MANAGING DAIRY PASTURE FOR MAXIMISING CATTLE GROWTH RATES

INTRODUCTION

The final module on my five-year degree is Farming and Production and it started with studying the link between pasture management and the maximisation of cattle growth rates.  What I call the human factor is all important in our profession: veterinary medicine is not just about animal health; we have to consider human needs as well. Such needs may be those of the beef farmer wanting to know how best to maximize growth rates in his animals, or the dairy farmer with the same issue. One of the things that has always interested me is the need for collaboration between our profession in that of biology. Today I was introduced to a new opportunity for coolaboration - that between veterinarians, agronomists and animal scientists. These three professions come together over the issue of farm pasture management, because animal production is associated with forage plant management, which in turn is associated with soil management. Soil management begins with soil analyses.

MANAGING YOUR PASTURE

This article was written from my class notes and is meant as thinking-through exercise for me a\nd na awareness-raising tool for farmers and country enthusiasts. One of the farmer's first considerations when reforming his or her pasture is soil preparation. Soil analyses are mostly done prior to fertilising and to test for aluminium concentrations. There are three types of fertilization.

• Fertlizing to correct mineral deficiencies.
• Fertilizing the sward to boost growth of the forage plant.
• Maintenance fertilizing.

The forage plant type should be chosen according to climate and regional soil type. To maximize animal growth the farmer needs to consider the forage plant's nutritional value, that is, its chemical composition and digestibility. Also, you need to consider the forage plant type's resistence to pests and disease.

Planning a Milking Parlour

This needs to include the size, ease of cleaning and how many cows are going to be milked at any one time. Organisation and management is what is important in dairy farming.  In principle it is not difficult, but it may be difficult to get labour.

Other Considerations: Calving.

It is well known that calving generally occurs between 4 and 6 am. The cow should be brought close to the farmhouse to make watching her easy. The farmer should not breed his cow at the first oestrous. She is still developing in many diferente ways and you could lower her - and the calf's - life span,  Colostrum can be given naturally or as a supplement. The colostrum provides the protein for the cow's defence system. The colostrum provides three functions: a Strong imune system for the calf, nutrition and somatogeny - hormones and growth factors.

CONCLUSION

There is more - a lot more - to this subject. But I thought I would take the opportunity to note these tips on the blog - translated from a class given in Brazilian Portuguese, because they struck me as being so useful and importante. If so much as one tip given here has raised a farmer's awareness and is considered useful, then this article will have served its purpose.