protocols
Protocols
The following protocols were
written by CREAMers to aid in future CREAMer's understanding of certain
issues. Some topics are only briefly covered and further research may be
necessary.
General
Health Protocol
Mastitis
Protocol
Heat Detection
Protocol
Cow Evaluation
Protocol
Mating
Protocol
Calving
Protocol
Fresh
Cow Protocol
Feeding
Protocol
General Health
Protocol
| Hoof Rot |
|
| Symptoms: |
inflammation, redness, swelling,
scabbing, limping |
| Prevention: |
Make cows walk through a
Lincomix, Copper Sulfate, or Tetracycline foot bath when going out in and
coming back from the dry lot. Change the bath every three days. |
| Treatment: |
Clean the hoof thoroughly,
removing any debris. Apply Kopertox/Hoof Tect to affected hooves with a
narrow paint brush until fully healed. |
| Udder Rot |
|
| Symptoms: |
smelly, crusty, rotten,
scabby udders |
| Treatment: |
Treatment: Pick scabs off
udder, making sure to get to the skin area, to ensure proper healing. Some
bleeding may occur. Now spray vinegar and copper sulfate (blue liquid)
or apply Derma Clens to the affected area. |
| Calf Scours |
|
| Symptoms: |
soft, watery, smelly, or
yellow diarrhea |
| Treatment: |
Nutra Lyte or Resorb. |
| Chapped Teats |
|
| Symptoms: |
dry, red, chapped, or irritated
teats |
| Treatment: |
Wash the affected parts
of the teat with warm water and soap after each milking, then dry with
a clean cloth. Gently apply red udder ointment. Be sure to wash the udder
and teats thoroughly before the next milking to avoid contamination of
the milk. |
| Hard Quarter
(Edema) |
|
| Symptoms: |
a slow milking quarter that
is hard and swollen |
| Treatment: |
Massage approximately 10
ml of white uttermint onto the quarter 2-3 times per day after the first
milking & stripping out. Repeat for 2-4 days. |
| Wounds |
|
| Treatment: |
Clean affected area and
apply RV wound powder, Derma Clens, or Granulex spray. |
| Minor Sprains
or Bruises |
|
| Symptoms: |
limping or a discoloration
where sore |
| Treatment: |
Apply white linement to
injured area. |
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Mastitis Protocol
Mastitis is an infection
of the mammary gland. It is important to treat quickly to prevent mammary
tissue damage, which leads to decreased milk production. There are two
forms of mastitis: sub-clinical and clinical, the former being difficult
to detect.
General Information
-
aseptically sample all four
quarters (see sampling procedure)
-
strip all infected quarters
until chunks are gone
-
the rest of the milk can go
into the bulk tank when the chunks are gone
-
milk the infected cow last until
you receive a clean sample from the lab or until she is dried off
-
if a milker has been on a cow
with mastitis, soak the inflations (claw upside down) in a bucket of warm
water and iodine for about five minutes before it is used on another cow
Sub-Clinical Mastitis
Symptoms: a
milk sample test reporting a high somatic cell count (>1 million cells/mL),
edema
Treatment:
-
milk sub-clinical cases last
to avoid infecting other cows
-
apply uddermint to quarters
suffering from edema (see general health protocol)
-
make sure cows with sub-clinical
infects are milked out completely, as residual milk provides a great atmosphere
for microbial growth
-
if chuncks begin to reappear,
follow the procedures for clinical mastitis
-
sample when you think the infection
is clearing up
-
the cow no longer needs to be
milked last once a clean sample comes back from the lab
Clinical Mastitis
Symptoms: flakes
or chunks of somatic cells, edema, and a high somatic cell count
Treatment:
-
strip out infected quarters
completely at each check, then dip the teat in iodine
-
make sure infected quarters
are milked out completely at chores
-
if one quarter appears to be
milked out before the others, strip out that quarter again and put the
milker back on, as there could be a chunk blocking the milk
-
the infection has become sub-clinical
when chunks and flakes are no longer seen after stripping (see sub-clinical
treatment procedures)
-
apply uddermint to hard quarters
-
lab results will tell whether
antibiotics should be used to treat the infection
-
milk from cows treated with
antibiotics does not go into the bulk tank until they test okay (tube turns
yellow) on a Delvo test
Aseptic Sampling Procedure
-
After the cow has been stripped
and dipped, wipe all dirt, dust, feces, etc. from teat ends with alcohol
soaked cotton balls. Start with the teats furthest from you and work toward
the two closest to you, so you do not recontaminate the teats with your
arm.
-
Beginning with the teat closest
to you, strip milk into a pre-labeled sampling tube, filling it about 1/3
of the way. Do not touch the teat end or allow any milk that may have touched
your hand into the tube.
-
Repeat this procedure for all
quarters, working your way back to the ones furthest from you.
-
Tubes should be labeled with
the cow's number and the quarter from which the sample was taken. Do this
with a permanent marker.
-
Place all tubes in a rack and
put the rack into UVM's refrigerator. Leave the properly filled out paper
work withy the rack of tubes.
Delvo Testing Procedure
-
Wash your hands thoroughly with
soap and water.
-
Place one ampule (tiny test
tube) in the Delvo test box for each milk sample.
-
Place one nutrient tablet into
the purple agar medium in each ampule.
-
Place a dry sample testing pipette
on the dosage syringe.
-
Push in the piston rod all the
way, bringing the tip of the pipette approximately one centimeter into
the milk sample and letting the piston rod return slowly to its original
position, bringing some milk into the pipette.
-
Transfer the sample from the
pipette (approximately .1 mL) completely into the ampule.
-
Use a new disposable pipette
for each milk sample.
-
Incubate ampules in the provided
block heater for 2.5 hours (+/- 5 minutes).
-
If the lower 2/3 of the agar
medium is yellow, the milk is absent of antibiotic residues, and milk from
these cows can go into the bulk tank.
-
A purple color indicates the
presence of antibiotics above the detection limit, and milk from these
cows can not go into the bulk tank.
-
A partly yellow, purple color
indicates presence in a concentration near the detection limit.
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Heat Detection Protocol
General Information
-
Cows ovulate or come into heat,
about every 21 days. They display certain signals 10-12 hours before ovulation
occurs.
Signs of heat:
-
standing for another
cow to mount or ride
-
clear, stringy discharge
from the vulva
-
trying to mount or ride
one or several cows
-
bawling
-
redness or swelling of
the vulva
-
restlessness, head butting
-
Head butting and restlessness
do not always indicate a heat. Observe individual cows and their heat signs
in order to know which signs are significant.
-
It is extremely important to
spend 20 minutes observing the cows when they are turned out in the pen.
Be sure to look at the breeding wheel before you watch heats so you know
which cows are due to be in heat on a certain day.
-
Fresh heifers should not be
bred any earlier than 60 days.
-
If a cow comes into heat and
is due to be bred, mark it in the herd book. The sheet on the gestation
tabulator wheel should tell you who the sire will be for that cow. Leave
a message on Don's board on his office door with the cow's number and the
sire's name or contact him in person.
-
If a cow comes into heat many
times in a one day period, she may be cystic and should be looked at by
a veterinarian.
Breeding Wheel Operation
-
If a heat is noticed and is
not pegged on the breeding wheel, place the appropriate colored peg on
that day.
| Peg Color: |
|
| 0 - 60
days |
yellow |
| 60 - 90
days |
green |
| 90 - 120
days |
red |
| 120
days + |
black |
-
The calendar underneath the
wheel indicates the number that the wheel should be at on a particular
day of the month.
-
The wheel should be turned at
each morning chore.
-
A cow that should be coming
into heat is indicated by the peg next to #21 and it says heat, in blue.
-
Cow pegs are placed on the wheel
until the cow is confirmed pregnant, then the peg should be moved to the
Gestation Tabulator.
Gestation Tabulator
It is used as a tool to keep
track of where cows are in their gestation cycle. It also indicates when
to dry off a cow or when it is due to freshen.
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Cow Evaluation Protocol
Begin with the cow's pedigree.
This will give information such as classification score, TPI, PTA's for
fat and protein, and transmitting ability and reliability. Another area
of interest in evaluating a cow is the linear traits or characteristics.
These trait descriptions include: milking speed, disposition, stature,
dairy form, strength, body depth, rump width, rump angle, legs rear view,
legs side view, foot angle, rear udder height, rear udder width, udder
support, udder depth, front teat placement, and front teat length.
The following information
is included on an animal's pedigree:
-
Animal Identification Information
- registration name, type production index, classification, and date of
birth
-
Predicted Transmitting Abilities
(PTA) - PTA's for milk, fat, type, udder composite, and reliability
-
Sire's Identification Information
- line one includes registered name and TPI values, line two provides registration
number, nation code, and recessive tests, and line three provides age at
classification and final score
-
Sire's Type Production Index
(TPI) - compares PTA for protein, fat, type, and udder composite to rank
sires on their ability to transmit a balance of these four traits
-
Udder Composite Index (UDC)
- combines linear type trait information on six udder traits into a single
number value
-
Sire Summary for Production
and Type Traits - line one includes PTA's for milk, protein, fat, type,
and reliability, line two includes PTA$ for cheese yield dollars, fat,
and protein, line three includes PTA%, and line four includes PTA's for
type, udder composite, and percent reliability.
-
Dam's Identification Information
- line one includes the animal's registered name, line two includes the
registration number, age at classification, final score, and major classification
categories
-
Cow Type Production Index (PTI)
-
Predicted Transmitting Ability
(PTA) - line one shows the cow's predicted transmitting ability for milk,
fat, protein, and reliability, line two provides PTA$ for cheese yield,
fat, and protein, line three includes PTA% for fat and protein, and line
four includes PTA type
-
Dam's Production Records - line
on includes information on the type of DHI testing program, age at calving,
number of times milked per day, length of record in days, pounds of milk,
fat percent, pounds of fat, protein percent, and pounds of protein, line
two includes the length of complete record in days, pounds of milk, fat
percent, pounds of fat, protein percent, and pounds of protein
-
Lifetime Production Records
- once a cow produces more than 100,000 pounds of milk in her lifetime,
milk production (Life) will appear on the pedigree
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Mating Protocol
Breeding in the dairy industry
is an important aspect in trying to remain competitive in the farming world.
Careful thought and consideration must be taken in selecting bulls. CREAM's
main goal in breeding is to breed for the most "well rounded" cow. Mating
is the act of choosing the correct sire for any given cow based upon her
genetic strengths and weaknesses. Its purpose is to produce a calf that
is genetically superior to its dam. When choosing a mate for a cow, the
following steps should be followed.
-
Evaluate the cow through observation
and her pedigree. Identify her strengths and weaknesses.
-
Information on proven bulls
can be found using bull search on the computer in Doug's office and in
CREAM's meeting room. Information can also be found by looking at bulls
in the red book (which contains all proven bulls of every stud) or by looking
at individual sire study's sire directories. Evaluate bulls purchased and
available for use. Identify their strong traits.
-
Select a sire with traits that
would best compliment and improve upon the cow's traits.
-
Selecting Sires Based on Linear
Traits Linear traits are those such as body depth, udder support, and foot
angle. Some of them are based on measurements while others are more subjective.
Using linear traits, a sire with a trait superior to that of the cow is
selected.
-
Selecting Sires Based
on aAa Numbers AAa numbers combine linear traits that often occur together
in a cow. These combined traits are given names and corresponding numbers.
Each cow or bull is assigned three aAa numbers. Cow's numbers are put together
so that the first number in the set represents the quality she lacks and
therefore needs the most. The second number is the second weakest and so
on. Bull's aAa numbers are put together so that the first number represents
the quality he is strongest in. Using aAa numbers, a sire is selected by
matching the cow's numbers as closely as possible with a bull's numbers.
-
Once a mate has been chosen
for a cow, double check that he has all the desired traits identified upon
cow evaluation. Also make sure that he does not posses any undesirable
traits or that the two are related.
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Calving Protocol
Calving is approaching when
the cow:
-
is restless, circling in stall
-
is breathing heavily
-
has a bloody discharge
-
is leaking milk
-
has loose tendons around tail
head and between hooks and pins
During calving, the cow is either
laying down or standing. Then the water bag breaks, and she is in labor
(labored breathing, regular contractions). A calf may be visible. Normal
presentation comes with nose and front feet first.
If the calf is too large,
pulling may be necessary:
-
attach chains to the calf's
front feet, just above the dewclaws
-
pull only when cow pushes to
prevent tearing of uterus
-
pull with steady pressure so
calf won't slip back in
If the presentation is abnormal:
-
sanitize your hands with Povidone
solution, which is in the cabinet under the coffee maker in UVM's milk
house
-
reach into cow's vagina and
try to ascertain calf's position
-
call Doug if the calf's position
is abnormal
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Fresh Cow Protocol
Once a cow has calved, reference
the following steps.
-
Offer large amounts of fresh
warm water.
-
Provide a lot of good quality,
fresh TMR and hay. This should be monitored closely, as it is important
that the cow is eating to maintain health after calving.
-
Be sure that the calf appears
healthy and safe.
-
Administer 4 cc of oxytocin
intra muscularly (IM) to the fresh cow right after parturition.
-
Watch for the placenta, which
should pass within 24 hours. If it has not passed by that time, alert the
Student Herd Advisor, Doug, Don, or a veterinarian, as a retained placenta
may cause serious medical problems.
-
The fresh cow should be observed
for any discomfort or abnormality. Things to look for are: open mouth
breathing
-
sunken eyes
-
lethargy
-
staggering
-
not eating
-
The cow's temperature should
be taken for ten days if anything out of the ordinary is observed. A fever
is present when the cow's temperature is > 103 degrees or when a heifer's
temperature is > 102.5 degrees.
-
The cow is moved into the CREAM
barn from the MAT barn at the next milking. Her colostrum should be fed
to the calf. She should be milked into a bucket, not into the bulk tank.
-
An udder swollen with edema
is often seen in fresh cows. Refer to General Health Protocol.
-
Fresh cows are used to being
in the pasture with little human contact so be patient with cows needing
extra time to adjust to being milked.
-
Feed the cow the same ration
as the other cows in the barn. Supplement the TMR with hay for the first
week of milking.
-
When heifers freshen, there
is often chafing between her udder and her leg. She may be washed with
warm water and iodine and treated with red udder ointment until healed
if this occurs.
-
For the first two months of
lactation the cow will be at her maximum milk production and in a negative
energy balance, requiring her to have access to a lot of good quality feed.
-
The most common fresh cow problems
to be aware of are:
-
ketosis
-
milk fever
-
edema and chafing
-
displaced abomasum
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Feeding Protocol
TMR
A mixture of silages and
concentrates that are balanced to meet the nutritional requirements of
the herd.
Lactation Information
-
Ideally, rations should be formulated
to meet the requirements of each period in a lactation cycle. This is the
best way to optimize milk yield. Currently, that is not available to the
CREAM program so one ration is used for every cow.
-
In the first 2 - 4 months after
calving, it is difficult to provide adequate nutrition to the cow because
her milk yield is high and her feed intake is limited. Cows are in a negative
energy balance and usually lose body weight during the months of heavy
milk production.
-
At 2-3 months into the lactation
period, daily milk production hits its peak and then starts to decline.
It is at this point that body weight begins to increase again.
-
In addition, you ideal want
a cow to have fat stores prior to calving. If she has stored fat, this
helps to counter the negative energy balance created by high milk production
that occurs shortly after calving.
Feeding Guidelines
The feeding program should
be reevaluated once a month around the DHIA testing results.
There are two criteria for
feeding: milk production results from DHIA and days in milk (lactation
period)
The Feeding Program
Which cows get plus signs
indication that they get a little more feed at chores?
-
cows that are in the first 12
weeks of milk production
-
high producers that are giving
70 or more pounds of milk at the time of the DHIA test results
Which cows get minus signs indicating
that they get a little less feed at chores?
-
cows that are beyond 12 weeks
in milk
-
lower producers that are giving
less than 70 pounds of milk at the time of DHIA test results
The key to insuring that a good
feeding program fulfills its goals is to push up the feed as many times
in a day as possible. Whenever a group member is in the barn other than
for chores or checks, he/she should push up the feed in front of all cows.
No cow should have an empty plate!
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Last modified March 24 2003 09:22 AM
