Chapter 2: Breeds and Life
Cycles of Livestock and Poultry
Unit 2b: Dairy Life Cycle - history
and general production of dairy cattle
Dairy Cattle in the Americas:
• 1607: Virginia colony, all eaten
• 1611: Jamestown colony, survival!
• 1625: Dutch colonies; herds began
Dairy Cattle Genealogy:
• Genus: Bos
• Species: taurus(typicus)
– Common term: bovine
– All 6 major US breeds come from
European stock
Historical Perspectives:
• Early American dairy cattle were dual and
triple purpose
– Milk
– Meat
– Draft labor
• Dairy herds developed around population
centers for ease of delivery of fresh product
Dairy Cattle Numbers, 2000
State:
California
Number of
farms:
2,500
Number of
dairy cows:
1,523,000
Production
per cow:
21,169
Wisconsin
21,000
1,344,000
17,306
New York
7,900
686,000
17,386
Pennsylvania
10,700
617,000
18,081
Minnesota
8,500
534,000
17,777
US Total:
105,250
9,210,000
18,204
Dairy Life Cycle: Calving
• Year-round calving is most common
in the US to promote a steady flow of
milk for sale
• Some seasonal calving utilized to
reduce milking and calving in the
coldest months or to support grazingbased systems
• Gestation in cattle is about 9 months
Newborn Calf Management:
• Birth weight: 60-100 pounds
• Colostrum feeding - hand feeding compared
to beef nursing
• Weaning from dam - within first day as
compared to 7 months for beef
• Navel dipping - antiseptic solution
• Identification - begin record keeping
Colostrum Feeding:
• The first milk produced by the cow around
the time of calving
• Concentrated in preformed antibodies
• Provides passive immunity to the calf
• Should be received within an hour of birth
• Colostrum often bottle fed to assure
consumption
Other Contrasts to Beef:
• After colostrum, calves are fed reconstituted
milk-replacer and weaned from milk at
approximately one month of age
• Calves are raised in hutches or specialized
calf facilities
Calf Management: First Month
• Horn removal - if not genetically polled
• Males are generally sold at one day of age
to specialty growers for beef production
• Castrate - bull calves for beef will be
castrated in the first week to month of age
Female Replacements:
• Goal 1: first calf by 2 years of age
– Selected females will be bred at about 15
months of age
• Goal 2: 12 month calving intervals
– Rebred by 90 days post-calving
– Full maturity reached at about 5-6 years
12 Month Production Cycle:
• Lactation is initiated by calving
• Standard lactation period: 10 months
– Peak production reached at 45 days
• Dry period: 2 months
– Cessation of production and rebuilding of body
stores and mammary gland
• Lactation is reinitiated by calving
Dairy Bulls:
• Compared to beef:
–
–
–
–
Pre-selected via planned matings
Very few bull calves selected
AI organizations (“bull studs”) predominate
Feedlot performance not tested (USA)