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A comprehensive and thoroughly revised text on dairy science that contains information on the most recent developments


The fully updated third edition of Understanding the Dairy Cow explores the scientific principles that provide a foundation for understanding the animal's body system. The comprehensive text also reveals how to properly manage dairy cattle with economic efficiency whilst taking into consideration the cow's welfare.


The revised new edition contains expanded coverage on topics including insight into cow behaviour and welfare, genetic selection indices, new strategies for control of mastitis and lameness and information on the overworked cow. It also contains the most recent developments in breeding, nutrition and management.





Is an authoritative text on the dairy cow that covers a wide-ranging subject area including the science, disease and husbandry

Presents the information and knowledge necessary for the efficient and humane management of cows

Includes expanded coverage on a variety of topics such as cow behaviour and welfare, and genetic selection indices

Highlights major new developments in the field



Covering both the basics and recent developments in dairy science, Understanding the Dairy Cow 3rd Edition is ideal for students in agriculture and veterinary science and for professionals working in the complex business of dairy farming.

Understanding the Dairy Cow 3rd Edition

Acknowledgements xiii





Preface to the Third Edition xiv





About the Companion Website xvi





Part I How the Cow Works 1





1 Introduction - The Dairy Cow of Today 3





Milk as Food 6





Nutrient Supply 7





Healthy Digestion 8





Taste and Appetite 9





Do no Harm 9





Biological Efficiency of Milk Production 10





Milk Production: Species and Breed Comparisons 11





Efficiency of Feed Conversion to Milk, Eggs and Meat: Competitive and Complementary Feeds 12





Behaviour and Welfare 14





2 Digestion and Metabolism 18





Structure of the Digestive Tract 18





Eating and Rumination 22





Grazing 22





Salivation 23





Rumen Movements 23





Rumination 25





Digestion 26





Fermentation of Carbohydrates in the Rumen 28





Utilization of Metabolizable Energy for Maintenance and Production 31





Digestion of Crude Protein 32





Microbial Protein Synthesis 35





Truly Absorbed Amino Nitrogen 37





Urea Recycling 38





Digestion of Lipids 38





Absorption and Secretion of Minerals 39





Calcium Exchange 41





Appetite and Food Intake 42





3 Reproduction and Lactation 45





Anatomy of the Female Reproductive Tract 45





Follicle Development and Ovulation 45





The Oestrus Cycle 49





Puberty 49





Fertilisation 50





Pregnancy 51





Placental Transfer and Foetal Nutrition 53





Parturition 53





Dystocia 55





Lactation 56





Anatomy of the Udder 56





Milk Yield 58





Extended Lactations 59





Hormonal Control of Lactation 60





Reproduction in the Male 61





4 Environment, Behaviour and Welfare 64





Environmental Needs 64





Behaviour 65





Physical Comfort 66





Thermal Comfort 68





Sensible Heat Loss 68





Evaporative Heat Loss 69





Metabolic Heat Production 71





Climate, Production and Welfare 73





Tropical Climates 73





Cold Climates 74





Security and Social Behaviour 74





Sexual and Maternal Behaviour 75





Behaviour as an Indicator of Welfare 76





Part II Feeding the Dairy Cow 77





5 Nutrition: Supply and Demand 79





Nutrient Requirements and Responses 81





Nutrient Allowances for the Lactating Cow 84





Mineral Requirements 88





Nutritive Value of Feeds 90





Ration Formulation 93





Prediction of Food Intake 93





Assessment of an Existing Ration 94





Feeding Plans for Dairy Cows 95





Inputs 95





Outputs 96





Allowances for Growing Heifers 97





6 Feeds and Feeding Strategies 99





Pasture 100





Grazing Strategies 102





Legumes 104





Grass Silage 104





Dry Matter 105





Metabolisable Energy 106





Protein 106





Silage Additives 107





Hay 107





Straw 108





Ensiled Whole-crop Cereals 108





Other Green Feeds 109





Root Crops 109





Cereals 109





By-products 111





Oilseed Cakes and Meals 111





Miscellaneous By-products 113





Sugar Beet Pulp 113





Maize Gluten 113





Brewers' and Distillers' Grains 114





Wheat Bran 114





Balancing Forages and Concentrates 114





Feeding Strategies 117





Feeding to Yield 117





Total Mixed Rations and Flat Rate Feeding 119





7 Feeding Problems and Metabolic Diseases 121





Feeding Problems 123





Rumen Acidosis 123





Abomasal Disorders 125





Bloat 126





Metabolic Disorders 127





Ketosis 127





Prevention and Treatment 129





Parturient Hypocalcaemia ('Milk Fever') 130





Prevention and Treatment 131





The Downer Cow 132





Hypomagnesaemic Tetany (Grass Staggers) 133





Prevention and Treatment 135





Other Mineral Deficiencies 136





Phosphorus 136





Copper and Molybdenum 137





Cobalt 138





Selenium 138





Vitamin Deficiencies 139





Vitamin A 139





Vitamin D 140





Vitamin E 140





Last Words on Minerals and Vitamins 141





Part III Housing Health and Management 143





8 Healthy and Humane Housing and Handling 145





Accommodation 145





The Cow House 146





Cubicle Design 150





The Cubicle Bed 153





Passageways 154





Calving and Isolation Boxes 154





Heifer Yards 156





Handling Facilities 156





Lameness 157





Conditions that Cause Lameness 159





Sole Haemorrhage and Sole Ulcers 159





White Line Disease 161





Digital Dermatitis 161





Interdigital Necrobacillosis 'Foul' 162





Aseptic Laminitis, 'Founder' 162





Risk Factors for Lameness 162





Transport and Slaughter 164





Loading and Unloading 164





The Journey 165





A Gentle Death 166





9 Milking and Mastitis 168





The Milking Machine 171





The Milking Parlour 174





Hygiene in the Milking Parlour 174





Mastitis 175





Indicators of Mastitis 176





Contagious Mastitis 177





Environmental Mastitis 178





Summer Mastitis 180





Dry Cow Therapy 181





10 Miscellaneous Maladies 182





Signs of Disease 183





Sudden Death 183





Drooling 185





Abdominal Symptoms 186





Nervous Symptoms 187





Fever 187





Inappetence and Anorexia 188





Notifiable Diseases 189





Bovine Tuberculosis 191





Foot and Mouth Disease 192





Other Infectious Diseases 193





Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD) 193





Johne's Disease 194





Salmonellosis 194





Leptospirosis 195





Parasitic Diseases 195





Part IV Breeding and Fertility 197





11 Breeding 199





Selection Criteria 202





Genomic Selection 206





Sexed Semen 206





Cow Selection 207





Beef Bulls 209





12 Fertility 211





Fertility Management 212





Behaviour at Oestrus 212





Aids to Oestrus Detection 213





Synchronisation of Oestrus 216





Time of Insemination 217





Pregnancy Diagnosis 217





Rebreeding 219





Infertility 219





Ovarian Dysfunction 220





Uterine Disorders 221





Retained Placenta 221





Endometritis 222





Early Foetal Death 222





Abortion 223





Nutrition and Infertility 223





Condition Score at Calving? 225





Condition Score at the Time for Rebreeding? 225





Milk Yields in Early and Mid-lactation? 225





How Well Does Nutrient Supply Match Requirements? 226





Transition Management 226





Part V Cows, People and the Environment 229





13 Cows, People and the Living Environment 231





Most of Those who can Consume Too Much Meat and Milk 232





Food We Could Eat is Fed to Animals While the Poor Grow Hungry 233





Intensive Livestock Production is Incompatible with Animal Welfare 233





Livestock's Long Shadow is Destroying the Planet 235





Methane Production and Climate Change 237





Pollution from Dairy Units 238





Alternative Husbandry Systems 240





Organic Dairy Farming 240





Traditional and Village Systems 241





Fair Play for Cows, People and the Planet 242





Herd Health and Welfare 242





Herd Health Management 243





Animal Welfare: Quality Assurance and Quality Control 243





Further Reading 247





Index 252