Brief Report on farm visit
Date of visit: 4th June 2015
Farm Name: Blomfontein Coenraad and Candice de Jongh
Number of cows: 300 jersey cows – all year round calving
Main observations:
 30 aside swing over HB shed
 Pasture plus 5 – 7 kg concentrate depending on production and maize silage along fence to
reduce pasture damage when wet
 3 women milking – 10 cups each – pre and post dip teats
 Very little lameness, but some white line and axial cracks
 Handling of cows on tracks and in milking parlour very, very gentle. Cows are unafraid of
handlers – totally voluntary cow flow and low pressure on track and in milking yard.
 Any cow with problems separated and fed close to the shed
Recommendations:
Basically because the herding of the cows is so gentle nothing needs to be changed! However,
because of plans to increase cow numbers I suggest the following to help both your staff and cows
cope with longer milking times.
 Reshape the walkways for the 100 metres starting at the milking yard as described in the
notes from the large herds conference (base, camber, top layer, drainage)
 Your collecting yards together are well designed for one larger herd because jersey cows
need only 1.3 sq metres per cow.
 At the right angle bend on the exit race the cows walk down a slope. Cow flow round the
bend would be improved with 3 steps. Ideally the steps should be 80 cm long and a
maximum of 10 cm rise.
 The handling crush would be much more comfortable (and safer) for the cow and the
person treating with a simple modification Move the gate back so that the upright bar
behind the cow is 2100 mm from the head lock. Put a gate on both sides so that the left
foot is lifted to the left and the right foot to the right. A wide strap with a quick release
buckle at one end underneath the chest will support the cow that may go down during
treatment.
 Rubber matting of the floor of the milking parlour would make longer milkings with the
larger herd so much more comfortable for the ladies.
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