Cattle world

Humans have been drinking milk from cows for thousands of years. Modern dairy farming began in the early 1900’s after pasteurization was developed and utilized widely. Pasteurization allows for a safer product and extends milk’s shelf life by eradicating spoilage-causing bacteria through the application of heat. This process allows milk to last longer and be shipped further. Dairy farms have become more efficient over time, and this has helped farmers reduce their environmental impact.

Dairy farming is largely and increasingly intensive and mechanized, or industrial. Most cows on dairy farms in the United States are kept confined to a stall where they are delivered food, rather than being allowed to graze for their own food on a pasture. They are artificially inseminated and produce enormous, unnatural quantities of milk.

Typical feed efficiency values for calves and heifers (feed to gain; DMI to ADG) Calves on milk 2:1 to 2.5:1 Weaned calves (25% forage) 3:1 to 4:1 Young heifers (50% high quality forage) 4:1 Heifers on TMR 6:1 to 7:1 Older heifers (poor forage) 8:1 or more (has been shown to be 15:1 in some cases) Yearling heifers on high quality feeds and forages can easily have a 5:1 ratio of feed to gain, but this can decrease to 8:1 or more for less digestible, high forage diets. One example of allowing feedstuffs to digest longer in the rumen by not having animals on full feed was demonstrated in Wisconsin research. In this study heifers fed a controlled amount, 80% of ad-lib intakes, showed a 29% improvement in feed efficiency compared to heifers that were allowed to eat as much as they wanted. In addition, heifers fed a controlled amount produced approximately 2 pounds less manure (on a dry matter basis) each day than heifers fed ad-lib. A last point is that a few feed additives that improve rum...

Cattle weighing 700 pounds or more should be fed a ration containing 11 percent crude protein in a ration composed of grain (usually corn, but barley and wheat are often also used), protein sources, and roughage. Larger-framed cattle tend to require a ration with a higher percentage of grain to achieve the same carcass quality grade as cattle with smaller frame sizes. Therefore, the ration that is fed depends on the type of cattle and the desired market grade. The weight and grade required by the market receiving the cattle also must be considered when selecting a ration. Cattle weighing 650 pounds or less initially can be fed a growing ration rather than a finishing ration. Growing rations supply additional hay or other forage in place of grain. To achieve the desired carcass grade, the ration can be modified to include less forage and more grain as the cattle grow. The feeding system for a cattle-feeding enterprise should remain flexible. For farmer-feeders, corn silage and occasiona...

The Holstein breed originated in Europe. The major historical developement of this breed occured about 2000 years ago in what is now the Netherlands and more specifically in the two northern provices of North Holland and Friesland which lay on either side of the Zuider Zee. The original stock were the black animals and white animals of the Batavians and Friesians, migrant European's who settled in the Rhine Delta region about 2,000 years ago. For many years, Holsteins were bred and strictly culled to obtain animals which would make best use of grass, the area's most abundant resource. The intermingling of these animals evolved into an efficient, high-producing black-and-white dairy cow.

One issue that can be difficult is when you have friends or neighbors helping, handling cattle in a manner that you don’t want them handled.  Don’t hesitate to say something.  Even though you might offend that person, these cattle are your livelihood and paycheck, and you can’t afford to have them made wild by the way someone else is handling them.”  You don’t want the cattle more difficult to handle in the future, or become a safety risk for you or anyone else.