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Hair Sheep
Dorper Sheep
Red Maasai
Persian Blackhead
Wool sheep
Merino sheep
Portal for the icow Apps content
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Dorper Sheep
Merino sheep
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To know the age of sheep, you can examine the teeth. Breakdown of the teeth is a very common reason for culling small stock under range management, as poor quality teeth will affect the ability to browse and feed well.
Lambs have 8 temporary teeth that erupt at approximately 2 months of age. They will be replaced by larger and wider permanent teeth between 12 months and 4 years of age. At this point they will have all their teeth. Sheep don’t have top front teeth.
Sheep mouth & teeth
20 Temporary teeth
32 Permanent teeth at maturity
4 pairs of Incisor teeth on lower jaw
Upper incisors missing
Cartilaginous (hard) dental pad on upper jaw
Split upper lip with mobile lips
Lamb 4 pair of Incisors
1 year middle pair of Incisors
2 years 2nd pair of permanent Incisors
3 years 3rd pair of permanent Incisors
4 years 4th pair of permanent Incisors
5 years all permanent Incisors close together
6 years Incisors begin spreading apart
7-8 years some Incisors broken
10-12 years all Incisors missing
Credit: Biovision-Infonet
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Nomadic pastoralism involves a seasonal pattern of movement around a more or less regular pattern. This is the most environmentally sustainable livelihood in the arid and semi arid areas. It is practiced predominantly in Kenya Northern and southern rangelands.
A system practiced within a defined unit of land. In a ranch it is possible to maintain optimal stocking rates conserve, and preserve pasture and develop livestock support facilities such as dips and water points. This system is practiced in both arid and semi arid areas.
A system practiced in semi- arid parts of the country where beef farming is practiced alongside crop farming. Beef farming and crop farming complement each other through livestock feeding on crop residues and crop farming benefiting from manure and animal draught power.
These are units where immature cattle are intensively put on a feeding regime purposely for fattening to attain a specific market weight prior to selling. The animals are confined like in the zero grazing units in dairy production and are fed on high-energy concentrates.This system competes with human food because it requires inputs of grains. This system is not in use in the arid lands of Kenya.
Complete zero grazing is not allowed under organic standards, unless the animals have access to outdoor exercise areas and spacious clean resting areas for more information please
Good calf management practices ensure fast growth rate, reduced disease incidences and reduced death rates in calves. After calving, ensure the dam is cleaning the calf properly and that the calf can stand on its own. Where necessary, the calf should be assisted to suckle and it must be sure that the calf takes enough colostrum within a few hours after being born. The calf should be checked for abnormalities and corrective measures taken.
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Dairy farming is a business. Production targets a specific market. Seek market information. Value addition increases product market value. Marketing is best undertaken through groups. Diversification of products widens the market scope. Animals are registered and recorded at the Kenya Stud Book and Dairy Recording Services of Kenya (Nakuru) and evaluated at Livestock Recording Center ( Naivasha).
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Cattle and other ruminants convert forage, including low-quality crop residues, into valuable products. The relative importance of these products will vary from one livestock system to another. In large ranching companies, in Africa and Latin America, meat is the main product. Among resource-poor smallholders and most pastoralists, manure, milk and draught power are the important products from cattle. Among the Maasai of East Africa, where it has always been assumed that the sale of animals is the driving factor in cattle rearing, milk is ranked as the number one commodity.In areas where a market exists, these products are sold to provide income.
In mixed farming systems, cattle play a major role in household food security. In some of these systems manure is more important than milk or meat, as it helps to improve or maintain soil fertility and hence food production. As resource-poor households in most of the developing world organic farming is the most sustainable way of using natural recourses and producing without exhausting the soil and without pollution. Besides that, most small holder farmers cannot afford buying chemical fertilisers. Manure is generally the only source of nutrients applied to the crop fields and to produce compost in mixing it with green plant material.As draught animals, cattle also allow households to plough and cultivate more land and remove labour bottlenecks during weeding. Cattle have been used traditionally as draught animals in many parts of the developing world, especially in Ethiopia, parts of East and Southern Africa, and Asia.
In Kenya, the Arid and Semi Arid Lands make up 84% of Kenya’s total land surface; supports about 8 million Kenyans, as well as 50% of the livestock and 65% of the wildlife population. Kenya Arid and Semi Arid Lands produce the bulk of the red meat consumed in Kenya under nomadic pastoralism and ranching production systems supporting about 6 million beef cattle. The beef industry represents an important proportion of the economy accounting for about 70% of total beef meat consumed in the country. Apart from meat beef cattle have several benefits, which include; milk, hides and skins, draught power for land preparation and transport and manure too.
Smallholder dairy farmers in East and Southern Africa produce over 80% of the milk consumed in this region. The majority of the milk is produced by cattle, about 10% of all milk is camel’s milk and about 4% is goat’s milk. Estimates from 2007 rate annual milk production in Kenya at 3.5 billion litres, worth over 50 billion Ksh annually. This sector of agriculture, forming an economical basis of millions of livelihoods, has huge potential for improvement through management practices, better feeding and breeding practices, disease management and improved care of the young.
Well worked out economics of dairy production is essential for making profits from dairy production. The economics of animal keeping is very dependent on the basic corner stones: Health, welfare and basic good Nutrition.
Cattle have a history of domestication for thousands of years. Many different breeds are developed and adapted to highly different environments and conditions throughout the world. They are natural grazers and their digestion is totally geared towards grazing and eating roughage. They will graze and ruminate most of the day. When grazing, they will stand with one front leg a little in front of the other, and graze as they slowly walk forward. They do not naturally walk backwards, and therefore most bed and cubicle systems force them to unnatural movements for their anatomy. They are remarkably strong and robust animals, and if a trustful relationship with humans is created, they are friendly, patient and collaborative towards humans. Since they are strong, they can cause a lot of damage if they are scared and confused, which is often due to mistreatment or lack of guidance on what they should do. They do not want to walk from light to darkness, they prefer to walk uphill rather than downhill, and they do not want to walk around sharp corners.
They get easily scared if they see unknown things, like cloth blowing in the wind. Their walkway and housing systems should be designed to meet these needs for them to feel safe and comfortable. The humans should take the time which the cattle need to walk in their own pace – otherwise the risk of lameness gets high. Cattle have a vivid body language, which we as humans can read. They use their tails in their communication: when it is hanging down, it is relaxed, and when it is in between the hind legs, it is scared or cold or in pain. When alert, it raises its tail. The ears and head movements clearly shows their mood: curious, angry, scared etc.
Cattle have a good sight, but a blind angle behind them – therefore they should always be approached slightly from the side to not get startled.
They need space to ‘swing’ their body when laying down or raising up. This space should always be provided when designing housing facilities. An adult cow uses about 3 meters to get up or lay down. The movement forward with the head and shoulders alone is about 0.7-1 meter.
Cattle are clean animals. They prefer to not step in their own manure, they have an instinct that they should graze in a distance from dung to avoid parasites, which can be transferred through manure. For their personal skin hygiene, they groom each other, and they can reach all parts of their own body. To do this, they should always have a non-slippery floor to stand on. This is also necessary when they show that they are in heat, because then other cows or the bull will approach them and jump on their back (the sign for the owner that they are in heat), and they can damage themselves severely if the floor does not allow safe jumping.
Much of their behavior can be explained by the fact that they are flock animals. This means that they perform synchronic behavior: they want to do the same things at the same time, and stay in the group. They graze and lay down as a group. One cow is not likely to leave the group, unless she is diseased or expect to calve.
Many losses in dairy cattle production can be avoided by paying careful attention to preventive health care and seeing that the animals are comfortable and able to function the way nature intended. The following are the main preventive measures every serious dairy farmer should consider:
Below, some additional points add to the understanding of cows and how they can be supported by good management in a farming environment:
Cows spend 7-9 hours a day grazing and nearly the same amount of time ruminating the ingested feed. Adequate provision of fibre is an essential requirement for a healthy rumen environment. Fibre ranging from 7-10 cm in length (approximately the width of the muzzle) is optimum and prevents cattle selecting through the ration and discarding longer fibre. Long fibre stimulates cudding, which in turn stimulates saliva production, and saliva is the primary rumen buffer, preventing acidosis. The optimum forage to concentrate ratio to maintain rumen health and pH at 6 – 6.8 is 60:40 on a dry matter (DM) basis (roughage: concentrate). Rumen acidosis is the most common forage related stress that we see in dairy cattle. Rumen acidosis is primarily due to inadequate levels of effective fibre in the rations of those cows. High yielding cows are commonly fed diets containing 45 – 55 % forage on a DM basis. Finishing beef cattle are often fed a diet consisting of 25 – 40% forage on a DM basis.
A long lying period and space to move freely, lying and raising up, and escaping in cases of confrontations is important in the prevention of lameness in dairy cows, and it has also been noted that cows spend significantly more time lying down ruminating, as opposed to standing ruminating. Because a large percentage of cattle time is spent ruminating whilst loafing, dry comfortable hygienic bedding that encourages cows to lie down is highly important.
Hygienic bedding material in order to minimize the risk of mastitis is a priority. Being able to lie down is very important to cattle. When given choice and optimum conditions, cows are known to spend 50% or more of their time lying down. A comfortable resting surface is an important aspect in encouraging cows to lie down. Cattle prefer dry, soft, insulating bedding, and subsequently show reduced incidence and severity of leg injuries.In addition, the following need to be adhered to:
It tells very much about the cows feeding status and health condition. To the left: photos of a skinny Holstein Friesian and a fat Holstein Friesian, at each end of the Body Condition Score.
Score | Spinous Processes of loin and rump | Line between spinous processes of short ribs | Are on top of short ribs | Tips of Short ribs/ridge,of loin pit | Hook and Pin Bones | Thurl area | Sacral ligament area /line between hooks | Cavity between tailhead and pin bones |
1 | Project Clearly,like sawteeth | Very Concave | 0.5 of length visible | clear ridge,sunken loin pit | Extremely hard, no fatty tissue | Complete loss of substance(V) | Extremely sunken | sharp V-shaped ,bones very projecting |
2 | Discernable | Distinctly concave | Almost 0.5 of length visible | Clearly protruding ridge | Projecting, no fat and only very thin meat layer | Very Sunken (V) | Very sunken | Round ,U- shaped,Bones protruding |
3 | Protruding back ridge, sp. processes beginning to show | Very slightly concave | Short Ribs starting to show | Slightly protruding (two fingers wide) | Smooth (fat deposits palpable) | Slightly sunken (transition V<> U”) | Moderately sunken | Obscure,’soft’ bones |
4 | Can only be detected using considerable pressure,flat line of back | Almost level | Smooth,Round ridge | Not Protruding | Rounded | Almost flat | Flat/even | Filled,bones rounded/slight folds at tailhead due to fat deposits |
5 | Covered with fat | Rounded off/Convex | Disappeared in fatty tissue | Loin pit bulging | Lost in fat | Rounded Off | Bulging | bones lost in fat/bulging fat folds at tailhead |
Body Condition Score in Cows
(c)Meete Vaarst
Credit: Biovision-Infonet
Dairy farming is an important source of income and employment in Kenya. The population of dairy cattle is estimated to be about 3 million in the country. Milk production in Kenya is predominantly by small scale farmers, who own one to three dairy animals, and produce about 80 percent of the milk in the country. Smallholder dairy production systems range from intensive stall-fed cut-and-carry systems, supplemented with purchased concentrate feed, to free grazing on unimproved natural pasture in the more marginal areas.
Extensive systems are confined to a few ranches and large scale farms. The intensive systems are the most predominant and comprise zero-grazing and semi-zero grazing systems. Upgraded dairy breeds tend to be kept in stall-feeding units, cross-bred cattle in semi-zero-grazing systems, and zebu cattle in free-grazing systems. It is estimated that 50% of the milk is marketed but only 20% of that milk is marketed through the formal channels. The average yield is estimated to be 560 kg per cow per year. Arising from reports and data collected by different institutions, a rough estimate of returns obtainable from dairy enterprise can be calculated. The important inputs for dairy production include land, labour and capital.
Land is the most important resource for feed production besides being used for infrastructure development. Estimates of land required to raise a livestock unit (cow and calf) under different scenarios vary with ecological zone, forage management practices, and feeding strategies. For instance, under intensive forage production in high rainfall (e.g. UH 2- 4; LH 2-4; UM 1-4, LM1-3 click here to see more about Agro-Ecological Zones, one acre can sustain a livestock unit. In areas with low rainfall, the acreage required to sustain a livestock unit increase drastically and may reach 10 acres under moderate management. In fertile areas the land is more valuable and scarce.
Dairy production is generally labour intensive regardless inclining towards machinery or human to perform tasks. Woman do the majority of the work involved in keeping dairy cows and the marketing of milk. Labour is generally estimated to take about 40-50% of the total cost.
The most important capital in dairy industry are the cows and construction of management infrastructure (shed, milking crushes, fencing, and husbandry apparatus/equipment). The cost of an in-calf heifer vary from Ksh 40,000-120,000/- (USD 540-1600) depending on genetic potential. Simple cow sheds for holding upto 4 cows are estimated to cost (Ksh 50,000-100,000/- ) depending on source of materials and labour. The cost can be substantially reduced by using own timber, building stones, rainwater and home labour during construction. Important recurrent costs include purchase of feeds, artificial insemination, health care and milk marketing (transport, preservation and value addition).
The following 5 examples of how to calculate economic returns from dairy cattle should only be taken as guidelines. It is very important that each dairy farmer calculates production figures based on available feedstuffs in the area, what can be grown on the farm and the cost of growing it, as well as the price of milk that can be obtained from the market. Under Animal Nutrition and feed rations it is described what dairy cows need in terms of nutrition. Each dairy farmer must decide the best possible production system fitting to the local circumstances at the most economical costs in order to get a decent income from dairy production.
Also health and welfare of the animals see under Animal welfare and organic norms for further information are very important aspects, for the animals as living beings but also in an economic way for too many veterinary bills or loss of productive animals are very costly affairs. It is always prudent to reduce costs as much as possible bearing in mind that some costs like basic nutrition, health and animal welfare are the cornerstones of a profitable dairy production.
Example 1: Dairy cow (Friesian or Ayrshire) weighing 400 kg kept in high potential highlands of Kenya (UH, LH, UM or LM climate) under intensive or zero grazing management based on outsourced (bought) feeds.
Daily diet example
Feed stuff | Amount dry matter (DM) basis(kg) | Amount Fresh(kg) | Total DM per year | Price per kg DM(in KES) |
Napier grass (20% DM)(kg) | 5 | 25 | 1,825 | 5.55 |
Lucerne (90% DM)hay(kg) | 3 | 3.5 | 1,095 | 5.55 |
Dairy meal (90%) DM (kg) | 4 | 4.5 | 1,460 | 21.4 |
Maclick super | 0.12 | 0.12 | 44 | 10 |
Total/average | 12.12 | 33.12 | 4424 | 10.8 |
Note:
Example 2: Dairy cow (Friesian or Ayrshire) weighing 400 kg kept in high potential highlands of Kenya (UH, LH, UM or LM climate) under intensive or zero grazing management based on home grown forages.
Daily diet example
Feed stuff | Amount dry matter (DM) basis(kg) | Amount Fresh(kg) | Total DM per year | Price per kg DMin KES |
**Napier or Columbus or Guinea grass or combination | 3 | 15 | 1,095 | 2.77 |
**Kikuyu or Rhodes or Star grass or combination | 2 | 8 | 730 | 2.77 |
*Sweet potato vines or Lucerne or desmodium | 2 | 13.5 | 730 | 2.77 |
**Calliandra or Sesbania or Leucaena | 1 | 5 | 365 | 2.77 |
***Dairy meal | 4 | 4.5 | 1,460 | 21.4 |
Maclick super | 0.12 ( 120 g) | 0.12 ( 120 g) | 44 | 10.0 |
Total | 12.12 | 46 | 4010 | 7.71 |
Note:
Example 3: Dairy cow (Friesian or Ayrshire) weighing 400 kg under intensive management in a peri-urban area fed on purchased forages, agro-industrial by products and concentrates based diets.
Daily diet example
(all feeds 90% DM except brewer’s waste)
Feedstuff | Kg dry matter | Kg Feed | Total DM/year | Price/kg DM in KES |
Grass hay | 4 | 4.5 | 1460 | 3.33 |
Molasses | 1 | 1 | 365 | 8.00 |
Brewer’s waste (5% DM) | 1 | 20 | 365 | 8.00 |
Lucerne hay | 1 | 1 | 365 | 3.33 |
Sunflower or cotton seed cake | 2 | 2 | 730 | 8.00 |
Dairy meal | 3 | 3.5 | 1095 | 21.4 |
Maclick Super | 0.12 | 0.12 | 44 | 10.00 |
Total Average | 12.12 | 31.12 | 4424 | 9.4 |
Note:
Example 4: Jersey cow weighing 300 kg under intensive system (zero grazing) in Western or Eastern Kenya (UM or LM climate) receiving at least 800 mm rainfall fed on home grown forages.
Daily diet example
Feed | Kg dry matter | Kg Feed | Kg DM/Year | Price per kg DM inn KES |
Napier or Columbus or Genua or Giant panicum or Guatemala grass or combination | 2 | 10 | 730 | 4 |
Kikuyu or Rhodes or Nandi Setaria or Star grass or combination | 2 | 8 | 730 | 4 |
Sweet Potato vines or Lucerne or desmodium | 1 | 7 | 365 | 4 |
Calliandra or Sesbania or Leucaena | 1 | 4 | 365 | 4 |
Dairymeal | 3 | 3,5 | 1095 | 21,4 |
Maclick super | 0,12 | 0,12 | 44 | 10 |
Total | 9,12 | 32,62 | 3329 | 9,8 |
Assumptions:
* DM content = 15%;
* *DM content = 20%;
***DM content = 90%
Note:
Example 5. Pastoral system keeping dual-purpose Sahiwal cow under IL conditions grazing good quality pasture (Themeda, Bothriochloa, Cynodon, Cenchrus or a mixture of these)
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Milk is the main product from a dairy enterprise, produced basically as food for human consumption. Milk is a very good media for bacterial and other micro-organisms development. Clean milk production results in milk that:
Restrain the cow. If the udder is clean or only some dry dirt is attached, clean it with a dry cloth, paper or fine wood shavings When the udder and the cow are dirty, wash udder, teats and flank of the animal with clean water preferably add a disinfectant. Wipe with a clean cloth (one piece per cow). Apply suitable milking salve on each teat. Check for mastitis with a strip cup or any other method. Dispose fore-milk. Isolate sick animals and milk them last (their milk should not be mixed with good milk).
Use seamless containers preferably aluminium or stainless steel
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As has been pointed out, cattle will be more efficient in the production of milk and in reproduction if they are protected from extreme heat, i.e. temperatures of 25 to 30degC, and particularly from direct sunshine. Thus in tropical and subtropical climates shade becomes an important factor. If cattle are kept in a confined area (zero grazing), it should be free of mud and manure in order to reduce hoof infection to a minimum. Concrete floors or pavements are ideal where the area per cow is limited. However, where ample space is available, an earth yard, properly sloped for good drainage is adequate. In a semi zero grazing system animals are grazed in the morning and stall fed in the evenings, commonly practiced in medium size farms.
If trees are not an option to provide enough shade during the whole day for all cattle, a structure allowing 2.5 to 3m per animal will give the minimum desirable protection to one or two animals. A 3x7m roof will provide adequate shade for up to 7 cows. The roof should be a minimum of 3 m high to allow air movement. If financially feasible, all the area that will be shaded some time during the day should be paved with good quality concrete. The size of this paved area depends on the orientation of the shade structure. If the longitudinal axis is east and west, pan of the floor under the roof will be in shade all day. Extending the floor approximately one third its length on the east and on the west, a paved surface will provide for the shaded area at all times. If the longitudinal axis is north and south, the paved area must be 3 times the roof area i.e. 1/3 to the east, 1/3 to the west and l/3 underneath. Obviously this means an increase in the cost of paving. In deciding which orientation to build, the following factors need be considered:
The gable roof is more wind resistant than a single pitch roof and allows for a center vent. A woven mat of local materials can be installed between the rafters and the corrugated iron roof to reduce radiation from the steel and lower temperatures just under the roof by 10degC or more.
If space is severely limited and only 4 to 5m2 per cow is available, then concrete paving is highly desirable. If up to 40 to 60m2 per cow is available, then unpaved yards should be quite satisfactory as long as the feed and shade areas are paved and the yard is graded for good drainage. If the farmer is unable to afford an improved structure such as a shade or a paved area for feeding, then conditions can be prevented from becoming intolerable by building mounds of earth in the yard with drainage ditches between them as shown in Figure 1).
From 20 to 30m2 per cow will keep the animals out of the worst of the mud. The soil in the mounds can be stabilized by working chopped straw or straw and manure into the surface. A number of trees in the yard will provide sufficient shade.
In a deep-bedded system, straw, sawdust, shavings or other bedding material is periodically placed in the resting area so that a mixture of bedding and manure builds up in a thick layer. Although this increases the bulk of manure, it may be easier to handle than wet manure (slurry) alone. This system is most practical when bedding material is plentiful and cheap. Table 1) gives the space requirements for various ages of animals when there is access to a yard. By designing the building to be partially enclosed on the east and west, the shading characteristics can be improved. In as much as a well drained earth floor is quite adequate, such a building will compare favourably in cost with a shaded area which is paved.
Loose Housing with Free Stalls (Cubicles)
Alley between a row of free stalls and a trough (increase to 40.m if there are more than 60 cows in the group) | 2.7-3.5m |
Alley between a row of free stalls and a wall | 2.0-2.4m |
Alley between two rows of free stalls | 2.4-3.0m |
Alley between a feed trough and a wall | 2.7-3.5m |
Table 2: Alley Widths in Conjuction with Free Stalls(Cubicles)
(c) Farm structures in tropical climates.www.fao.org
Although simple yard and a shade or yard and bedded shed systems are entirely satisfactory in warm climates, particularly in semi-arid areas, some farmers may prefer a system with somewhat more protection and want to keep more cows in a smaller barn. A loose housing yard and shed with free stalls is an option for that. Less bedding will be required and less manure will have to be removed. Free stalls must be of the right size and bars adjusted in order to keep the animals clean on the one hand and to reduce injuries to a minimum to the other hand. When stalls are too small, injuries to teats will increase and the cows may also tend to lie in other areas that are less clean than the stalls. I can also cause leg problems because it is difficult to squeeze in the cubicles and to get up. If the stalls are too large, cows will get dirty from manure dropped in the stall and more labour will be expended in cleaning the shed area. A bar placed across the top of the free stalls will prevent the cow from moving too far forward in the stall for comfortable lying down movements, and it will encourage her to take a step backwards when standing so that manure is dropped outside the stall. The bar must, however, not interfere with her normal lying and rising movements. In organic dairy, cows should be grazed when soil and weather conditions allow it part of the day.
Table 1 (see above) lists recommended dimensions for stalls. Cubicles can be made of locally available material (wood) or can be purchased. The floor of the stall must be of a non-slippery material, such as soil. A good foothold is essential during rising and lying down movements to avoid injury. A 10 cm ledge at the back edge of the free stall will prevent bedding from being pulled out to the alley. In organic dairy the number of stalls should correspond with the number of animals housed.
Young stock may be held in yards with shade or in sheds with either free stalls or deep bedding.The alley behind the free stalls (cubicles) must be wide enough to allow the cows smooth passage. when cows are eating, two cows must be able to pass each other (see Table 2 below). The larger the cows are, the more space they need to lay down and pass.
Only in the case of purebred herds where considerable individual attention is given to cows can a tie-stall system be justified in tropical areas. In organic farming in Europe tie stall for cattle are forbidden because they severely limit animals in their natural behaviour. If such a system is chosen, stalls and equipment can be purchased or manufactured locally. Table 3 provides some typical dimensions.
If cows are allowed to lie with their heads over the through, otherwise add 0.4 – 0.5 m to the length.The tie and feed barrier construction must allow the cow free head movements while lying down as well as standing up, but should prevent her from stepping forward into the feed trough. Most types of yokes restrict the cow’s movements too much. A single neck rail, set about 1 m high and 0.2m in over the merger may bruise the cow’s neck when she pushes forward to reach the feed. The feed barriers that best meet the requirements are shoulder supports and the comfort stall. the fixing rods for the cross tie which allows vertical movements of the chain. Stall partitions can be used between every second cow to prevent cows from trampling each other’s teats and to keep the cow standing straight so that the manure falls in the gutter.
A bull pen should have a shaded resting area of 12 to 15 m2 and a large exercise area of 20 to 3 0m2. The walls of the pen must be strong. Eight horizontal rails of minimum 10 cm round timber or 5 cm galvanised steel tubes to a total height of 1.5 m and fixed to 20 cm timber posts not more than 2 m apart will be sufficient. The gate must be designed so that the bull cannot lift it off its hinges and there should be at least two exits where the herdsman can escape. A service stall where the cow can be tethered prior to and during service is usually provided close to the bull pen. The stall can have ramps at the sides to support the bull’s front feet.
The calves must be duly protected from cold, rain and too hot sun especially when very young. They must also be kept clean and free from ticks and fleas. Use gentle insecticides like pyrethrum (dudukrin) on very young calves. The tender skin of young calves can absorb the more poisonous sprays often used on mature animals and give the calves signs of poisoning.
Calf mortality is often high in tropical countries, but proper management and suitable housing that protects the calf from climatic stress, infections and parasites can reduce this. The best way to achieve that is suckling the calf with the mother till an age of about 3-4 month. The cow should be in a clean area and be able to find shelter against the sun and heavy rains. Calves should be provided with water in a bucket, feed in feed trough and salt lick. A system that works well is the use of individual or group hutches with an outdoor area. The hutch must be thoroughly cleaned set up in a new location each time a new calf is housed in it. Plenty of litter is placed directly on the ground inside the hutch. Protection from wind, rain and sun is all the calf requires, but always moving the hutch to clean ground is the key to success. Good hygiene must be kept by properly cleaning and disinfecting the housing before restocking.
Dry straw as beddings is to be provided on cemented floor daily and ventilation and sunlight if the pens are in the house be allowed. Individual pens for calves in organic regulations is allowed till 2 weeks after birth and then moving to a group pen. The floor of the pen is best constructed from 37 to 50 mm by 75 to 100 mm sawn timber boards leaving a 25 to 30 mm slat between each board. It will ensure that the calf is always dry and clean. The required minimum internal dimensions for an individual calf pen are 120 by 80 cm for a pen where the calf is kept to two weeks of age. Three sides of the pens should be tight to prevent contact with other calves and to prevent draughts. Draughts through the slatted floor may be prevented by covering the floor with litter. The front of the pen should be made so that the calf can be fed milk, concentrates and water easily from buckets or a trough fixed to the outside of the pen and so that the calf can be moved out of the pen without lifting. The milk fed to the calf will not provide it with enough liquid and therefore it should preferably have continuous access to clean fresh water.
All calves should have access to easy digestible grain or by-products and good quality forage as soon as possible to stimulate rumen development and to learn them to not only drink milk. Forage can be supplied in a rack placed above the side wall of the pen. Calf pens are recommended where the cows are kept in a semi-zero grazing or zero grazing system. Even in those systems it is possible to have the calf with the cows in the herd and let them suckle.
For the small holder who wants to make the very best use of his crop land and to provide his cattle with good housing that will encourage high production, a zero grazing system with an outdoor run could be recommended. Figure 3 shows perspective, elevation and plan views of a zero grazing unit for 3 cows, 2 heifers and a young calf. After that consideration should be given to two milking places and a larger feed store. Gum poles may be used instead of the cedar posts and sawn rafters, but any wood in contact with or within 50 cm of the ground should be well treated with wood preservative. It is desirable to pave the alley, but if that is not possible, the distance between the free stalls (cubicles) and the feed trough should be doubled or tripled.
A concrete pit or sloping slab in which to accumulate manure is essential. If the alley is paved, the pit can also collect urine. In fact, paving the alley not only saves space, but the value of the urine will help to pay for the paving.
The circular manure tank shown in the figure has a volume of 10m3. This will be adequate to store the manure produced during one month plus any rainfall collected in the alley. If more stalls are added the capacity of the tank will need to be increased or the interval between the emptyings shortened.
A water tank to collect water from the roof can be very useful unless there is an abundant supply of water nearby.
For the farmer with up to about 30 cows a yard with paved shade and feed area would be suitable. The yard and feeding area may alternatively be combined with an open sided barn designed for deep bedding or equipped with free stalls and where the herd consists of high yielding cows the milking shed may be equipped with a bucket milking machine. Some farmers with up to 30 cows may even consider using an open sided tie-stall shed.
In general a medium or large scale dairy unit may include the following facilities:
Each of the parts of the dairy unit may be planned in many different ways to suit the production management system, and the chosen method of feeding.
Some requirements and work routines to consider when the layout is planned are as follows:-
Remove dung daily, clean floor daily. Remember that the dung and urine is a valuable resource in and organic farming system and should be used on the land for keeping soil fertility.
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This is application of protective medicine mainly by injection to control diseases. For calves, vaccination against Brucellosis, Anthrax and Blackquarter is essential. For Brucellosis, it is done at 3-8 months of age while Anthrax and Blackquarter is vaccinated at 6 months of age. Adult to undergo routine vaccinations as recommended against major diseases such as FMD, Brucellosis, LSD, CBPP etc.