Producing Milk
Mike Gamroth
Dept. of Animal Sciences
Oregon State University
Tonight...
Background on dairy industry
Basics for milk production
Milk production cycle
Nutrition
Breeding
Health
Management and Facilities
Dairy products
A few dairy facts...
Man first used milk about 9,000 BC
First cows at Jamestown in 1609, most
came in 18th and early 19th centuries
Most milk was produced as “town” milk
before WWII
35% is drank, 30% is cheese, 18% is
butter and milk powder
Trends in the dairy
industry
Fewer, but larger, herds
More milk production out West
More milk per cow
More specialized equipment and services
Business concerns more important than
husbandry concerns
General background
Most milk in U.S. is from dairy cows
Some goat dairies producing locally
Sheep milk production rare
Even water buffalo milk has a market
Cow and Goat terminology
The animal
Breeds
Nubian, Saanan, Toggenberg for goats
Goats and sheep are 1/10th a cow
Most important...Stop me and ask
questions!
Milk economics
Price for raw cow’s milk is about $14/cwt.
$.14/lb = $.28 per quart
Costs about equal now for milk producer
Price for producer/distributor about 3x,
more for dairy products
Niche markets, processing can increase
income and even out production with
demand
Annual Dairy Income
About $270 per doe
from milk
About $10-$15 per
doe manure fertilizer
value
Dairy Costs (% of totals)
About 50% is feeds
10-15% paid labor
8-10% interest
(20% inc. payback)
10% rearing
replacements
Some basic biology
80% of production comes from the
environment
feed, facilities, health, management
20% comes from genetics
This is a year-round enterprise
Income and production tell you how
you’re doing all the time
Basic needs
Housing - protect from rainfall, mud, heat
Milking area - milk area, processing?,
storage?
Feed supply and storage
Manure handling
Labor - 24, 7, 365
Money – big investment
Milk synthesis
The alveoli - making it all possible
Milk synthesis
The alveoli - making it all possible
Keeping the factory working
Nutrients, including water
Animal health and comfort
Mastitis!
The Ideal Lactation Cycle
…the key to efficient milk
production with any animal.
Ideal lactation cycle
Milk Production
Milk
Dry
Week of Lactation
Ideal lactation cycle
Dry Matter Intake
Milk Production
DMI
Milk
Dry
Week of Lactation
Ideal lactation cycle
Dry Matter Intake
Milk Production
DMI
Milk
Body weight change
Week of Lactation
Dry
Nutrition - Feeding
Milk producers can use lots of forage
Must supply maintenance needs plus…
Needs for growth and production
Feeds
Forages
grass hay
grass pasture
grass silage
alfalfa hay
alfalfa silage
clover
corn silage
Supplements
grains for energy
protein supplements
minerals
vitamins
pre-mixed feeds
liquid feeds
and water
National Research Council
Tables of
requirements for
different sizes, ages,
production
Description of
deficiencies
Tables of average
nutrient content of
common feedstuffs
Other sources
Feed and forage
analysis
For example...
We find our goat needs 16% protein in
the daily ration
We analyze our hay and it tests 14%
protein
How much 18% protein grain do we need
to feed to meet the protein requirement?
14%
2 parts
16%
18%
2 parts
Another example...
We find our doe needs 16% protein in the
daily ration
Same hay. We want to feed 3.5 lb/day
What level of protein do we need in 1.2
pounds of grain we are going to feed?
4.7 lb @ 16% = .75 lb protein req’d
3.5 lb @ 14% = .49 lb protein in hay
.26 lb needed
.26 lb needed / 1.2 lb grain = 21.6% in grain
Breeding
Sheep and goats are
seasonal breeders
Select bucks from the
highest producing
female
estrus or heat
detection very
important when
lactating
Estrus detection
The estrous cycle is 18-21 days in sheep
and goats generally in the fall only
Estrus lasts about 18 hours
animal restless, maybe off feed, standing to
be ridden by another, maybe a discharge,
tailhead disturbed
Breed near the end of estrus
Genetics -
a word or two
Most traits are heritable
Just remember only 20% expressed
Try to improve one or two
Trying to change everything at once reduces
genetic progress
Call the Vet...
Don’t wait too long
Observe the animal first
take its temperature
monitor feed intake
respirations per minute?
motion?
discharges?
other abnormalities
Producing quality milk
Keep healthy animals
Handle milk carefully
in glass or stainless steel
cover
cool immediately
Maintain clean equipment
Clean equipment
Chlorinated
alkaline detergent
to remove protein
and sugers
Concentrated acid
solution rinse or
soak to remove
minerals and
“milkstone”
Chlorine or Iodine solutions
for sanitizing before milking
Clean equipment
TEMPERATURE
hot water for
detergent
TIME
soak and scrub
CONCENTRATION
appropriate amount of
chemical
watch water hardness
ACTION
it takes some elbow
grease
Dairy product manufacture
Start with quality milk
Maintain exceptionally clean facility
Always pasteurize
Recipes and techniques in a
variety of books
Start small and test to develop
your best product
A word about manure...
Nitrate, bacteria,
and phosphorus
can spoil our water
More public and
agency awareness
It is not toxic
waste, but handle
it safely
Storing manure properly
Keep it high and
dry
100’ from water
on dry soil or
concrete
under cover
divert other
water away
Questions?
http://outlands.tripod.com/farm/national_goat_handbook.pdf