Dairy Day, 2005
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Item Open Access Kansas Farm Management Association enterprise analysis: Examining differences among high-, medium-, and low-profit dairy operations(Kansas State University. Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, 2010-12-03) Dhuyvetter, Kevin C.; Kastens, Terry L.; kcd; tkastensThirty-one dairy producers participated in the Kansas Farm Management Association (KFMA) dairy enterprise analysis each year from 2002 to 2004. The dairy farms were sorted based on 3-year average returns over total costs and were categorized as high-, medium-, and low-profit farms. The highestprofit farms earned an average of $795 more per cow ($4.20 per cwt of milk) than the lowprofit farms earned. High-profit farms averaged $521 more milk sales per cow than lowprofit farms did. This difference in profitability was due entirely to greater milk production, inasmuch as milk prices among profit groups did not differ from each other. Highprofit farms produced almost 4,000 lb more milk per cow per year and had slightly lower costs than low-profit farms had. Returns for the mid-profit farms were more than $400 per cow less than returns of the top farms, but were more than $350 per cow greater than those of low-profit farms. The mid-profit farms had production levels similar to those of the high-profit farms, but their costs were significantly greater. Over the 3 years analyzed, it was better to have high production and high costs than to have low production and low costs. But these 3-year averages indicate that dairies can achieve high production levels while keeping costs in check, and these operations are significantly more profitable than other dairies.Item Open Access Update on ovulation-control programs for artificial insemination of lactating dairy cows(Kansas State University. Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, 2010-12-03) Stevenson, Jeffrey S.; jssUse of timed AI programs has become commonplace on most dairy farms either because cows are not watched sufficiently to detect estrus, or because expression of estrus is limited by confinement housing. A number of programs are available to set up firstpostpartum inseminations that include some timed AI or timed AI of all cows once the end of voluntary waiting period (VWP) is reached. One approach may include a period of heat detection and AI until, for example, 100 days in milk, when a timed AI protocol is applied to all previously non-inseminated cows. Another approach includes injections of prostaglandin F2α, followed by periods of heat detection and AI, until a timed AI protocol is applied to all previously non-inseminated cows. Another approach may use a timed AI protocol that is applied so all cows can be first inseminated after the end of the VWP. The most sophisticated system involves presynchronizing estrous cycles during the latter part of the VWP and then applying a timed AI protocol. When protocols are applied correctly, ensuring that each cow is injected and inseminated appropriately, conception rates are either equal to, or slightly less, than those achieved when inseminations are based solely on behavioral signs of estrus (i.e., standing estrus). In contrast, pregnancy rates are almost always greater because more cows are inseminated (PR = AI submission rate × conception rate). Early application of Ovsynch before pregnancy status is known can allow all open cows to be re-inseminated by 2 to 3 days after their nonpregnant status is confirmed. This last program can essentially eliminate heat detection; when heats are observed, however, it becomes a bonus to the system.Item Open Access Using vaginal temperature to evaluate heat stress in dairy cattle(Kansas State University. Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, 2010-12-03) Cvetkovic, B.; Smith, John F., 1962-; Harner, Joseph P.; Brouk, Michael J.; mbrouk; jfsmith; jharnerA rise in body temperature is a signal that heat stress has exceeded the heat-exchange capacity of the dairy cow. Previous studies have shown a strong positive correlation between vaginal temperature and respiration rate, demonstrating a stress response to an increased body temperature. Vaginal temperature was collected by using temperature probes attached to an external data logger. Although these devices were very sensitive to changes in body temperature of cows housed in tie-stalls, the external data logger presented a significant application challenge for freeranging animals housed in freestalls. A data logger was acquired that would be completely indwelling in the vagina. The U12 stainless steel model (Onset Computer Corporation, Pocasset, MA) was 0.5 × 4 inches and weighed about 2.6 oz. It was retained in the vagina with foam and a blank CIDR insert. These devices were used continuously to measure and record body temperature in freeranging cattle for 5 to 7 days. Vaginal temperature was recorded at 1-minute intervals and then averaged into 5-minute blocks. Data were then graphed over a 24-hour period. Vaginal temperature increased with activity and amount of heat stress. Effective heatabatement systems were shown to reduce vaginal temperature. On commercial farms, data were used to identify where heat abatement should be improved. Heat stress issues with milking parlor holding pens were easily identified. Producers and industry personnel could use data loggers to evaluate heat stress and the effectiveness of heat-abatement systems on free-ranging dairy cattle. Devices also could be used to validate the effectiveness of modifications to heat-abatement systems identified by the initial evaluation.Item Open Access Impact of frequency of feedline soaking combined with evaporative air cooling in a humid environment(Kansas State University. Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, 2010-12-03) Smith, John F., 1962-; Armstrong, D.V.; VanBaale, M. J.; Bray, D.R.; Harner, Joseph P.; Brouk, Michael J.; mbrouk; jfsmith; dbray; jharnerHeat stress in hot and humid environments reduces milk production, decreases reproduction, and increases health-related problems. The summertime environment in north-central Florida is especially difficult because the combination of high relative humidity and high temperature results in a temperaturehumidity index (THI) above the critical value of 72 for significant portions of the day. Previous work at Kansas State University had shown that the combination of soaking and evaporative air cooling could effectively cool heat-stressed cattle. Effectiveness of this feedline soaking, either in the afternoon and at night, or only at night, in combination with evaporative cooling was evaluated on a commercial dairy located in north-central Florida. A high-pressure fogging system and feedline soakers were installed in a typical 4-row freestall barn equipped with tunnel ventilation creating a north to south airflow of 6 to 8 mph at the cow level. Eight lactating Holstein cows in each of two, 292-stall pens were selected and fitted with vaginal temperature probes. Data on vaginal temperature and respiration rate were used to evaluate two cooling treatments. Barn temperature averaged 74.8 ± 5.4ºF, relative humidity was 84.6 ± 15.4 %, and THI was 74.7 ± 5.3 during the study. The evaporative cooling system reduced average barn temperature by 0.9ºF and reduced afternoon temperatures by a maximum of 9.2ºF. Average respiration rates were less (58.5 vs. 66.9 breaths/min) in the afternoon and night soaking treatment, compared with the respiration rate of cattle in the night soaking treatment. Differences were greatest at the 10:00 p.m. observation (55.0 vs. 73.3 breaths/min). Average vaginal temperature was also less (102.0 vs. 102.6°F) in the afternoon and night soaking treatment. Our results indicate that the combination of cooling the air via a highpressure fogging system and feedline soaking reduced heat stress experienced by dairy cattle. Using feedline soaking during the afternoon and night was more effective than soaking only at night.Item Open Access Serological responses in dairy calves to various vaccines administered via needle-free or conventional needle-based injections(Kansas State University. Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, 2010-12-01) Hollis, Larry C.; Smith, John F., 1962-; Johnson, B.J; Kapil, Sanjay; Mosier, Derek A.; lhollis; jfsmith; kapil; dmosierOne hundred and four, 5- to 10-month-old Holstein heifers and steers were blocked by age within gender and randomly assigned to treatments. Calves were vaccinated with 5- way modified-live respiratory viral vaccine, Mannheimia hemolytic bacterin/toxoid, and 5- way Leptospira bacterin, administered via either needle-free or conventional needle-andsyringe injection techniques. Blood samples were collected from all calves at the time of vaccination and 21 days later. Blood sera were analyzed for antibody titers to infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR) virus as the indicator of serological response to the 5-way viral vaccine, to Leptospira pomona (LP) as the indicator of serological response to the 5-way Leptospira bacterin, and to Mannheimia hemolytica (MH) leukotoxoid. Responses of heifers on day 21 to the IBR fraction of the 5-way viral vaccine, MH bacterin, and LP fraction of the 5-way Lepto bacterin did not differ between methods of administration. Responses of steers on day 21 to the IBR fraction of the 5-way viral vaccine and MH bacterin were greater for the needle-free method of administration, whereas serological response to the LP fraction did not differ between methods of administration. We conclude that needle-free injections can eliminate broken needles in the carcass, reduce needle-borne transmission of disease, and possibly produce greater serological responses to various antigens, compared with those obtained with conventional needle-and-syringe injection systems.
