Why the cow's milk yield decreased and the reasons for the sharp decrease in milk, what to do
When breeding cows, farmers rely on high animal productivity. The key parameter of productivity is the amount of milk yield. It depends on the quality of food and the characteristics of the content. Also, these parameters are influenced by age, seasonal factor, breed. Many farmers are wondering why the cow's milk yield is declining and what can be done about it.
Milk yield
The maximum productivity is observed between childbirth and the next pregnancy. An animal can bring more than 20 liters of milk per day. Moreover, this indicator depends on many factors.
Why cows have decreased milk yield and what can be done about it
The decrease in milk yield can be due to the influence of a variety of factors. It is important to analyze the conditions of detention in order to establish the reasons.
Breeds
Under the same conditions of keeping, the parameters of milk production depend on the breed. The maximum productivity is distinguished by special breeds that belong to the dairy direction.
These include Dutch, Ost-Frisian, black and white. The Holstein and Kholmogorsk breeds are also highly productive. During the lactation period, they give 4000-7000 kilograms of milk. If the cow has drastically reduced milk, this may indicate a change in the conditions of housing or the influence of the age factor.
Food quality
Inadequate productivity may be due to poor nutrition. With an unbalanced diet, milk yield can be reduced by 25-50%. Insufficient feeding during dry period and at the initial stage of lactation has an unfavorable effect on the parameters of milk production.
In order to increase the amount of milk and its fat content, it is important to choose a balanced diet with a lot of protein.
If you give a cow flaxseed, cottonseed, sunflower cake, the fat content of its milk will increase by 0.2-0.4%. At the same time, the use of poppy, hemp or rapeseed cake provokes a decrease in fat content.
Content quality
If a cow has slowed down in performance, poor housing conditions may be the reason. The amount of milk depends on temperature and humidity. Also, animals do not perceive well the noise of machines or other equipment. With the right content, they give a lot of milk up to 8-10 lactation.
Improper milking
In order for a cow to give a lot of milk, she needs to ensure the correct milk supply. It is performed immediately after childbirth. To do this, it is recommended to adhere to the following rules:
- Provide the animal with a balanced diet. If an individual gives 10 liters of milk, she needs 12 kilograms of food. The animal should be given juicy feed, proteins, hay.The presence of mineral salts in the diet is of great importance.
- Milk your pet correctly. Immediately after calving, the cow is recommended to be milked 5 or more times a day. Observance of the intervals is also important.
- Udder care and massage. If the amount of milk has dropped to 10 liters per day, the animal should be milked in the morning and evening. At the same time, it is important to avoid udder swelling, milk stagnation and the influence of other adverse factors.
Age
There is a specific age at which the animal produces the maximum amount of milk. This usually occurs by 5-6 births. This feature is more dependent on the breed of the cow and its state of health. Throughout this period, productivity is gradually increasing. However, already after 1 year the milk yield drops.
This process is considered normal, therefore it cannot be influenced. However, it is important first to exclude diseases or the influence of other factors.
Seasonality
The calving season has a great influence on productivity. Animals that calved in winter bring 7-10% more milk than those that gave birth to young in spring or summer.
Stress
Cows are highly susceptible to stressors associated with negative attitudes from people. It is strictly forbidden to loudly shout, beat or show any other aggression towards animals. The fear that pets experience negatively affects the amount of milk. At the same time, calm individuals allow themselves to be completely milked.
Prevention measures
To avoid a decrease in productivity, you should follow these rules:
- Feed the animals correctly and variedly. A cow needs 50-80 kilograms of food per day. In this case, the diet should contain cereals, juicy and roughage, concentrates.
- Give plenty of water. Depending on the parameters of productivity, cows need 100-150 liters of water per day. If there is a lack of fluid, the amount of milk drops on the same day.
- Use feed additives. The animal's diet should contain minerals, vitamins, trace elements. For this, it is permissible to use ready-made additives.
- Use probiotics. They help maintain a healthy microflora. With a lack of nutrients, productivity decreases and health worsens.
- Follow the milking schedule. Milk is continuously produced until the udder is full. To maintain consistent performance, you need to milk the cow on schedule. This should be done in the morning and evening. Immediately after calving, 3 milkings per day are required.
- Plan the calving season. Animals that give birth in winter are 7-10% more productive. This is due to the fact that the milk yield changes 2 times. This occurs at 2-3 months at the milking stage and at 4-5 months at pasture.
- Milking the cow correctly. From a physiological point of view, it is better to use a machine milking. This helps milk all quarters of the udder at once. When carrying out the procedure manually, it is worth milking the front and rear nipples alternately. At the same time, it is recommended to start milking slowly and gradually accelerate.
The decrease in milk yield in cows can be due to the influence of a variety of factors. For productivity to be consistently high, it is important to feed the animals correctly and provide them with suitable housing conditions.
