**These pages are made for only for our farm so it will be easy for us to go and remind ourselves what we need to do.
We collected those files over the years. We are always learning new information. We add and edit these files almost daily.
We collected those files over the years. We are always learning new information. We add and edit these files almost daily.
Important things for the good milk production
1) Clear from parasites
Good Famacha scores
No diarrhea
No coughing
No runny nose
2) Good body scores
1) Clear from parasites
Good Famacha scores
No diarrhea
No coughing
No runny nose
2) Good body scores
Some pages to get more information
Beet Pulp
Beet Pulp slows down digestion so when fed with high fat and palatable feed, it allows more time for the intestines to absorb the nutrition from the good feed. Thats why it's suggested in conjunction with other feeds.
You want to make sure they are parasite free first though and treat that if they are not as well.
Anti-parasite regimen
Pine tea! Put pine branches in a stainless steel water pail and leave it in the sun to make “Sun Tea” the tannins in pine are great to fight parasites and the high amount of vitamin C is great to help with iron absorption and utilization. If you’re dealing with parasites and anemia this is a good addition to your oil routine. Add a drop of lemon after it’s cool . It will help production of red blood cells. Another anemia protocol.
Pine needle tea (Tannin & Vitamin C) - Help iron absorption, red blood cells
Pain killer
RUMEN FUNCTION
"The relative amounts of protein and energy that are available in the rumen at a given time is the major factor affecting rumen fermentation and therefore milk components. Any diet or management factors that affect rumen fermentation can change milk fat and protein levels. Consistently providing adequate energy and protein and balanced amounts of rapidly fermentable carbohydrate and effective fiber are keys to maintaining optimum levels of milk components. The challenge in feeding for milk components is that high energy, low fiber diets that increase milk protein are likely to reduce fat levels. This may also be the case in some diets with rumen modifiers, such as Rumensin®; however, this product has other ways to affect the rumen that do not necessarily alter milk components."
ENERGY EFFECTS
"In general, as energy intake or ration energy density increase and/or fiber decreases, milk fat content will be reduced, while protein is increased. In contrast, as ration fiber levels increase and/or energy is reduced, milk protein is depressed and milk fat is increased. Lack of energy intake or lower ration digestibility may reduce milk protein by 0.1 to 0.4%. This reduction may result from underfeeding concentrates, low forage intake, poor quality forage, failure to balance the ration for protein and minerals, or inadequately ground or prepared grains. Shifting rumen fermentation so that more propionic acid is produced is apt to increase milk protein and decrease fat content. However, excessive energy intake, such as overfeeding concentrate, may reduce milk fat content and increase milk protein. Normal protein levels can be expected when energy needs are being met for most of the cows. Often this is impossible to achieve with high producing animals."
--- Energy / ration energy increase = fiber decreases --fat content reduced = protein increased
ration fiber level increase = energy reduced ------ milk protein depressed - milk fat increase
PROTEIN EFFECTS
"A deficiency of crude protein in the ration may depress protein in milk; marginal deficiency could result in a reduction of 0.0 to 0.2%, while more severe restriction of diet crude protein would have greater impact. However, feeding excessive dietary protein does not increase milk protein, as most of the excess is excreted. Dietary protein has little effect on milk fat levels within normal ranges.
Diet protein type also could affect milk protein levels. Use of non-protein nitrogen (NPN) compounds, like urea, as protein substitutes will reduce protein in milk by 0.1 to 0.3% if the NPN is a main provider of crude protein equivalent. Rations higher than recommended in soluble protein may lower milk protein by 0.1 to 0.2 points. NPN levels in milk will be increased by excessive protein or NPN intake, heavy feeding of ensiled forages, ensiled grains, immature pasture and lack of rumen undegradable protein in the diet. Balance rations for crude protein, rumen undegradable protein, rumen degradable protein, and soluble protein. For high producing cows, balancing for amino acids also may be required."
CONCENTRATE INTAKE
"An increase in the intake of concentrates causes a decrease in fiber digestion and acetic acid production. This creates an increase of propionic acid production. Propionic acid production encourages a fattening metabolism that is in opposition to milk fat. Addition of buffers to some rations may help to prevent acidosis;
this will not change milk protein, but will increase milk fat content. Animals that eat a substantial amount of concentrates or a low ratio of dietary forage to concentrate may develop acidosis even when buffers are added to the ration.
The nonfiber carbohydrate (NFC) portion of the diet is highly digestible and can influence both fat and protein in milk. Excessive amounts of NFC can depress fiber digestibility, which reduces the production of acetate and leads to low milk fat (1% or more reduction). At the same time, greater propionate production allows higher milk protein levels of 0.2 to 0.3%. Generally an NFC of 32 to 38% of ration dry matter is recommended to optimize production of milk fat and protein."
FORAGE LEVEL AND PHYSICAL FORM
"Balance rations for lactating cows to contain at least 40 to 45% of ration dry matter from forage. This may be altered by the level of corn silage in the ration and the level of high-fiber by-product feeds in the ration. Low forage intake can cause a major reduction in the fat content of milk due to low fiber levels. Several potential reasons for low forage intake are inadequate forage feeding, poor quality forage, and low neutral detergent fiber (NDF) content in forage that was cut too young or late in the fall. Target a forage NDF intake of 0.9% of bodyweight daily. Although low forage (high energy) diets increase milk protein production, this strategy is not recommended. The low forage levels contribute to acidosis and laminitis; they do not promote good health for the rumen or the cow in the long run.
Protein and fat content also can be changed due to the physical form of forage being fed. Much of this is related to ration sorting and failure to provide a consistent diet throughout the day. Coarsely chopped silage and dry hay are the most common causes of sorting. At the other extreme, very finely ground diets negatively affect rumen metabolism and depress fat and protein production. Monitor ration particle size to ensure that adequate effective fiber is provided, TMRs are mixed properly, rations are distributed evenly to all cows, and sorting is minimal."
"The buffering ability of forage is based on its "chewiness", so soft grass & leaves are not chewed as much as stemmy hay, and fresh grass can be high in protein but low in fiber %. Think applesauce vs dried apples."
"The beet pulp fiber is not the same as the fiber in hay. It’s much more easily digested, so it’s processed faster. We don’t think of fiber as providing much energy—and in the human diet it doesn’t—but in horses it’s a significant source of energy. Because the fiber in beet pulp is digested quickly, the energy and the calories it provides are available to a horse much faster than those that would come from hay.”
"Beet pulp is a useful source of energy for horses who need a boost for athletic efforts or to support other functions, such as lactation. “It’s going to have more benefit for [equine athletes or broodmares] than, say, an easy-keeper gelding who spends most of his day in the field,” he says. “And in cases where horses need more calories, adding beet pulp to a diet may be a better option than adding more hay because of the difference in fiber type.”
"Beet pulp fiber provides another advantage: promoting healthy gut flora. “A horse extracts energy from fiber via fermentation in the hindgut,” says Staniar. “That fermentation is done by bacteria, and different types of bacteria ferment at different rates.” A gut that is accustomed to only slow-digesting forage may be overpopulated with that type of bacteria, an imbalance that can lead to digestive upset.
“You want to support all those microbial populations,” says Staniar. “So when your horse has to make a transition in diet or location, he is going to be better able to adapt digestively. A little bit of beet pulp in every diet can help keep the population
of fiber-digesting bacteria in the gut balanced so those changes won’t be as disruptive.”
by Pennsylvania State University equine nutritionist Burt Staniar, PhD.
"Beet pulp is a useful source of energy for horses who need a boost for athletic efforts or to support other functions, such as lactation. “It’s going to have more benefit for [equine athletes or broodmares] than, say, an easy-keeper gelding who spends most of his day in the field,” he says. “And in cases where horses need more calories, adding beet pulp to a diet may be a better option than adding more hay because of the difference in fiber type.”
"Beet pulp fiber provides another advantage: promoting healthy gut flora. “A horse extracts energy from fiber via fermentation in the hindgut,” says Staniar. “That fermentation is done by bacteria, and different types of bacteria ferment at different rates.” A gut that is accustomed to only slow-digesting forage may be overpopulated with that type of bacteria, an imbalance that can lead to digestive upset.
“You want to support all those microbial populations,” says Staniar. “So when your horse has to make a transition in diet or location, he is going to be better able to adapt digestively. A little bit of beet pulp in every diet can help keep the population
of fiber-digesting bacteria in the gut balanced so those changes won’t be as disruptive.”
by Pennsylvania State University equine nutritionist Burt Staniar, PhD.
IMPORTANCE OF RAPID CHILLING OF MILK IN AN ICE BATH
ABSTRACT
2 L of 38°C water in a half gallon widemouth Mason jar were either air cooled in a 4°C refrigerator or in by immersion in an ice bath.
Time course recordings showed that the rate of cooling in the ice bath was roughly 18 times faster than by air cooling in a refrigerator.
This is important, because rapid cooling prevents the doubling of bacteria which occurs for every 10°C higher. Thus, cooling in an ice bath dramatically reduces the rate of spoilage in the freshly drawn milk.
INTRODUCTION
Two important issues for dairy farmers are the purity and keeping qualities of their milk.
The major factors in purity and keeping qualities of milk are:
SANITARY PRACTICES, including sanitary equipment, method of drawing the milk, and immediate sanitary filtering of the milk to remove hair and dander.
RAPID COOLING of the milk is also of paramount importance. This is because biological processes and bacterial growth double for every 10°C increase. It is known in Microbiology as the "Q 10" principle.
For this reason, I previously mentioned on this forum how important rapid cooling of warm milk is. Two choices might be either air cooling in 4°C refrigerator or by immersion in an ice bath. It has been observed that the rapid cooling by immersing freshly drawn milk into an ice bath dramatically improved it's keeping qualities. I here report measurements of the pattern of cooling of 38°C liquid either in an ice bath or in a 4°C refrigerator.
PRINCIPLE: We all have personal experience with the rapid cooling of an ice bath…
If you are out in 0°C (32° F) temperature you get cold quickly. But if you jump into 0°C (32° F) water, you are instantly FREEZING!
While in quarantine, I repeated these experiments. Here is how I did it, and the results.
PROTOCOL:
Half gallon wide mouth Mason jars were filled with 2 liters of 38°C water and sealed. These were either air cooled by placing in a 4°C (37°F) refrigerator, or immersed into an ice bath with floating ice (approximately 2°C).
A time course experiment was performed in which temperature readings were taken at regular times. These readings were then plotted on the same graph to compare the rate of cooling in cold air, versus an ice bath.
RESULTS
The graph display that the cooling curves are dramatically different. The cooled water in the ice bath took 10 minutes to drop from 38 to 18°C. In striking contrast, it took nearly 180 minutes (3 hours) to reach the same temperature.
CONCLUSION
The rate of cooling in an ice bath is roughly 18 times faster than by air cooling. In the first 10 minutes of ice bath cooling, we observed a 20°C temperature drop. It took 180 minutes of air cooling to result in a 20°C drop.
Based on the "Q10" principle,milk cooled in an air cooled environment would be 4 times that of milk in an ice bath.
DISCUSSION
I have been a non-commercial "artisan" cheese maker for 40 years. My goal has always been to try to use materials and equipment to make cheese readily available to most homesteaders. You can see from included images, the modest equipment which I have used to set up my milk sanitation and ice bath.
For ice, I cut off the tops of 2 L soft drink bottles leaving a 5 inch bottom, which I fill with water. These are frozen for subsequent use in the ice bath.
I date label the jar of freshly drawn and filtered milk, and immediately immerse into a two gallon plastic bucket with 6 inches of ice water. To make room for the new ice, I remove an equal volume of water, and then add one of the ice blocks from my freezer.
To improve sanitation and reduce dander and hair in freshly drawn milk:
I boil the washing cloth just prior to use for washing down the udder, then add equal volume of cool water.
I place a sanitized handkerchief over the mouth of the 2 L jar and milk directly through that cloth. This means that hair and dander never get into the jar.
By the way, my milk typically keeps for 10 days to two weeks without having an off, “goaty” flavor.
ABSTRACT
2 L of 38°C water in a half gallon widemouth Mason jar were either air cooled in a 4°C refrigerator or in by immersion in an ice bath.
Time course recordings showed that the rate of cooling in the ice bath was roughly 18 times faster than by air cooling in a refrigerator.
This is important, because rapid cooling prevents the doubling of bacteria which occurs for every 10°C higher. Thus, cooling in an ice bath dramatically reduces the rate of spoilage in the freshly drawn milk.
INTRODUCTION
Two important issues for dairy farmers are the purity and keeping qualities of their milk.
The major factors in purity and keeping qualities of milk are:
SANITARY PRACTICES, including sanitary equipment, method of drawing the milk, and immediate sanitary filtering of the milk to remove hair and dander.
RAPID COOLING of the milk is also of paramount importance. This is because biological processes and bacterial growth double for every 10°C increase. It is known in Microbiology as the "Q 10" principle.
For this reason, I previously mentioned on this forum how important rapid cooling of warm milk is. Two choices might be either air cooling in 4°C refrigerator or by immersion in an ice bath. It has been observed that the rapid cooling by immersing freshly drawn milk into an ice bath dramatically improved it's keeping qualities. I here report measurements of the pattern of cooling of 38°C liquid either in an ice bath or in a 4°C refrigerator.
PRINCIPLE: We all have personal experience with the rapid cooling of an ice bath…
If you are out in 0°C (32° F) temperature you get cold quickly. But if you jump into 0°C (32° F) water, you are instantly FREEZING!
While in quarantine, I repeated these experiments. Here is how I did it, and the results.
PROTOCOL:
Half gallon wide mouth Mason jars were filled with 2 liters of 38°C water and sealed. These were either air cooled by placing in a 4°C (37°F) refrigerator, or immersed into an ice bath with floating ice (approximately 2°C).
A time course experiment was performed in which temperature readings were taken at regular times. These readings were then plotted on the same graph to compare the rate of cooling in cold air, versus an ice bath.
RESULTS
The graph display that the cooling curves are dramatically different. The cooled water in the ice bath took 10 minutes to drop from 38 to 18°C. In striking contrast, it took nearly 180 minutes (3 hours) to reach the same temperature.
CONCLUSION
The rate of cooling in an ice bath is roughly 18 times faster than by air cooling. In the first 10 minutes of ice bath cooling, we observed a 20°C temperature drop. It took 180 minutes of air cooling to result in a 20°C drop.
Based on the "Q10" principle,milk cooled in an air cooled environment would be 4 times that of milk in an ice bath.
DISCUSSION
I have been a non-commercial "artisan" cheese maker for 40 years. My goal has always been to try to use materials and equipment to make cheese readily available to most homesteaders. You can see from included images, the modest equipment which I have used to set up my milk sanitation and ice bath.
For ice, I cut off the tops of 2 L soft drink bottles leaving a 5 inch bottom, which I fill with water. These are frozen for subsequent use in the ice bath.
I date label the jar of freshly drawn and filtered milk, and immediately immerse into a two gallon plastic bucket with 6 inches of ice water. To make room for the new ice, I remove an equal volume of water, and then add one of the ice blocks from my freezer.
To improve sanitation and reduce dander and hair in freshly drawn milk:
I boil the washing cloth just prior to use for washing down the udder, then add equal volume of cool water.
I place a sanitized handkerchief over the mouth of the 2 L jar and milk directly through that cloth. This means that hair and dander never get into the jar.
By the way, my milk typically keeps for 10 days to two weeks without having an off, “goaty” flavor.