milk received, fat content, gross value (vat inclusive)and the net amount or transferring to various bank accounts and releasing payments to farmers with immediate priority.

9. Apart from this we also concentrate on:
To conclude FCDCL is company owned by the Dairy Farmers of Fiji who supply their Raw milk to us and we further supply the same to processor .
Apart from this we also concentrate on:
Improved in Dairy Supplementary
Improved Dairy Pasture through Increased advisory services
Improved Dairy Hygiene through Increased farmer training
Improved Animal husbandry
Improved animal health and care
Improved farmer livelihood.

10. Dairy Production Trend in Fiji
Commercial dairy production has always been concentrated in the central division.
Milk from all large commercial suppliers are then taken to RCDC for processing.
Over the past 10 years recorded milk production has been;
Million litres
Million litres
Million litres
Million litres
Million litres
Million litres
Million litres
Dairy Production Trend in Fiji
Milk Production Trend

11. Reasons for the increase in production : (95 – 98)
1. Introduction of proper recording system, herd improvement and controlled breeding, selection and culling.
2. Disease control:- Mastitis and TB
3. Pasture improvement : - most dairy pastures are dominated with native grass species and heavily infested with Navua sedge and other weeds.
a. Introduction of cool season growing species (setaria) to overcome seasonal fluctuations.
b. Supply of pasture seeds.
4. Breed improvements : - herd improvement programmes include:
a. Artificial breeding.
b. Supply of genetically improved breeding bulls (WBS) & (SRS).
5. Improved nutrition : - Formulation of new dairy ration.

12. 6. Establishment of chilling Centers : - collection of milk from small suppliers that were traditionally cream suppliers.
a – Naluwai 1,622,605 (15.6%) litres;
b. - Waidalice 1,447,868 (13.9%) litres.
7. Provision of credit / Subsidy: - CDF programme
a. RDCD – credit, inputs
b. ADP
8. Improved infrastructure.
Production decrease in recent years have been due to political problems resulting in:
a. Farmers closing their farms.
b. Some very reluctant to invest.
c. Some suffered severe theft of livestock.
d. High cost of re-establishment.
e. Land Tenure problems

13. Features of a Good Dairy Cow
1. Phenotypic appearance
Breed color
No Deformities
No disease
Good temperament, docile
Good posture
Shape.
2. Genetic
Parental records.
Individual records.
3. Performance
Long lactation
High yield
Good conception, calving.
4. Udder
Well developed, firmly attached.
Good size, elastic
4 quarters, 4 teats.
Prominent milk vein.

14. External body parts of cow that can with some reason be associated with the production of milk directly or indirectly are as follows:
1. Head and Neck:
This is broadly classified into three types:
(a) A well proportionate head and neck.
(b) A long and narrow face,
(c) A short and thick head.
Looking at the type of head and face certain observations with regard to health, breed, age, sex, temperament, etc., can be made. A dairy cow with well proportionate head and neck consisting of wide nostrils, prominent facial veins, wide forehead, slender neck, large and bright eyes and dewlap with graceful folds should be preferred.
Animals with a long and narrow face generally tend to be susceptible to diseases and remain weak in health; as such they cannot be expected to do their best for milk production. Similarly the cows with short and thick head are usually short in stature and hardy but not good for milk production.

15. Barrel Development:
Animals with large barrel are indicative of having big digestive capacity. Cows with large barrel will be able to consume large quantity of feed and in turn more nutrients^ are digested and assimilated for more milk production.
3. Heart Girth and Ribs:
Chest of animal should be big. It is exhibited by well arched, sprung, and wide apart ribs. This indicates that all vital organs like heart; lungs necessary for good blood circulation are fully developed for better health conditions.

16. Different Types of Udder Defects
1. Ideal udder—capacious, soft, smooth, pliable with good forward and rear high attachment with folds of skin on rear side and squarely placed convenient sized teats.
2. Udder ideal but teats too small.
3. Udder ideal but teats too long.
4. Teats enlarged at the base, interferes with milking.
5. Udder with four quarters poorly attached.
6. Udder tilted forward with four quarters of less capacity.
7. Udder-meaty type round smooth and hard, lacking in capacity.
8. Small udder poorly developed with too small teats, lacking in capacity.
9. Teats not squarely placed-imbalanced quarters.
10. Udder development and attachment—poor.
11. Pendulous udder—funnel shaped.
12. Udder attachment more forward and imbalanced quarters.

17. 4. Mammary Development:
The udder should be big with smooth, soft and spongy texture. Quarters must be evenly balanced. It should have convenient sized, uniform in length and squarely placed teats. Udder must have good forward attachment and a high rear attachment with numerous folds of skin between hind legs. A capacious udder which enlarges before milking as a result of stimulus and let down of milk, and contracts in size after milking, is preferred.
The pendulous udder normally has more tear and wear of secretary tissues, is not good. Similarly meaty udder appears to be hard in texture and smooth and is considered to have developed more muscular tissues and therefore it is not considered good for high milk producing ability.
5. Milk Veins and Milk Wells:
Milk veins should be big, bulged, zigzag in shape, tortuous (branching), prominent in front of udder on each side of belly. Such veins are regarded as an indication of good milk producing ability. Milk wells should also be larger in size.
6. Other Body Parts:
A cow for milk production must be chosen from among the mulch purpose group of breeds. The hip bones and pin bones should be wide apart to indicate full development of pelvic region necessary for good reproductive functions. Tail should be thin, long well set and tapering.
Navel should be big and loose, normally found associated with dairy cows of high milk producing ability. Skin should be free from excess fat, thin, smooth and pliable with glossy hair coat.

18. 7. Wedge Shaped Body (Fig. 2-C):
Top wedge:
When viewed from the front and top of the withers, the body should be wider at hip bones. The hind quarters should be sparsely fleshed out and well developed.
Front wedge:
When viewed from the top of the withers, it widens at the points of shoulders and at the floor of the chest.
Wedge Shaped Body
Side wedge:
One of the side lines runs along the back bone and the other along the chest and belly, if shows parallel appearance it indicates beefy characteristics and if the lines widens towards the rear side of body it shows quality of dairy character.

19. Dairy Cattle Type
This refers to body conformation or physical appearance.
Type is controlled by structure of bone and other body
components and how well all these components fit together
as a unit --the cow.
General Appearance
A good cow is immediately attractive being large, straight, well boned, having style, balance and being feminine, we consider her good in general appearance.
Some terms which describe cows of good general appearance include: straighter topline, size and scale, length and stretch, substance of bone, style and balance, straighter and stronger rear legs, longer flatter rump, and width at hips and pins.