1. The Dairy Industry
MyCaert - Part 2

2. Objectives
Determine the facility and equipment needs in dairy production.
Identify common diseases and disorders that affect dairy cattle and determine appropriate prevention and treatment methods.
Demonstrate the ability to complete the California Mastitis Test.

3. What facilities and equipment are required in dairy production?
Dairy cattle production facilities and equipment need to be designed to reduce labor, cleaning, feeding, and handling.
The production of dairy cattle requires a greater level of labor than any other livestock enterprise.
A. Modern dairy cattle farms commonly house cattle in free-stall (or loose) housing systems.

4. What facilities and equipment are required in dairy production?
B. Other types of housing used in dairy cattle production are cold housing and warm housing.
Cold housing is housing that is kept cold in the winter and is unheated.
The use of natural wind allows for ventilation, removes moisture, and keeps the building cold.
Warm housing is housing that has insulation and is kept warm throughout the winter.
The animal’s body heat warms the building, while the insulation keeps the warmth inside.

5. What facilities and equipment are required in dairy production?
1. Each type of building is designed to use the free-stall housing system.
2. Many dairy cattle producers install rubber or another type of nonslip flooring in their barns to increase the ease of movement among their cattle.
3. Bedding used in dairy cattle barns can range from waterbeds to sand beds to mattresses made of rubber or foam.
4. In some dairy barns, fans and misters are used to keep cows cool and comfortable during warm days.

6. What facilities and equipment are required in dairy production?
C. Dairy calves do not normally nurse their mothers.
Commonly, calves are removed from their mothers and fed milk replacer up to eight weeks of age.
Calves are housed in calf hutches.
These hutches usually have one open side and provide a healthy environment for the babies.

7. What facilities and equipment are required in dairy production?
D. Milking parlors have become more and more common in the United States.
A milking parlor speeds up the milking process, reduces labor, and increases cleanliness.

8. Several diseases and disorders can affect dairy cattle.
What are common diseases and disorders that affect dairy cattle, and what are appropriate prevention and treatment methods?
Several diseases and disorders can affect dairy cattle.
Good management systems, nutrition, and prevention programs can control these.
A. Metabolic disorders can occur in dairy herds.
A metabolic disorder is a disease resulting in the inability of an animal to make proper use of nutrients.

9. 1. Milk fever is the most common metabolic disorder in dairy cattle.
What are common diseases and disorders that affect dairy cattle, and what are appropriate prevention and treatment methods?
1. Milk fever is the most common metabolic disorder in dairy cattle.
Approximately 6 percent of U.S. dairy cattle will be affected yearly.
Usually milk fever occurs shortly after calving.
The disease is caused by an acute deficiency of calcium.
Older cows and cows with a history of high milk production are more prone to milk fever than heifers.
Signs of milk fever are weakness; small tremors in the triceps; and possible loss of consciousness, with the head curled toward the body.
Milk fever can be treated with injections of calcium gluconate.
Cows are likely to die if they are not treated or if milk fever is severe.
Prevention of milk fever is good nutritional management of dry cows.

10. What are common diseases and disorders that affect dairy cattle, and what are appropriate prevention and treatment methods?
2. Ketosis is a metabolic disorder in dairy cattle and commonly occurs during the first six weeks after calving.
It is caused by extra ketone bodies in the blood, urine, and milk.
These give off an odor that characterizes ketosis.
Other signs are low appetite, low milk production, weight loss, and constipation.
If a cow is eating, treatment can be put into grain to increase blood sugar levels.
To prevent ketosis, a producer should use high-quality hay, provide sufficient proteins, avoid fattening cows at the time of calving, and increase concentrates once a calf is born.

11. What are common diseases and disorders that affect dairy cattle, and what are appropriate prevention and treatment methods?
3. Grass tetany is classified as a metabolic disorder and is caused by poor levels of magnesium in the blood.
This disease is most likely to occur in lactating cows on lush, spring pastures.
Pastures with low levels of magnesium and high levels of potassium and nitrogen are the most common cause.
The primary sign of grass tetany is a twitching of the muscles.
Cows may also have trouble breathing and fall while grazing.
Intravenous injections of magnesium salt are a treatment.
A preventive is the feeding of a free-choice supplement containing magnesium.

12. What are common diseases and disorders that affect dairy cattle, and what are appropriate prevention and treatment methods?
B. Bloat is a disorder that causes discomfort to cattle and could lead to death.
Bloating is the swelling of an animal’s left side.
This could cause pressure on the diaphragm and lungs, resulting in breathing trouble.
There is no exact cause of bloating.
Alfalfa hay, high levels of concentrate feeds, and high levels of legume pastures have been shown to create bloating symptoms.
A veterinarian should be consulted regarding treatment.
To prevent bloating, feed dry forages before allowing grazing on legume pastures, keep salt and water available, and avoid a rapid fill to cattle stomachs when they are empty.

13. What are common diseases and disorders that affect dairy cattle, and what are appropriate prevention and treatment methods?
C. Anaplasmosis is a disease of cattle symtomized by increased body temperature, weight loss, and poor appetite.
This disease is caused by a parasite usually carried by horse flies, stable flies, or mosquitoes.
However, it can also be spread by contaminated instruments, such as needles, tattoo equipment, and dehorning saws.
The disease has several forms.
Treatment consists of antibiotics.

14. D. Mastitis is an inflammation of the udder.
What are common diseases and disorders that affect dairy cattle, and what are appropriate prevention and treatment methods?
D. Mastitis is an inflammation of the udder.
Signs include fever, depression, decreased milk production, abnormal milk, hardening or sensitivity of the udder, and loss of appetite.
Sometimes signs are not visible.
Bacteria can spread through wash rags, milking machines, or dirty lots and bedding.
Several types of bacteria can cause mastitis.
Cleaning and controlling the environment, drying teats after milking, and avoiding overmilking are just a few methods of prevention.

15. The California Mastitis Test is a simple test that can be used.
What are common diseases and disorders that affect dairy cattle, and what are appropriate prevention and treatment methods?
Several testing techniques help a producer determine the type and cause of mastitis.
The California Mastitis Test is a simple test that can be used.
Treatments are sensitive to the severity of each case.
An infected cow should be moved to an individual pen, and a veterinarian contacted.
Once treatment for a cow has been determined, evaluation and review of the animal’s performance should be closely monitored.

16. A. Needed for the test are a CMT paddle and CMT solution.
What is the California Mastitis Test, and how is the test performed and scored?
The California Mastitis Test (CMT) is a simple test used to detect mastitis in its early stages.
A positive test result allows the producer to start treating an animal immediately.
A. Needed for the test are a CMT paddle and CMT solution.

17. B. The steps of the CMT are as follows:
What is the California Mastitis Test, and how is the test performed and scored?
B. The steps of the CMT are as follows:
1. About 1 teaspoon of milk is taken from each quarter.
2. About 1 teaspoon of the CMT solution is added to each compartment on the paddle.
3. The CMT paddle is rotated in a circular motion to mix the milk and the solution.
4. The results are read.

18. C. The CMT is scored as follows:
What is the California Mastitis Test, and how is the test performed and scored?
C. The CMT is scored as follows:
1. If no thickening of the mixture occurs, the score is N.
This means Negative (not infected).
2. If a slight thickening occurs and the reaction disappears as rotation of the paddle continues, the score is T.
This means Trace (possible infection).
3. If the mixture has a distinct thickening but does not form a gel, the score is 1.
This means Weak Positive (infected).

19. 5. If a gel forms and the mixture elevates, the score is 3.
What is the California Mastitis Test, and how is the test performed and scored?
4. If there is immediate onset of thickening and a slight gel starts to form, the score is 2.
This means Distinct Positive (infected).
5. If a gel forms and the mixture elevates, the score is 3.
This means Strong Positive (infected)
D. Paddles should be rinsed after each test.
E. Tests should be performed on lactating animals monthly, and records kept.

20. Review What facilities and equipment are required in dairy production?
What are common diseases and disorders that affect dairy cattle, and what are appropriate prevention and treatment methods?
What is the California Mastitis Test, and how is the test performed and scored?