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Milk Production
30
UNIT 5ANIMAL HUSBANDRY PRACTICESAND HEALTH CARE
Structure
5.0Objectives5.1Introduction5.2Management of Down Calvers and Calf Raising
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Care and Management of Down Calver Cows and Buffaloes
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Care and Management of Calf at the time of Birth.
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Management and Feeding Practices for Growing Calves.
5.3Heifer Management and Feeding Practices5.4Breeding Management of Dairy Animals
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Sexual Maturity and Onset of Estrus cycle
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Symptoms of Heat and Heat Detection
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Artificial Insemination and Time of Breeding
5.5Management and Feeding Practices for Milking Cows and Buffaloes5.6Management and Feeding Practices for Dry Cows and Buffaloes5.7Healthcare Practices of Dairy Animals
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Signs of Ill-Health.
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Common Diseases and their Control Measures
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Vaccination for the Prevention of Diseases
5.8Let Us Sum Up5.9Key Words5.10Some Useful Books5.11Answers to Check Your Progress
5.0OBJECTIVES
After reading this unit, we shall be able to:
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describe the management and feeding practices of dairy calves, heifers, milkingand dry cows and buffaloes.
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explain the estrus cycle, symptoms of heat, methods of heat detection andartificial insemination in dairy animals.
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outline the common diseases of dairy animals and measures for their preventionand control.
5.1INTRODUCTION
The animal husbandry or the rearing of animals for their economic utilization is asold as human civilization. The Neolithic (New Stone Age) man first domesticatedthe various present-day animal species and started practicing animal husbandry.Under domestication, the animals are dependent on humans for their sustenanceand performance. They need to be provided with appropriate levels of feeding,suitable housing, breeding, timely healthcare and management so as to obtain desiredproductivity.The cattle and buffaloes are the two major milk producing species in India. Thecattle initially domesticated primarily as draft animal and later on some of the cattlebreeds were developed as milch animals through selection. The buffalo, thoughdomesticated much later, is the most important milk producing species in India.
 
31Together they contribute more than 95 per cent of 91.1 million tonnes of milk currently produced in India. Therefore, their feeding, housing, healthcare and routinemanagement based on scientific recommended practices is essential for obtaininghigher profit from dairy farming. The care and management of a dairy farm startswith the birth of a healthy calf. The healthy female calves born have to be fed andcared well to grow at a faster rate and become a producing cow or buffalo at anearly age. Once in production, the dairy animals are managed for breeding regularlyand to produce milk at higher level so that their rearing becomes profitable to thedairy farmer.
5.2MANAGEMENT OF DOWN CALVERS AND CALFRAISING
The dairy farming starts with the birth of a healthy and vigorous calf. The care of calf starts in the womb of cow itself. The cows during last 6-8 weeks of pregnancy,called “down calvers” become slow and gentle separating themselves from thegeneral herd and avoid fights so as to guard against any injury to the fetus insidethe womb. Therefore, the advanced pregnant cows especially during the last 15days of pregnancy need special care and attention of the dairyman.
i. Care and Management of Down Calver Cows and Buffaloes
a)
Shifting the cows and buffaloes to the calving pens:
The advance pregnantcows should be separated from the general herd and should be shifted toindividual calving pens (maternity pens) about 1 to 2 weeks before the expecteddate of calving. The keeping of down calver cows and buffaloes individually incalving pens provide the pregnant cows with better climatic protection and thedisturbance from other cows is avoided. The cows in these pens are givenindividual attention and kept under the watch round the clock. These pens canbe disinfected which prevent chances of infection gaining entry at the time of calving. Chances of contamination of the general herd by infected cows andhealthy cows contacting diseases of genital tract are minimized.Small farmers who have only one or two animals must tie the cow in advancedpregnancy separately in a clean area where it will not be disturbed. Good strawbedding should be provided. In farms where abortions and calf diseases arecommon, the calving pen should be sterilized regularly. The floor and wallsshould be scraped and scrubbed with 4 per cent washing soda in hot water anddisinfected before the cows are brought in. Once in the calving pen, the cowsshould be provided a good quality laxative feed and ample amount of cleandrinking water.b)
Care at calving:
The cow should be kept under constant watch for the signsof parturition like swelling of the udder, swelling of the vulva and drooping awayligaments around the tail head. At the first sign of calving, the first two forefeet followed by the muzzle will appear after the water bag has burst. Birthusually takes place 2 to 4 hours. If the labour prolongs for more than fourhours, abnormal presentation may be suspected and veterinary aid may becalled for immediately.After parturition wash the udder and hindquarters with lukewarm watercontaining an antiseptic and dry with a clean cloth. Watch for the expulsion of afterbirth (placenta). It will be expelled within 2 to 4 hours after the calving.If it is not expelled within 8 to 12 hours, help of a veterinarian may be sought.
ii. Care and Management of Calf at Birth
a)
Attending to the newly born calf:
Immediately after the birth of the calf, allphlegm (mucus) sticking in the nostrils, mouth and on the body should beremoved and the calf should be wiped dry with a clean cloth. Normally the calf starts respiration immediately after birth on its own. However, sometimes the
Animal HusbandryPractices andHealth Care
 
Milk Production
32respiratory tract of the calf may be blocked by mucus and the calf may notstart breathing. Under this situation, hold the calf head down by lifting itholding the back. The mucus may flow off and the calf may start breathing.The new born calf should be protected from inclement weather conditionsespecially during winter months and be provided with plenty of dry bedding likestraw.b)
Disinfecting the navel cord:
The navel of the calf should be painted withantiseptics like tincture of iodine soon after birth to prevent infection gainingentry through the navel. If the umbilical cord is not broken, a ligature may beput 2-3 cm away from the body with a sterile thread and cut 1 cm distal tothe ligature with a clean sterile scissors. A small amount of antiseptic lotionmay be painted at the cut end and protected from flies.c)
Colostrum feeding:
The calf should be fed with colostrum (first milk of cowafter calving) for the first 3 to 4 days of its birth. The feeding of colostrum isvery essential as the antibodies present in colostrum provide passive immunityto the calf against many diseases. It should be fed within half to one hour afterbirth of the calf at the rate of 1/10 of its body weight per day. In conditionswhere there are no facilities to weigh the calf, a quantity of 2.5-3.0 kg colostrumper day per calf may be offered. So as to reduce the feeding and labour costs,the calves of crossbred cows may be weaned at birth and maintained in anindividual pen for the first few weeks. In case weaning is not practiced, thecalves should be allowed to suckle for 5 minutes 4-5 times a day.
iii. Management and Feeding Practices for Growing Calves
The husbandry practices and feeding of the calves born at the farm are aimed atattaining a higher rate of growth with a lower morbidity and mortality.a)
Management practices:
The new-born calves should be provided withindividual housing for 4-6 weeks after birth for better protection and care.These houses should have the provision for warming in winter season andcooling in summer season along with the provision of a good bedding on thefloors. Later on they may be kept in small groups. The new born calves aregiven an identification number during the first 3-4 days generally by tattooingthe number in the left ear or by tagging. At large farms, dehorning of crossbredcalves may be done by removing the horn buds with an electric dehornerwithin 1 to 2 weeks of birth. Any extra teats present on the udder of femalecalves called “supernumerary teats” are removed within first 1 to 2 monthsafter birth.b)
Feeding of growing calves:
The feeding of weaned calves after initialcolostrum period shall be as per the following feeding schedule: (Table 5.1)
Table 5.1: Feeding schedule for calvesAgeWhole milkSkim milkConcentrateGreen foddermixture (kg)
5-30 days1/10
th
b.wt*.———1-2 month1/15
th
b.wt.1/25
th
b.wt.0.120
ad libitum
2-3 months1/25
th
b.wt.1/15
th
b.wt.0.250-do-3-4 month—6.5 kg0.650-do-4-5 month—6.5 kg1.000-do-5-6 month—5.0 kg1.500-do-
* body weight
of 00

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