Agriculture Form 3 – LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION

HOW TO MAKE ARTIFICIAL COLOSTRUM

Mix the following: 1litre of fresh milk, 250 ml of fresh water,1/2-1teaspoonful of Castrol oil, antibiotics and one fresh of raw eggs. OR: Water 75%, egg 20%, cooking oil 4%, mineral premix 0.5% and oral antibiotics 0.5%

NB: The mixture is fed 3 times a day.

SCHEDULE OF FEEDING WHOLE MILK TO A CALF

COMPOSITION OF CONCENTRATES FOR FEEDING DAIRY CATTLE

ALTERNATIVE A-Whole maize meal-75%, sunflower cake-15%, bone meal-7%, mineral mix-3% ALTERNATIVE B-Whole maize meal-78%, cotton seed cake-19%, mineral pre-mix-3%

ALTERNATIVE C-Whole maize meal-40%, whole sorghum meal-35%, green/ black grain meal 15%, coconut cake-7%, mineral mix-3%

FEEDING SYSTEM

i. Bucket feeding

ii. Natural suckling

iii. Multiple suckling i.e. a cow suckles calves in addition to her.

General points to consider in rearing calves

o   Avoid over feeding the calves and ensure cleanliness.

o   Minerals and clean water should be provided.

o   Calf pen must be open on one side for ventilation and light.

o   Calves should be realized occasionally for exercises and any feed change should be done easily.

o   Sick calves should be isolated and treated.

INTRODUCTION OF PASTURES AND CONCENTRATES

o   After 4 months of age it is good to start giving concentrates and grass to calves.

o   Pasture must be included gradually at a rate of 0.5kg per day.

o   Concentrates feeding start at the age of one month. Other management operation

Dehorning: This is done by removing of horns also called disbudding so as to increase space and to prevent injury to each other and man during handling.

This is done by: Use of dehorning wire, hot iron, and chemical e.g. KCL, Elastrator rubber band. Castration: This is the removal of epididymis of male calves not intended for breeding process so as to control breeding, to make animal docile and to improve the appearance of neck muscles. This is done by: Used of burdizzo to crush the spermatic cord (closed bloodless method)

         Surgical (vasectomy) i.e. small portion of the scrotum is out and testicles are pulled out.

         Elastrator rubber band or ring (close method) Identification of marks: Is done by

o   Branding: This involves making numbers, letters or any mark on the skin by using hot iron, branding iron chemicals.

o   Tattooing: By using tattooing machine i.e. lateral or numbering pins are attached and then the skin is punctured especially the inner part of ears and tall base by use of special link.

HEIFER REARING

         After wearing heifers should be properly managed for proper growth where silage, hay and good pastures provide in calf heifer

         Continue to milk and in calf heifer/ cow for 7 months after conception twice a day.

         Feed the cow properly through the gestation period according to the level of milk yield 1.8-2 kgs/day.

         Stop milking 2months before calving i.e drying period.

         At the dry-off period the udder must be treated with antibiotics to control mastitis. Aims of steaming and drying off

         To improve body condition of the in calf animal.

         To ensure growth of the fetus.

         To let cow accustomed to the milking place and concentrate feed.

CALVING DOWN

2-3days before calving date the animal should be separated from others and given a closed watch

Sign of calving: Lying down, discharge from vulva, and detention of udder with fluids coming out from teats.

         When the calf is born then after birth, mucus can be removed from its mouth and nose. Normally membranes of mucus come out 2hours after birth if not a veterinarian officer should be called.

         Difficulties may arise due to the following: shoulder and body and hind legs come first, hands come first , front legs are bent inward or head is bent sideways *Normally front line of legs come out first.

MANAGEMENT BURRING LACTATION

THE LACTATION CURVE OF A DAIRY COW

STAGE A: Represent the daily lactation 2months after calving

o   The milk yield will increase steadily until a peak is reached. At this stage cow is not in calf.

STAGE B: Represent the mid lactation when the yield is steadily declining.

o   The cow is usually in calf for a period of 7 months.

STAGE C: Represent the dry when is not being milked. During this stage the unborn calf is growing rapidly.

NB: The cow should be well fed in stage A and C

MILKING AND MILK PRODUCTION

Milk is made in the udder from the food which animal eat.

o   In the upper of the udder there are millions of cells where milk is made known as alveoli.

o   The alveoli are drained by a large network of ducts leading to the lower part of the udder.

o   The cells take blood sugar, amino acids, fatty acids and manufacture them into lactose (milk sugar), lasem (milk protein) and butter (milk fat)

o   Other compound e.g. vitamins and minerals are taken from blood and appear in milk by filtering through the cells.

Milk let down

o   This is the process whereby milk is removed from alveoli cavity and a mall duct system to the lower part of the udder.

o   This is accomplished by a hormone called OXYTOCIN, which is secreted by the small gland at base of the brain.

o   When the udder is washed the nerve cell in the udder send the message to oxytocin to the blood stream.

o   When the hormone gets into the udder causes contraction of muscle fiber surrounding the alveolus, this squeezing action forces the milk into the teat system.

External factors influencing the release of oxytocin

o   Feeding

o   Presence of calf

o   Noise associated in milking.

NB: If the cow is frightened adrenalin hormone is secreted, limiting blood supply to the udder preventing oxytocin from reaching the missile fiber around the alveoli.

MILKING: This is the process of removing milk from the gland through teat system either by hand or machine.

1.       HAND MILKING

a)      Preparation before milking: The following should be in hard : milk buckets, weighing scale for volumetric contain clean towel, strainer (clean sheet and cloth), warm water with disinfectant, tea cups, brooms and brushes for cleaning, ointment (oil applied to udder)

b)      Preparation of cow

         Give cow plenty of water to drink before milking

         Put suitable dairy cow concentrates feed ratio in the feed trough.

         Call each cow by name and bring the cow into the milking parlor with minimum disturbance.

         Dip a clean towel in warm water mixed with disinfected and washes and massage the udder thoroughly.

a)      Milking

         Milk the cow as quick as possible.

         Put the milk bucket below the udder

         Rub palms with ointment.

         Grasp 2teats at a time, one in each hand and press or squeeze the whole teat using palms do not pull.

         Squeeze each teat gently in order to empty thoroughly.

         Measure or weigh the quantity of milk obtained.

         Cleaning the milk place and utensils.

         Wash all the cleaning equipments and container used starting with cold water finishing with warm water.

         Put the utensils upside down on a clean place to drain and dry.

         Put and wash the floor of the milking per cow with water which I s mixed with disinfectant.

2.       MACHINE MILKING

Preparation is similar to hand milking and the procedure is almost similar.

         However in machine milking, the mark is drown out by means of machine with dusters of heat cups (each duster has 4 teats and cups)

         During milking process, vacuum is created by machinery to the teats cups which forces milk to be drawn.

         Teat cups must be removed soon after milk is finished to avoid damaging the udder.

MILK COMPOSITION: The milk of farm animals consist of 5 major components i.e. water, milk protein, milk sugar, milk fats and minerals. The percentage content of each content is shown below

AVERAGE MILK COMPOSITION OF DIFFERENT ANIMAL SPECIES

Factors affecting milk composition

                     i.            Animal breed: e.g. Jersey cow secrete milk with high fat content than other exotic breeds.

                   ii.            Feed eaten by animals: When concentrates are feed to locating animal’s level of fat increases while grasses decreases.

                  iii.            Age of animals: Higher fat content is obtained from animals giving birth for the first time.

                 iv.            Climate: When temperatures are low animals produce milk with less total solids.

                   v.            Health: When an animal is sick milk composition is affected. e.g. occurrence of mastitis

                 vi.            Drug treatment: When locating animals are treated with certain drug, milk composition is affected.

                vii.            Lactation stage: Fairly milk i.e. colostrums has high content of total solids compared to later stages of lactation.

              viii.            Milk yield: High milk yielding animals have milk with less percentage of solids especially fat e.g. zebu compared to exotics.

NB: Characteristics of clean milk are: It is free from harmful bacteria, has normal composition and desirable flower. This can be obtained by: Making cow’s clean, use of clean milking utensils and clean handling of milk after milking.

MILK PROCESSING AND PRESERVATION

Preservation ways and methods

                     i.            Pasteurization: This is the process of killing micro- organisms by heating at a controlled temperature that do not change the natural characteristics. This is done as

a)      High temperature holding methods: Milk is heated to 71.1c for 15seconds and rapidly calved to 10c. Equipment used expensive.

b)      Low temperature holding methods: Milk is heated to 2-8c for 30minutes and rapidly cooled to 10c. Equipment used are cheap.

                   ii.            Sterilization: This method reduces protein and vitamin content. This is done by

a.       In bottle process: Milk is heated in bottle to a temperature of 104-115c for 15-60 minutes.

b.      Milk is heated before: Milk to high temperature for 20 seconds and then paced in a bottle and seated to prevent bacterial infection.

Processing: Products of milk include: Ghee, Butter, Cheese, Yoghurt, Powdered milk.

Butter: Cream is separated from slim milk. It is canned until the fat separate from the butter milk.

         T he buttermilk is then removed and salted.

Ghee: Is made by leaving butter in an open pan. Water separates and solids settle to to the bottom of the pan.

         The butter is then removed, this is the Ghee.

Cheese: The sour milk is heated to produce solid and called cheese. The card is drained to obtain the required part and removing moisture is removed by raising temperature to 32c.

Powdered milk: Can be made from other whole or shimmed milk in both cases the milk is drained into a powder.

Factors affecting milk production

1.       Physiological status of the cow: Cow on heat cut milk for a day, pregnant cows yield less.

2.       Age of cow: Mature yield high than immature one.

3.       Health of cow: Poor health result to low yield.

4.       Nutritional status before and after giving birth i.e. If underfed in late pregnancy stage, milk produce is lowered.

5.       Breed: Genetic potential of breeds cause variations in milk production.

6.       Milking routine: Fluctuating milking routine, lower milk production.

7.       Effect of climate: High temperature cause heat stress with low yield in take thus lowering milk yield.

Record keeping: Record of the following should be kept: Health record, Heat/ service record, Cow card, Bull card, Milk records, Calf/ wiener book, Grazing record book, Sales record and

Farm diary.

PASTURE UTILIZATION AND FODDER AND CONSERVATION FOR THE DAIRY CATTLE

Pasture: Is an area of grazing livestock e.g. cattle, grass legumes and other type of plants grow in the pasture. A good pasture for dairy cattle has only grass and legumes mixture grown.

Qualities of good pasture grass and legumes

         Should be liked by livestock i.e. palatability.

         Have a good proportion of 1protein in leaves (protein content)

         Should be able to grow rapidly and suppress weeds and drought resistance.

         Should persist as pasture for a period (long) i.e. long life span and be able to produce a lot of leaves.

         Should have the ability to re grow quickly after grazing and should have pests (host plants) which can affect animals.

Types

a)      Temporary pasture: This is a land on which grassland (legumes) are green for a certain period in order to graze, just for several years after which the land is cultivated. Grass and Legumes are planted in alternation with arable crop called LAY FARMING.

b)      Permanent pasture: This is a land on which grassland (legumes) grow continuously year to year grazing is done in padlock.

Management of Pastures:

Involve

         Fencing the pastures

         Planting shade trees or building shades

         Planting suitable grass

         Making fire breaks along the border

         Providing water troughs

         Application of fertilizers on pastures.

CONSERVATION: In wet season grass and legumes can be harvested and preserved as:

                     i.            Hay: Guinea grass, Guatemala grass and Rhode grass can be cut dried and tied up as hay.

                   ii.            Silage: Green fodder (e.g. plant stocks) legumes can be preserved in a pit called SILO and later used silage.

DISEASES

A.      INFECTIOUS DISEASES

1)      RINDERPEST: Highly contagious and infectious viral disease affecting mucus membrane of the alimentary canal.

         In East Africa the cases are becoming rare due to routine vaccination. A killer disease

Symptoms:

         High fever over 40c, severe dullness and loss of appetite- Running nose, constipation.

         Profuse diarrhea and blood stained faces- Mouth and nose will be not with fast breathing.

         Rapid dehydration resulting in emaciation with sunken eyes.

Control:

         No treatment- Vaccination of all cattle from about 1year immunity last 3-6months.

         Affected animals and whole herd must be slaughtered.

         Quarantine wherever there is out break.

2)      FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE (FMD)

         Highly contagious and infectious viral disease affecting mucus membrane of the mouth.

         The disease is very severe in cattle and pigs but mild in sheep and goats.

         Is an endemic disease in East Africa and killer of exotic breeds but not zebu

Symptoms:

         Fever, dullness and loss of appetite.

         Loss in milk production and emaciation.

         Profuse and continuous salvation in mouth.

         Wounds or blisters on tongue and gums.

         Death may occur or animals get thin till recovery

Control

         No treatment

         Vaccination every month

         Quarantine

         Slaughtering of affected animals.

Other diseases: Pneumonia, Anthrax, Calibaciuosis or scours, Black Quarter.

3)      MASILISLS:

Cause: Mainly Bacteria streptococcus and staphylococcus groups.

Effects: Affect the mammary glands of mammals.

Symptoms: Milk containing blood turn watery, swollen reddish udder and teats, death may occur.

Control:

         Treats early cases with antibiotics given through teat canal.

         Milk out teats and massage with hot water.

4)      FOOT ROT:

Cause: Bacterium: Fusiffomos spp

Effect: Attack leaves of all animals

Symptoms: Swollen and painful hoof, making animal go limb. Part of hoof may contain pus and smell rotten.

Control:

         reat with antibiotics

         Provide foot bath with CuSo4

         Routine streaming and examination of feet

         Isolate the animal.

         Trim properly and remove the affected part of rotten hoof.

VECTOR TRANSMITTED DISEASES

5)      TRYPANOSOMIASIS (EAST COAST FEVER/ NAGANA):

Cause: Protozoa by tsetse fly. Effect: Causing steeping sickness diseases.

Symptoms:

         Fever, dullness and loss of appetite

         Marked anemia, resulting in licking of soil.

         Swollen lymph node

         Death may occur

         Emaciation

Control:-Provide drugs e.g. Barenil, anticide, Somara etc Used for prevention and cure.

         Control tsetse fly by bush cleaning.

6)      HEART WATER:

Cause: Tick-borne disease Anibyloccina ssp

Effect: Causing: Ricketier disease

Symptoms:

         Fever of 39c-41c dullness and loss of appetite.

         Animals more in cycle become restless. Placing their heads against hard objects and eyelids twisted.

         When it falls the legs leap in the air.

Control:

         Treat early cases with tetra cyclone antibiotic

         Ticks control by routine dipping.