Livestock | 29 August, 2008 -
SOURCE: http://www.farmersguardian.com/story.asp?sectioncode=29&storycode=20960&c=1
Shropshire-based P&L AgriConsulting used Liverpool University’s new dairy buildings at Wood Park Farm – part of its Leahurst Veterinary Field Station near Neston, Wirral – for a dairy open day and workshop.
FAILURE to pay close attention to the needs of the cow when building new or modernising existing farm buildings would result in lost milk production, said P&L consultant, Adrian Caine.
He said lack of attention to cow comfort generated stress and related problems in cows resulted in increased culling rates in a herd. With the relatively high cost of a dairy cow and the low value of the cull cow, dairy farmers simply could not afford to have high culling rates within their herds.
The height and position of rails in cubicles and in feed barriers were a case in point. Farmers should look at the back of the cow's neck. If the neck was shiny from rubbing against a rail then she was being discouraged from eating at the barrier and/or lying comfortably in her cubicle.
Compromise
There would always be an element of compromise, but every effort should be made to adjust the height and position of the rails causing problems. For instance, it was clear the rail along the feed barrier in the new housing at Wood Park Farm was poorly positioned and would have to be modified.
In theory it should be brought forward, allowing better access to the feed, however, experience on another farm had shown that where a similar bar had been brought forward it had solved the problem of rubbing, but created a new problem of allowing the cows to tread on their feed, said Mr Caine.
Each supplier had their own ideas of the correct dimensions for cubicles, and here, if the neck rail was too far back, it would encourage cows to 'perch' with their fore feet in the cubicle and their rear feet in the walk-way. With the rear feet constantly in damp conditions, including slurry, this inevitably led to foot problems.
It also discouraged cows from lying in their cubicles. This was the period when the cows were producing milk and failure to lie down for sufficient time could easily result in the loss of 1 litre of milk per cow per day, said Mr Caine.
Open plan
The large open plan building at Leahurst was also important in allowing the cows to socialise and to give them the feeling of having escape routes should they need them, he said.
With cows housed throughout the year it is important that the temperature in the shed should not become too hot. The Leahurst design incorporated slotted roofs and in conjunction with open sides, this gave a chimney effect drawing air out of the building, he said.
Anyone who had doubts about ventilation in a building should go to a plumber's merchants and buy some smoke pellets which, when lit, would show the movement of air within a building. It was important that the request should be for smoke pellets and not smoke bombs as the latter request could result in the police arriving, he joked.
Light levels
Light was another factor with lighting time to simulate day length and natural light around April and May. Light levels affected blood sugar levels in animals and in the dairy cow this meant milk production. Light levels in the Leahurst shed were around the 300-400 lux level. It was equally important that the cows should also have a dark period, said Mr Caine.
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