Hello, my name is Yasmin Yagiz, and I am a third year animal veterinary science major at UMaine. I have learned a lot about the process about milking cows being a part of UMADCOWS. One of the most important steps is to use pre- dip and post- dip. Pre- dip is used to clean the udder prior to milking the cow. It ensures the sanitation of the milk, which is important since we sell the milk commercially. After the cow has been milked, it is important to follow up with post- dip. This dip protects the cow from getting infections after being milked. As I was told during my training, dip is cheaper than cows. We are always very generous when applying these dips, because a healthy cow is a happy cow.
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Hi, my name is Olivia Durkee and I am a Junior at the University of Maine. This is my first semester milking cows, and I am absolutely loving it! During my week of being the youngstock on call herdsperson, I was responsible for weighing the baby steers. During one of my first milkings, I inquired about why the boys were fed waste milk and the girls were fed milk replacer. I found out that this is because the waste milk is higher energy than the milk replacer, so it is ideal for having the boys grow stronger. The girls are fed milk replacer because it is more consistent in its components, and it limits the risk of biosecurity issues. This is especially important for the girls because one day they are going to be the ones in the milking parlor producing milk.
Hi everyone! My name is Catherine, and I am a third year AVS student. This will be my second semester milking because I just can’t get enough cow cuddles.
This semester we only have two cows who are supposed to give birth, and one of them, the lovely Rae, decided to surprise us on Wednesday by giving birth a week early. Her calf ended up being a healthy bull who we named Rasputin. Calving goes quick once the cow starts pushing. We got a text from our TA Cam around 10:40am saying to go to the farm if we want to help with the calving, and by 11:20am Rasputin was on the ground. Once Rasputin was born a whole gang of dedicated students swooped in to dry him off and clear his airway, the former being especially important since it is so cold out. Unfortunately, due to the ongoing pandemic no one can come visit this cute baby for the foreseeable future, so enjoy some baby pictures instead! The livetstock industry is one of the most controversial topics when talking about food which makes it very easy for misinformation to spread. One of the questions related to animal agriculture that I have noticed is discussed more than others is, “Why are Dairy Calves Separated from their Mothers at Birth?”. Well, there are two main reasons for this: one is for their safety and the other for their health. After the calf is born, the mother has a brief moment of love and affection for her newborn, however, once this period is over, the mother becomes anxious and starts to look for her herd mates which puts the baby in danger as this can lead to the calf being stepped on. The main reason farmers will separate a calf from its mother is because they are born with no active immune system. This way, we can frequently and effectively monitor them when they are in their individual hutch. This makes it easier for farmers to make sure the calf is healthy and getting the nutrients that are crucially needed!!
Overall, if the calf is not removed away from her mother it might be a danger to her calf by the following; ● Could be stepped on and injured ● Not enough colostrum consumed ● Mother becomes anxious ● No immunity could lead to possible sickness if not monitored Once a calf is on its own some important things to consider would be: ● Tags for their name and birth date ● Colostrum ● Have essential Vitamins/electrolytes handy ● Halter and rope ● Plan a disease-control program ● Give lots a love and make sure the calf is happy!! |
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