Dairy
September
1999
Evaluation of the Milking Process
Bovine Production Services
Starkville, MS
The activities within the milking center of a dairy enterprise are among the most critical to the success of the operation. Excellence in the milking process is vitally important because it is the harvest of a food product for human consumption, it involves cow/human interaction which has the potential to increase disease risk to the cow, and it occurs with great frequency.
Many dairies carry out this process literally twenty-four hours per day. But even on those farms that do not milk cows on such an intense schedule, the milking process is one of the functions of greatest duration and frequency. The milking machinery on any dairy is likely the most heavily used equipment on the farm.
Evaluation and correction of the milking process is an important element in a successful udder health-monitoring program. Errors in procedure, which increase the cows' risk of new infection, can quickly become part of the milking routine because of the repetitive nature of the job. Additionally, malfunctions in the milking equipment may go unnoticed by the milking staff and yet cause significant risk to the cows.
Records Evaluation The use of records can prove to be a valuable part of an udder health-monitoring program. Interpretation of objective data in records can reveal information about new infection rate, chronic infection, historical patterns, seasonal trends, effects of group changes, and possible bacteria types. Furthermore, objective data in records often clarifies or explains the subjective data received from the on-farm management team. Data for evaluation can come from a variety of sources. Records from DHIA, processor data, farm treatment logs, and culturing data all serve as important sources of information which should be monitored regularly.
Milking Procedure Evaluating the milking procedure is a task which involves monitoring all aspects of the milking routine over a period of time - usually hours rather than minutes. The use of video equipment to assess procedure has been used successfully to spot problems in the routine.
The milking procedure evaluation focuses on four main areas: sanitation, pre-milking preparation, milking procedures, and post-milking procedures. Critical points to consider are overall cleanliness and orderliness, adequate coverage and contact time of pre-dip, effective drying of the teats, consistent timing from start of preparation to attachment, proper alignment of milking unit, vacuum shut-off before removal, and complete coverage with an effective post-dip.
Common problems in the milking procedure include poor hygiene, milking wet or damp udders, inadequate application of pre-dip or post-dip, and over milking.
Milking Equipment Evaluation of the milking equipment to ensure proper function requires a good understanding of the components of the system and their functions. Additionally, some specialized equipment is necessary such as a vacuum recorder and an airflow meter.
Equipment evaluation includes three main components: reviewing the layout of system components, measuring vacuum and airflow at various points in the system and under different circumstances to determine efficiency and adequacy, and measuring dynamic milking time functions to assess vacuum stability and proper pulsation.
Frequently encountered problems with milking equipment include malfunctioning pulsators, limited-life products such as hoses or liners which need to be changed, inefficiently plumbed systems, regulators in the wrong location, and dirty filters.
Conclusion The importance of regular monitoring of the milking process is well known. However, relatively few dairymen routinely have extensive evaluations of procedure and equipment performed on their farm. As you continue to strive for improvement in milk quality and udder health, now might be a good time to review your milking process.
MSU College of Veterinarian Medicine
Dystocia or difficult birth occurs when labor is prolonged and assistance is required for delivery. There are no clear boundaries between dystocia and normal birth, but some guidelines based on time and progress of the delivery may help the producer in deciding when to intervene. I have divided the calving process into two stages of labor and included some intervention techniques for each stage.
Before assisting cows and heifers during the birth process, a designated maternity area and adequate facilities are needed. The ideal maternity area should be dry and clean (preferably pasture) and provide shade and/or cooling for cows, especially at calving. Facilities should be available so cows can be restrained for vaginal examinations and birth assistance, if needed. These facilities should have a headlock, grooved concrete flooring and a water source. Storage space for obstetrical equipment and supplies is also useful.
Labor: Stage 1 The first stage of labor signals the beginning of delivery and is characterized by the progressive relaxation and dilation of the cervix. Once first stage of labor begins you should check the animal visually every hour for progress. At the end of the first stage of labor the cervix and the vagina will be a continuous canal.
Visual signs associated with the first stage of labor are more pronounced in first calf heifers and are generally associated with abdominal discomfort. They include restlessness, shifting of the weight from one rear foot to the other, an arched back and an extended tail. In most cases the cow or heifer will seek solitude from the rest of the herd. Rupturing of the chorioallantois (breaking water) may be the most accurate sign of the end of the Stage 1 and the beginning of Stage 2 of labor.
The length of the first stage is usually six hours, but can take up to 12 hours for first calf heifers. As a general rule, if a heifer has been in Stage 1 for six hours with no progression toward calving she should be checked. Older animals should be checked if no progress has been made after four hours of Stage 1 labor.
Vaginal Examination Procedures
- Thoroughly clean the vulva, anus and pin bones with soap and water.
- Wash hands and arms with soap and water before the examination.
- Apply obstetrical lubricants such as J-lube or use mineral oil or Vaseline when performing the vaginal exam.
- Check for complete dilation of the cervix.
- Check for the proper presentation of the calf. Normal presentation is head first with the head placed on top of both front legs which are extended out in front of the calf. To confirm that the legs are the front legs, feel the two leg joints. Both joints will bend in the same direction. Calves can also be delivered in a normal backward position when the hind legs and tail come first. To confirm the hind legs, again flex the two joints and in this case the two joints will bend in opposite directions. If you are delivering calves in a backward position, once the hips have cleared the vulva the oxygen supply from the umbilical cord is reduced so delivery must proceed quickly. The backward position without feet (breech position) is a true dystocia. These animals usually do not progress past the first stage of labor.
- Determine if the calf is oversized using the following test: If both front shoulders and the head of the calf slip through the pelvis with traction supplied by one person the calf is deliverable.
- To determine if the shoulders have slipped into the pelvis, the fetlock joint should be about one hand width outside the vulva.
- Check for any evidence of uterine torsion or twist by feeling for twists in the vaginal wall. If you can not move your hand freely around the calf's feet and head during exam, then there is likely a problem.
Labor: Stage 2 The calf is delivered during stage 2 and this is characterized by strong abdominal contractions with the dam typically lying down. This stage should progress rapidly lasting one to four hours, with heifers taking longer. During this stage you should check the animals every half-hour for progress. If you check one time and the feet are just sticking out of the vulva then the next time (30 minutes later) the nose and head should be visible.
If you need to assist a birth, then set a time limit (30 minutes) for correcting a problem, after which you should seek professional assistance. Further delays only put the calf at risk and may cause undo trauma to the dam. Other signs indicating that you may need to assist in the calving process include:
- The water bag has been visible for two hours and the animal is no longer straining.
- Continuous straining and no progress are being made.
- The dam is showing signs of fatigue or signs of heat stress.
I stress to producers that it is better to be safe than sorry. When in doubt that a problem exists, do a thorough cleaning of the cow or heifer. Examine the animal vaginally to check for the above listed problems.
PCDART Workshops
Beginning Level - October 7, 1999, 118 Kenna Hall, Southwest Mississippi Community College. This workshop is designed for new and relatively inexperienced users of the PCDART computer program as well as an introductory course for potential users. Data input and information management will be emphasized.
Advanced Level - October 11, 1999, 118 Kenna Hall, Southwest Mississippi Community College. This workshop will be for those users who are comfortable with entering data but need instruction in customizing reports and exploring the full extent of the PCDART software.
Both workshops will be begin at 9:30 a.m. and conclude at 3:00 p.m. If you are planning to attend either or both workshop(s) please call Wesley Farmer at (601) 835-3460.
JULY
1999 HONOR ROLL HERDS* Dairy County No.
Cows Lbs
ECM** 2X/3X RHA
Milk RHA
Fat RHA
Prot DOT MACTOC
FARM OKTIBBEHA 199 57.4 2X 26625 995 835 07/08/99 STEWARD
FARM INC TATE 359 57.3 2X 23126 846 738 07/26/99 MILTON/TERRY
JEFFCOAT JONES 229 54.6 2X 20892 719 656 07/06/99 TIM
WEEKS COPIAH 68 54.1 2X 0 0 0 07/20/99 GURNEY'S
DAIRY FARM AMITE 220 52.0 2X 19183 729 616 07/01/99 THOMPSON
BROTHERS MARSHALL 133 51.9 2X 20028 711 637 06/30/99 LEON
BARDWELL DAIRY LINCOLN 51 51.7 2X 18308 595 572 07/23/99 BRAD
BEAN AMITE 243 50.8 2X 20140 7619 652 07/22/99 J&L
DAIRY Carroll 210 50.7 2X 19299 586 624 06/28/99 MAX
& TAMMY STINSON WALTHALL 266 49.5 2X 15711 577 500 06/27/99 CLEMMER
& HILL DAIRY TIPPAH 167 49.4 2X 19580 6779 610 07/13/99 JODY
DEBLANC PIKE 40 49.0 2X 0 0 0 07/29/99 DIXIE
DAIRY SALES CARROLL 519 48.6 2X 19838 739 630 07/17/99 DAVID
ROBINSON & SONS RANKIN 124 47.9 2X 21755 743 666 07/18/99 AL
BOYD JR WALTHALL 78 45.6 2X 19549 655 618 07/11/99 MS
STATE UNIV. OKTIBBEHA 185 43.8 2X 18286 736 611 06/30/99 JAY
PAUL HOOVER NOXUBEE 178 42.5 2X 18466 614 555 07/29/99 NORTH
MS BR EXP STA. MARSHALL 91 42.3 2X 19676 696 649 07/08/99 JERRY
HOLMES WALTHALL 87 41.7 2X 16816 580 509 07/13/99 CHEEKS
DAIRY JONES 123 41.6 2X 17469 609 570 07/12/99 PAUL
W EDWARDS NEWTON 137 41.0 2X 18093 639 604 07/13/99 RAY
GALLOP & SONS MONROE 66 38.4 2X 16917 580 557 07/09/99 MS
STATE UNIVERSITY OKTIBBEHA 184 36.4 2X 17895 712 599 07/29/99 MAX
LAWSON AMITE 207 36.3 2X 16277 561 540 07/21/99 LEN
SMITH AMITE 95 35.9 2X 0 0 0 07/15/99 *
Top 30 herds enrolled on supervised DHIA testing
programs by test day energy corrected milk.
** ECM = (.3246 x test day milk) + (12.86 x test
day lbs fat) + (7.04 x test day lbs protein)
Previous Newsletters Past issues of the Mississippi Dairy News, Marketing and Management newsletter are now available via the web. The web site address is http://ext.msstate.edu/anr/livestock/dairy/dairynews.html, which will be printed on the front of our newsletter beginning this month. Past issues of the newsletter for the last eighteen months can be accessed at this site.
Dairy Economist, MSU
July BFP Vaults to $13.59; Leaps by $2.17
The Basic Formula Price (BFP), responding tremendous strength in cheddar cheese prices, recorded its second greatest one-month increase in its history when the USDA reported a $2.17 per hundredweight (cwt.), or 19 percent, rise in the July milk price. Cheese prices on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) recently exceeded the previous all-time record high of $1.90 per pound that was recorded during December 1998 and most of the dairy industry were expecting cheddar cheese prices to break the $2.00 per pound barrier sometimes this fall.
Demand for dairy products usually reaches its annual peak during September and October as school summer recesses come to an end and as dairy processors begin to make preparations to manufacture butter, cheeses, and other products for the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. The current peak in dairy product demand coupled with the "normal" seasonal decline in milk production caused by the continuation of an extremely hot and regionally very dry summer has caused tight milk supplies.
This demand-supply situation is bolstering milk prices that COULD climb to levels approaching the all-time record BFP of $17.34 witnessed during late 1998 and early 1999. Fluid milk supplies have been very tight in the Southeast during August. Bottlers have reported importing about 160 to 180 truckloads into Florida each week with an August. Bottlers have reported importing about additional 250 to 400 loads being shipped into other locations in the region (this is about the same pace of milk imports reported last year).
The only market factor that is dampening the current surge in milk prices is the USDA's report that June's commercial cheese inventories are 20.3% higher than the same month of last year. These new record level cheese prices should push the BFP up sharply and, if the current hot, dry weather continues, possibly reach the $17.00 range in September or October.
The July BFP reported at $13.59 per cwt. repre- sents an INCREASE of $2.17 cents per cwt. (+19%) ABOVE the June BFP of $11.42. The July 1999 BFP is $1.18 per cwt. (or -8%) LOWER than the July 1998 BFP of $14.77. Dairy producers need to remember that the July BFP will be used as the base price to calculate the September Class I and Class II milk prices and the July Class III milk price. Because about 85 percent of Mississippi milk is utilized as Class I and Class II products, farmers will not realize any increase in revenues caused by this substantial $2.17 rise in the July BFP until they receive their "settlement" checks in mid-October as payment for milk sold in September.
Milk Production The perpetuation of moderate feed prices and the record high milk prices witnessed earlier this year continues to promote increased U.S. milk production. In every month of 1999, milk output has been two to four percent Higher when compared to the same month of 1998. These increases have been a product of two factors: (1) more milk cows; and, (2) more milk output per cow. The number of milk cows in the national dairy herd has been increasing with an additional 27,000 cows this July versus July 1998 located in the 20 selected dairy report- ing states. Moderate corn and soybean prices have allowed dairy farmers to feed ample quantities of nutrients to cows and these cows have responded by increasing milk output 30 to 60 pounds per cow in every month of 1999 verses the same time period of last year. The USDA reports that national milk output was 3.0% higher during the first seven months of 1999 (or +2,812 million pounds) compared to the same period of 1998 and that July 1999 was 2.2% greater (+294 million pounds) than the level of milk production during July 1998.
Comparing the July 1999 and July 1998 monthly statistics, the USDA reports that for the 20 selected dairy states that the states recording the largest percentage increases were Idaho (+11.6%), California (+8.4%), Arizona (+8.4%), Florida (+7.2%), New Mex- ico (+5.9%), and Washington (+4.6%). The states reporting decreased monthly output were Missouri (-10.6%), Kentucky (-5.8%), Illinois (-4.8%), Michigan (-4.3%), Iowa (-2.8%), and Virginia (-2.7%). As usual, these statistics continue to indicate that the Southeast and the Midwest -- especially, those along the Mississippi River -- continue to suffer reduced milk production sector with fewer dairy farms and dairy cows yielding less milk.
The two-decade trend of U.S. milk production shifting away from the Southeast and Corn Belt states and toward the western states seems to be accelerating. This trend is causing more and more dairy processing plants close in these declining areas and creating incentives for the construction of very large volume, low-per-unit-cost manufacturing facilities in the states experiencing expanding milk output. These market factors are placing dairy producers in Mississippi and the Southeast at an extreme economic disadvantage because of the costs of transporting milk during the spring flush and fall deficit periods.
Dairy Product Prices The prospects of decreasing milk supplies subsequent to harsh summer weather conditions have fueled an amazing upsurge in cheese prices that began in late May and have continued in June, July and August. During this three-month period, 40# block cheddar cheese prices have skyrocketed from a low of $1.1750 on May 17 to an new all-time record high price of $1.9725 per pound on August 20. As the prolonged hot and dry weather persisted, cheese trading seemed to reach a fever pitch in July and early August as weekly block as prices rose five to twelve cents per week while butter and nonfat dry milk prices seemed to languish as forgotten players in the dairy market. This ascent of cheese prices may be coming to an end with the USDA report released on August 20 which states that commercial holding of cheese inventories reached a record-high of 554.4 million in July, which is 20.3 higher than private holding during last July. Cheese prices are expected to respond to this information by stabilizing, or declining, over the next several weeks. Butter and nonfat dry milk prices have been stable and rather unaffected by the cheese market. Grade AA butter prices have continued to fluctuate between $1.30 to $1.50 per pound while the Grade A nonfat dry milk price remain stuck at the USDA support price of $1.05 per pound since late-May.
During the third week of August, the cheese market has retained its "firm" market description as prices on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) climbed steadily during the recent five-week period with both 40# block and barrel prices increasing, steadily. In this volatile market, the price spread between blocks and barrels widens and narrows as traders bid up prices - but the market seems content with a five to eight-cent spread between these products. On the CME, 40# block prices were reported at $1.6025 per pound on July 16 compared to $1.9725 on August 20-- indicating a 37-cent (+23.1%) increase over this period while barrel prices rose 32.50 cents (+21.0%) from $1.5500 on July 16 to $1.8750 on August 20.
However, the butter market has not been influenced by the strength in the cheese market where the market has been being described as "unsettled and weak" with large amounts of commercial inventories burdening the market. During this it five-week period, CME butter prices bounced around and have not shown any indication of an upward or downward trend or any positive or negative market momentum. On August 20, the Grade AA butter price was recorded at $1.3250 compared to $1.2700 on July 16 -- an increase of 7.50 cents (+5.9%) per pound. Nonfat dry milk (NDM) prices on the CME stayed flat because the current market prices have been at the government price support level, as illustrated by the fact that Grade A NDM prices have been reported at $1.0500 since February 19 (for 29 straight weeks).
The USDA's Commodity Credit Corporation CCC) has decreased the amount of its weekly purchases of nonfat dry milk in recent weeks to a level of two to three million pounds (down from 13.3 million pounds bought during the week of July 12 - 16). NDM prices are expected to remain at the support levels over the next several months because there are no market signals to indicate an increase in the demand for NDM.
Near-term Market Outlook The outlook for the dairy market during this fall appears to have become quite unsettled as the recent strength in the cheese market seems to be waning with the USDA's report of record-levels of commercial inventories. Dairy product traders are waiting to see if the current market conditions can sustain the record high cheese prices. However, the BFP is expected to experience another substantial rise in August with the milk price projected near the $16.00 level.
An increase in the BFP to this level would result in an all-time record one-month increase in this milk price series in excess of $2.40 per cwt. and, again, indicating the extreme amount of price volatility in dairy market. Market analysts believe that current record-high cheese prices are not warranted and can NOT be supported by the demand-supply conditions and, thus, milk prices will not likely reach "new" record levels in 1999. However, the BFP is expected to approach and possibly reach the $17.00 level in September.
On August 20, BFP futures contracts settlement prices on the CME were reported at $16.15 for the August contract, $17.30 for September, $16.63 for October and $14.26 for November. However, much uncertainty exist in the dairy products market and dairy personnel are expecting an "adjustment" with lower cheese prices forecast. Certainly, price volatility remains as a major problem to dairy farmers and places extreme stress on dairy farmers as they try to manage the size and scope of their operations.
Federal Milk Market Order Reform: Its Here --Almost!! The USDA conducted a dairy producer referendum during the first weeks of August to ascertain whether farmers wanted to continue to have a Federal Milk Marketing Order (FMMO) in various locations across the country. The proposed changes in FMMO reform were specified in a document released by the USDA on March 31, 1999, which has been described as the Final Rule. The USDA ruled that a dairy farmer would be eligible to vote in this referendum if and only if she or he shipped milk to a qualified milk handler/processor during the month of March 1999.
Since the vast majority of dairy producers are members of dairy marketing cooperatives, most dairy producers had their votes cast by their respective cooperatives - usually after the dairy cooperative obtained the right to vote each of its members proxy during this referendum. Cooperatives were authorized to "bloc vote" for its members under the Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937 and non-cooperative dairy farmers voted individually in this referendum - but where each producer had a single vote. Approval of a Federal Order in a specified region requires a two-thirds majority of voting producers, or two-thirds of voted milk volume. Failure to approve a Federal Order would result in milk being sold without any regulations between dairy farmers, cooperatives and handlers/processors being enforced by the USDA.
The results of the Federal Order referendums, including the Southeast Federal Order, have not been made available as of the writing of the newsletter. However, the U.S. Congress mandated that the USDA complete this FMMO reform process by October 1, 1999 - a process which began with the passage of the 1996 Food and Agriculture Improvement Act on April 4, 1996. So, FMMO reform is finally going to imple-mented in those areas of the country where dairy farmers approve a Federal Order in their area, and soon.
UNIFORM
or "BLEND" PRICE FOR JULY 1999 ZONE
5: $13.85 ZONE
9: $14.30 ZONE
6: $14.00 ZONE
10: $14.42 ZONE
7: $14.10 ZONE
11: $14.60 ZONE
8: $14.20
CLASS
1 PRICE FOR SEPTEMBER 1999 (using July 1999
BFP) ZONE
5: $16.42 ZONE
9: $16.87 ZONE
6: $16.57 ZONE
10: $16.99 ZONE
7: $16.67 ZONE
11: $17.17 ZONE
8: $16.77
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Last Modified: Wednesday, 18-Feb-04 11:18:40
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