The milk produced by dairy cows can amount to a very large quantity in a lifetime. At approximately 40 – 60 days after calving, milk production peaks subsequently. Once the milking comes to a stop at around ten months, milk production decreases steadily. The cow dries off for 60 days before the cow is ready to calf all over again. The milking lasts for 305 days to 10 months in an inter-calving cycle of 12 to 14 months. Some cow breeds can produce more milk compared to others. These breeds can put out from 6,800 to 17,000 kg of milk per year.
Why Dairy Cows are Being Slaughtered
The economic productivity of the dairy cows can last for a succession of lactation cycles. A dairy cow can be considered productive for as long as ten cycles. The possibility that a cow can be culled is still high; on average, a cow is culled just after three lactation cycles.
Four major reasons contribute to the slaughter of 90% of all cows:
- Infertility
An infertile cow fails to conceive and produces milk in a reduced quantity. The most common causes of infertility are uterine infection, metritis or luteal cysts, and the afterbirth failure to expel following a pregnancy.
Mastitis is a mammary gland infection that is persistent and fatal. The infection will cause an increase in somatic cell counts and loss of production. The condition is indicated by the infected udder parts getting reddish and swelled. Long-acting antibiotics may be employed; however, the milk produced can’t be sold until the drugs leave the system.
- Lameness
Loss of production and infertility can stem from problems with the leg and persistent foot infection. The cow’s rumen may rise in acidity due to high feed levels with high digestible carb contents. The results would be laminitis and lameness. This condition leads to the cow being prone to foot infections and problems made worse by unattended feces and waterlogged areas.
- Production
Some dairy cows can be slaughtered from the fact that they don’t have high enough productivity levels to justify the costs it takes to feed them. Milk production of less than 12-15 liter is considered not economically viable.
How Comfort Correlates to Milk Production
The longevity of the dairy cows is closely tied to the levels of production. Cows of low production levels tend to live longer than those of high levels. Still, the former is considered less profitable. Cows that are no longer usable, especially in terms of milk production, can be slaughtered accordingly. Their meat is of low quality and, as such, is used for processed products. Stress is another factor that leads to low milk production.
Exactly how does comfort affect the milk production by the cows? The health of the cow and the comfort levels of the dairy cows are related to how the cows lie down, ruminate, and eat. Milk production is also negatively affected by discomfort, disease, and stress.
The farmer is then responsible for maintaining good care so that the cows can observe an increase in eating habits and rumination practice as well as feel comfortable when lying down, have manageable stress levels, prevent diseases, and reduce discomfort. Once all of these factors are met, the cows can be improved in their productivity. Other behaviors such as mounting can be taken as an indication of the cow being comfortable.
Why Dairy Cows Love Lying Down
The feeding behavior of the dairy cows is important to take note of. Feeding is how dry matters are ingested by the cows. The cows will then have to regurgitate the feed for it to be fully digested, in a process called rumination. This practice ensures healthy rumen, and cows with healthy rumen are known to be more highly profitable than those without.
One typical habit of the dairy cows would be their motivation to lie down. They will opt for a good session of lying down for 6 hours following a meal as this form makes for easy rumination. When they lie down, blood flows to the mammary gland, ensuring higher milk production.
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