• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.22 no.12
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• pp.1709-1717
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• 2009

This review presents a series of Key Performance Indicators (KPI) to assist Asian smallholder dairy farmers in identifying the possible causes for their poor farm performance and profitability. When assessing farm profitability, these indicators can be split into two types, those diagnosing problems with feeding management and those indicating poor herd management. As home grown forage is generally cheaper to source than purchased forage, the more produced on farm, the better. Too many stock on limited land is a common feature on Asian dairy small holdings. Unlike other classes of livestock, milking cows have very high nutrient requirements, therefore high quality forages and concentrates are essential for profitable dairying. Milk income less feed cost is one of the simplest and easy to measure indicators of farm profitability and is also quick to respond to small changes in farm practices. Problems with herd management can be diagnosed using measures such as the proportion of cows actually milking in the herd or their peak yield and persistency of production. There are also simple indicators of herd reproductive performance and of health and growth of young stock that assist in searching for the underlying causes of poor farm profitability.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.372-377
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• 2001

A study on the prevalence and causes of sub-clinical mastitis was conducted on ten smallholder and large-scale dairy farms in Morogoro urban and peri-urban areas. A total of 65 lactating cows were screened using the California Mastitis Test (CMT). Confirmatory tests used included; the direct microscopic somatic cell count (DMSCC), culture, bacteriological and biochemical tests. Structured questionnaires were used to collect information on management aspects. Results showed 62% and 4% cows as sub- clinical and clinical mastitis cases respectively. Levels of infection were higher on smallholder farms (75%) than on large-scale farms (25%). All tested cows had high cell counts (>500,000) per ml of milk. Incidences of mastitis were significantly (p<0.05) related to milking practices. The dominant bacterial isolates in the same order were Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus spp, and Escherichia coli. Other organisms isolated included Pseudomonas spp and Klebsiella spp. It was concluded that the high rates of sub-clinical mastitis in the research area were mainly due to poor management and unhygienic milking practices.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.509-514
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• 1993

The experiment was conducted to determine the effect of different fiber levels on milk production of crossbred Holstein milking cows fed urea-treated rice straw (UTS) as a roughage. Eight cows were allotted into 2 squares of 4 cows each with 4 treatments by a balanced design. The treatments were 17%, 22%, and 24% crude fiber (CF) diets and Thai feeding system (free choice of roughage and 1 kg of concentrates/2 kg of milk) as a control. Body weight change was not significantly different among the treatments during the experiment. Milk production (4% FCM) and milk protein content wee not different among the treatments, but milk fat content was low in the 17% CF group and high in the control group. Cows fed the 17% CF diet consumed less UTS and more concentrates than the others, and consequently total DM intake was not different among the treatments. The feed conversion ratio was significantly higher in the control. Feed cost per kg milk was lowest in the control and highest in the 17% CF diet. The fiber content of the diet would be more than 17%, preferably 22-24% for normally producing Thai crossbred Holstein cows when the UTS was fed as a main roughage source.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.95-102
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• 2003

Because Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) has variable number of short sequence repeat region in coagulase gene, it has been used to investigate the relatedness of S. aureus isolates. In this study, we isolated S. aureus strains from 20 dairy farms with bovine mastitis from September 2000 to August 2001. PCR-RFLP analysis of coagulase gene revealed 10 different patterns. Most of the S. aureus isolates showed only one coagulase gene RFLP pattern per farm. However, there were several S. aureus clones spreading between dairy farms. All the farms showed poor management conditions of milking machine and milker, indicating that managements for mastitis control program include use of proper milking matching, premilking sanitation, and segregation in the S. aureus infection herd. Our data suggest that PCR-RFLP analysis of coagulase gene might be applicable for the epidemiological investigations of S. aureus isolated from bovine mastitis cows.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.136-138
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• 2008

On a dairy farm, a Holstein cow had consistently shown an intersucking behavior within the milking herd. It has been considered as one of several behavioral disorders primarily coming from feeding management failure during weaning period. Due to their behavior, injured teats of other milking cows could decrease milk production. Through tongue surgery, by producing a convex shape of the dorsum of the tongue after suturing the excised ventral region, the intersucking behavior was forcefully corrected and disappeared thereafter within the dairy herd without any complications.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.75-86
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• 2002

Outbreaks from September 1999 to July 2000 of blackleg in 4 milking and fatting cattle farms in the vicinity of Munkyong(northwestern part of Gyeongbuk province) were investigated biochemical characteristics of isolates and were surveyed epidemiological works during the period of 2 months from August to September 2000. Clostridium chauvoei, the etiological agent of blackleg is a serious pathogen of cattle and sheep causing fever, depression and lameness with high mortality in growing phase of 6 to 18 months old mainly beef cattle. Biochemical and cultural properties of 4 isolated Cl chauvoei were identical to those of reported results and isolates were susceptible to ampicillin, bacitracin, chlorarnphenicol, cephalothin, ciprofloxacin, erythromycin, norfloxacin, penicillin, and tetracycline, while they were resistant to amikacin, colistin, gentamicin, kanamycin, neomycin, streptomycin and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. In the results of epidemiological survey, outbreak farms that concentrated region of milking or fatting cattle in each sites were so close contact within a radius of about 1km that they are separated only by wire fence or shrub harrier and flies, rodents, wild cats and birds could have the chance to move around between those farms. The origin of the outbreak blackleg were uncertain, but the transmission between farms were mainly through the movement of farm personnel, vehicles which were struck the feces or manures from farm and other mechanical factors such as flies, rodents and birds furthermore occurred 4 farms were not vaccinated. In conclusion, a periodic disinfection, vaccination and quarantine prevention are ideal methods of damage reduction by blackleg.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.479-486
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• 2006

The current study was conducted to examine the effect of feeding and management practices on milk quality and dairy farm productivity in Korea. Fifty dairy farms in Gyunggi (11), Gangwon (22), Chungnam (17) provinces were surveyed to collect data on the herd size, housing style, feeding management, waste disposal, milking practices and milk yield. Milk tank samples from all farms under study were also collected to enumerate its composition and quality parameters. Large dairy herds are equiped with better housing, milking and waste control facilities than medium and small dairy herds. Higher concentrate feeding to lactating cows was noticed in small dairy herds (47.51 %) than in medium (32.59 %) and large dairy herds (31.82 %). The decrease in concentrate feeding to lactating cows with increase in number of cows per farm resulted in a simultaneous increase in the use of imported forages. Bacterial count in milk was affected by housing and milking facilities at dairy farms. Higher bacterial counts (Coliform and E. coli) in milk were observed in cows housed in stanchion than those under free stall with saw dust bedding. The bacterial counts were higher with bucket milking system than with pipe-line and parlour systems. The increase in the number of dairy cows per farm and thus better management and milking facilities resulted in a reduction in somatic cell score. Milk yield (per cow) was higher in herds with less somatic cell score. Average milk protein concentration was between 2.89 to 2.98 % and milk urea nitrogen was between 21.81 to 23.31mg/ml on surveyed dairy farms. This study concluded that large herd size with better dairy cow management facilities is crucial to produce quality milk with better dairy farm income.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.151-159
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• 1981

An investigation on various causes of milking disturbances resulting from injuries and abnormalities of mammary system were made in 2,179 Holstein cows. To perform this investigation, 69 dairy farms of the suburban area of Seoul city, Gyeonggi-do and Chungnam provinces were andomly selected and subjected. Diagnosis was made by means of inspection and palpation of teat, insertion of teat canula, checking milk machines, anamneses and farm records. This investigation was, actively done from March 1977 to February 1979, The results obtained were summerized as follows; 1. It was found that 446 cows, accounting for 20.48% of 2,179 cows inspected, had supernumerary teats. Among them 53.59% had one, 43.72% had two, 2.47% had three, and 0.22% had four supernumerary teats, respectively. 2. Dry off quarters were found in 158 quarters which turned out to be 1.8% of 8,716 quarters inspected. Among dry off quarters, 62.02% seemed to be caused by mastitis, 30.37% by acquired teat obstructions, and 7.59% by congenital blind teats and glands respectively. 3. Teat sphincter stenosis was found in 154 teats of 50 cows, which represents 1.76% of 8,716 teats and 2.29% of 2,179 cows inspected, respectively. Among 154 teats with teat sphincter stenosis, 138 teats (85.7%) of 33 cows were found to be congenital and revealed highest incidence. 4. Loose sphincter was found in 78 teats of 36 cows, which figure 0.89% of 8,7l6 teats and 1.69% of 2,179 cows inspected, respectively. Among 78 teats with loose sphincter, 52 teats (66.66%) of 13 cows were found to be congenital and revealed highest incidence. 5. Injured teat tip caused by over milking of milk machine, was found in 229 teats of 156 cows, which figure 2.63% of 8,716 teats and 7.15% of 2,179 cows observed, respectively. 6. Other miscellaneous injuries and congenital abnormalities of teats and udders were diagnosed as follows: The teat laceration was found in 34 teats (0.39% of 8,716 teats), fissure of teat skin in 24 teats (0.28% of 8,716 teats), stricture of teat cistern in 21 teats (0.24% of 8,716 teats), teat fistula in 12 teats (0.14% of 8,716 teats), papillomas on testes in 8 teats (0.09% of 8,716 teats). Knothole orifice in 7 teats (0.08% of 8,716 teats), subcutaneous abscess of udder in 5 quarters (0.05% of 8,716 teats), membraneous obstruction of teat cistern in 4 teats (0.05% of 8,716 teats), and congenital short teat in 8 teats (0.09% of 8,716 teats), respectively.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Near Infrared Spectroscopy Conference
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• 2001.06a
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• pp.1247-1247
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• 2001

Constituents of animal biofluids such as milk, blood and urine contain information specifically related to metabolic and health status of the ruminant animals. Some changes in composition of biofluids can be attributed to disease response of the animals. Mastitis is a major problem for the global dairy industry and causes substantial economic losses from decreasing milk production and reducing milk quality. The purpose of this study was to investigate potential of NIRS combined with multivariate analysis for cow's mastitis diagnosis based on NIR spectra of milk, blood and urine. A total of 112 bulk milk, urine and blood samples from 4 Holstein cows were analyzed. The milk samples were collected from morning milking. The urine samples were collected before morning milking and stored at -35$^{\circ}C$ until spectral analysis. The blood samples were collected before morning milking using a catheter inserted into the carotid vein. Heparin was added to blood samples to prevent coagulation. All milk samples were analyzed for somatic cell count (SCC). The SCC content in milk was used as indicator of mastitis and as quantitative parameter for respective urine and blood samples collected at same time. NIR spectra of blood and milk samples were obtained by InfraAlyzer 500 spectrophotometer, using a transflectance mode. NIR spectra of urine samples were obtained by NIR System 6500 spectrophotometer, using 1 mm sample thickness. All samples were divided into calibration set and test set. Class variable was assigned for each sample as follow: healthy (class 1) and mastitic (class 2), based on milk SCC content. SIMCA was implemented to create models of the respective classes based on NIR spectra of milk, blood or urine. For the calibration set of samples, SIMCA models (model for samples from healthy cows and model for samples from mastitic cows), correctly classified from 97.33 to 98.67% of milk samples, from 97.33 to 98.61% of urine samples and from 96.00 to 94.67% of blood samples. From samples in the test set, the percent of correctly classified samples varied from 70.27 to 89.19, depending mainly on spectral data pretreatment. The best results for all data sets were obtained when first derivative spectral data pretreatment was used. The incorrect classified samples were 5 from milk samples,5 and 4 from urine and blood samples, respectively. The analysis of changes in the loading of first PC factor for group of samples from healthy cows and group of samples from mastitic cows showed, that separation between classes was indirect and based on influence of mastitis on the milk, blood and urine components. Results from the present investigation showed that the changes that occur when a cow gets mastitis influence her milk, urine and blood spectra in a specific way. SIMCA allowed extraction of available spectral information from the milk, urine and blood spectra connected with mastitis. The obtained results could be used for development of a new method for mastitis detection.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.423-431
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• 1975

The purpose of this investigation was to study whether limewater can be used as dairy detergent-sanitizer for dairy farm euipment compared with idophore in the milking machine. 1. Milkstone deposition was increased slightly by idophore and limewater pre-rinse but seriously increased by milking without pre-rinse for 6 days milking. 2. Milkstone deposition was increased by increasing temperature of pre-rinse sanitizer solutions. 3. Limewater rinse was more effective than idophore rinse and tap water rinse in removing butterfat. 4. Idophore and limewater rinse was more effective than tap water rinse in removing milk solid. 5. Both of idophore and limewater were found to be significantly effective for milk bactericidal. 6. It was conclused that good hygienic raw milk can be producesed from dairy farm by idophore and limewater per-rinse.