GOOD MANAGEMENT PRACTICES FOR SUCCESSFUL DAIRY FARMING IN INDIA

May 19, 2021

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GOOD MANAGEMENT PRACTICES FOR SUCCESSFUL DAIRY FARMING IN INDIA

Dairy farming is important in India for the farmers as it is source of their livelihood. The sale of milk brings upliftment of their economy. In addition to this, women in the villages prepare butter, ghee out of milk and sell in that locality. Thus it is totally profit oriented business in rural India. In addition to it, manure can be used for organic farming, bio gas production for cooking as fuel purposes in the villages. Nowadays because of COVID pandemic youth lost their jobs in the cities and came to villages and started dairy as entrepreneurship. In this changing scenario, good management practices are essential for successful farming. Here are the few tips for management of the livestock.

Selection of the animals
Breeds of cows: Few breeds and their characteristics have been briefed here.
Indigenous Dairy breeds: Gir, Sahiwal, Tharpakar, Malenad Gidda, Red sindhi

These breeds got good disease resistance and produce good milk yield. All milch breeds produce average milk yield ranges from 1200-1800kg per lactation, but Sahiwal will produce upto 2500 kg per lactation.

Indigenous Draft: Amrutmahal, Hallikar, Khillari, Krishna Valley

They are having compact body shape and mainly used for ploughing in the villages.

Exotic breeds: Jersey, Holstein Friesian and Brown Swiss

They are exotic in origin. Their age at first calving is around 30 months and intercalving interval is 14-15 months. Average milk yield per lactation is 4500 kgs in Jersey and 6000kg in Holstein Friesian.

Cross Breeds: Jersey and Holstein Friesian cross animals:

These can be obtained by crossing or upgrading the indigenous cows with exotic semen. They are quite resistant diseases and well suited to Indian condition. Jersey cross can yield 10 liters milk per day; whereas Holstein Friesian cross can yield 15 liters daily.

Breeds of buffaloes: Murrah, Jaffarbadi, Pandarapuri, Surti and South Canara

Their milk fat percentage ranges from 7 -10% and average milk yield per lactation is1500 -2000 kgs. Buffaloes are sturdy animals and good for Indian climate. Their average age at first calving is 45-50 months and inter calving period is 450-500 days.

III. Breed selection by the farmers

Breed selection should be made by the farmers as per their convenience, availability of the feed and fodder, breeding policy in that locality and asking suggestion from the experts. If they want to rear cows under intensive method with maximum care exotic breeds are suitable. Otherwise with little bit care and management indigenous breeds and crossbreeds can be reared. Providing at least one hour sunlight exposure to the livestock will fulfill vitamin D requirement and make them disease free rather than tying them full time under shed.

Selection of the cows
Cow should have good temperament and shiny hair coat
Shiny eyes, moist muzzle, wide nostrils and erected ears are indicators of good health
Udder should be soft and pliable without any lumps. There should be uniform teats and

Prominent visible milk veins

Milk recording should be checked twice or thrice by milking the animal and based on which price can be negotiated.
Check the pedigree records. Dam yield and sire performance are important in selection.
Selection of the bull
Bull should be selected based on the pedigree records
Dam lactation yield should be higher and sire should have good sire index
Its hoof should be injury free

4 Testicles should be good in size without any lumps upon pressing

It should be aggressive with good temperament.
Rearing of the animals:

It involves rearing of the animals of different age group. It involves management of calves, heifers, pregnant, lactating animals and breeding bulls. It includes their care and nutrition.

a. Calf management:

Remove mucus from the whole body by rubbing with towel, immediately after calf birth. Clean the nostrils so as to clear the nasal passage. Colostrum is to be given to the calf within half of an hour after its birth. Colostrum is rich in protein, immunoglobulins and minerals. The intestinal epithelium is able to absorb immunoglobulins for two hours. If it is delayed absorption will be blocked. So at the earliest feeding colostrum is very important step. If it is not able to suckle help to reach to the cow’s udder.

Cut the naval cord leaving 2-6cms from the body using clean sterile blade and apply tincture iodine solution to prevent infection. Deworming is done at 10^th day. Later it is repeated for every month for three months, then for every six months. Horn buds to be burnt with caustic soda or using electric machine 7-10 days after the birth of the calf. Identification tags can be applied in the ears.

Castration: Male calves can be castrated if they are used for draft purposes. It is done within three months of age using open surgical method. If it is an adult male of one year castration can be one by burdizzo castrator closed method. Here spermatic cord is crushed so that blood supply to testicles will be cut off and and testicles will be atrophied. By this males will be docile.
Calf feeding

Weaning is practiced at 4^th day. Colostrum is fed in divided doses twice 1/10 th of the body weight in first three days. 10th day onwards provide good calf starter. Calf starter contains higher protein and less fiber required for their growth. 100g-500g of calf starter in first month later in second month it can be raised to 1.5 kg slowly. 15th day onwards tender grass/ legume hay can be given to stimulate the rumen.

From three months onwards stop feeding milk. By this time if calf is not attained body weight of 75 kg, continue milk feeding for few more days. Till four months of age calves depends on calf starter. Later their rumen will develop to digest forages. Green forages like Napier grass, guinea grass, fodder sorghum, fodder maize can be given 2kg/day. It can be increased slowly to 5-10kg when it reaches six month age. Lucerne, be seem like leguminous fodder to be wilted under sun for two three hours before feeding to avoid bloat. Calf starter can be fed in divided doses to the extent of 2.5 kg from 4^th month.

After six months onwards concentrates can be fed 2.5 kg per day daily along with 15-20 kg green fodder till one year. From one year onwards till conception green fodder can be raised to 25 to 30kg/daily. By this female calf gains 500g weight daily.

Pregnant and lactating cows’ management

Pregnant cows

In cattle the gestation period is nine months and in buffaloes it is ten months. In early pregnancy there is no need of special feeding. They should be fed with good quality forages. But in last trimester, about 1-2 kg of extra concentrate should be offered. Clean water to be given. It should be kept in calm environment. This cow should not be mixed with other cows which have been aborted recently. Allow moderate exercise to ease the parturition.

Lactation

Thumb rule is for one kg of milk, provide extra 0.4 kg concentrate and in buffaloes extra 0.5kg concentrates addition to the maintenance diet.

Care and management of bulls.

Bull rearing is essential requirement for the successful breeding programme if artificial insemination is not followed. They should be given plenty of exercise in order to prevent fat formation. They should be kept separately in shed. Regular grooming is practiced in breeding bulls. 12 m²per bull floor space is required.

If good quality legumes like cowpea, Lucerne etc are fed with oats no need of concentrates. But when straws form basal ration concentrates can be fed to the tune of 2kgs/day.

Housing of the animals
Direction of the shed: Shed should be constructed in East west direction and animals are tied in North south direction. This will protect the animals from sunrays and air flow will be optimum.
Types of housing
Loose system of housing:

Animals are reared loose under open paddock. Here one temporary shelter is provided for the animals to rest in summer season. Animals are fed with common manger and waterer where they are milked. The entire area is covered by wire fencing.

Conventional barns:

In this animals are reared under proper shed where feeding and watering is done.

Systems of housing

Face to face system: In this animals are tied to face each other

Advantages: 1. Feeding is easy

Animal presentation to visitors will be good
Disinfection of the gutter is by direct sun rays falling on it

Tail to tail system: In this system animals are tied back to back

Advantages: 1. Spread of the infection is reduced

Milking and cleaning the dung will be easy
Animals will get fresh air.

Usually all follow this system as it is easy for maintenance.

Figure 1: Holstein Friesian cross breed (Owner Ginnappa, dairy farmer, Belgaum, Karnataka)

Figure 2: Simple animal shed under loose housing system (Owner Ginnappa, dairy farmer, Belgaum, Karnataka)

Animal shed design

Ideal width of double row housing is 10m. Provide walking space of 1 meter, manger is of 0.5 m, and standing space of 1.5m in the shed. The drainage space should be 0.25 to 0.5 meter for dung and urine. In the animal standing space slope is 1:20 for draining urine and dung.

Space requirement:

1m²/ three months of the calf, 1.5 m²/ below 6 months of the calf and 2 m²for one year old are the floor spaces requirements for the calves of different age groups. 12 m² for a bull, 3.5 m² for adult cow, 4 m²for buffaloe, 4 m² for pregnant cow and 12 m² for lactating cow floor spaces to be provided.

There are separate compartments like this in the shed.

Calving house: Advanced pregnant animal can be shifted here. It should have 10 ft X 15ft with ample soft bedding material.
Isolation box: 10X15ft space is sufficient. It is to keep diseased animal from the herd.
Young calves shed: 10 ft X 10ft can hold 10 calves.
Bull shed: It should have individual pens for separate bulls.

Shed construction

Basement: 10-15cm raised foundation is essential for good strength.

Height: 15 ft at the central and 8 ft at the side height should be given.

Width: 10 meter width if cows reared in two rows and 5 meter width if cows reared in single row is to be provided.

Floor: It should be non slippery having rough surface with grooves. It can be constructed with cement, brick or stones. 1.5 to 2 cm slope from the manger to the gutter for proper drainage of the urine or washed water is framed while constructing floor. For every 7.5 cm distance, groove of 1 cm should be made to prevent the slipping of the animals. 30 cm width and 7.5cm depth gutter is provided for draining the urine and water.

One meter walking space, 1.5 meter lengthwise and 1.2mt width wise standing spaces are required. Feeder spaces of 60-75 cm /adult and 40-50 cm /calf are required. Mangers size should be 60x40x50 cm and 40x15x20 cm for adult and calf respectively. All along the manger 10 inch wide water trough can be provided.

Roof: It can be made with cement sheet, asbestos sheet or thatched roof.

Walls: The height should be 1.5m and finished smoother with cement plaster.

Doors: 5 feet width and 7 feet height entrance is given

Nutrition.

Feed is essential for the maintenance and production of the milk. Grouping of the animals as per their nutritional requirement viz., weanlings, pregnant cows, breeding bulls and lactating cows will help in providing the proper nutrition. For example pregnant cow should be fed with more quantity of good quality forage than non pregnant.

Components

Energy: Carbohydrates like sugar, starch and fiber are main energy sources. Cereals like maize, wheat, barley, oat, molasses and agricultural byproducts are the energy sources in the feed.

Protein: The nitrogen content in the protein is required for rumen bacterial protein synthesis. Amino acids are required for various metabolic activities. Ground nut cake, cotton seed, soyabean, mustard cake, linseed and sesame are the protein sources.

Vitamins: Vitamin B –complexes and vitamin K are synthesized by the rumen microbes. Vitamin A can be synthesized by the carotenes present in the fodder. Vitamin D deficiency might be seen in the animals which are completely reared in shade. Vitamin C can be synthesized by the animal in the tissues. Vitamin E and selenium are easily convertible into another so supplementing either of one will serve the purpose.

Minerals: Dicalcium phosphate is required for the animals. Calcium phosphate ratio should be 2:1. Calcium, magnesium and phosphorous are required for the growth of the animals. Calcium is present in grasses and legumes. Poor forages are deficient in phosphorous. Rest trace minerals like selenium, cobalt are required for the metabolic processes.

Common salt:

Lumps of salts should be hung in some places or they may be kept in manger. The salt licks help to secrete good amount of sodium and chloride ions in the milk. Salt can be added 2 percent with the daily grain ration.

Antibiotics:

Feeding of aureomycin or terramycin increase the growth rate of the young calves, reduces the incidence of scours and infectious diseases.

Based on the above said material farmer can prepare their own feed and reduce the cost of the feed.

Compound feed preparation

By using local available material feed can be prepared. It will reduce the cost of the feed. The choice of the grains, oil cake and other supplements depend on the availability, nutritive value and cost. But this should not be compromised with the nutrient requirements. If one farmer prepares feed using cheaper grains, animal will not show optimum production. Here is one sample for the preparation of compound feed

Feed components (For 100 kg)

Broken grains – 30-40%

Rice bran- – 30-40%

Oil cakes – 20-30%

Crop residue – 7%

Mineral mixure- 2%

Salt – 1-2%

Breeding

Size of the heifer is important criteria for the breeding. Small sized heifers should not be inseminated as they cause difficulty in parturition. Age at breeding is 24-30 months in indigenous breed, whereas it is 18-20 months for cross bred animals. Whenever heifer comes to heat it should be inseminated or allowed for natural service.

Reproductive cycle and estrus signs:

The duration of the reproductive cycle of the cows is 17-24 days. It can be divided into pro estrus, estrus (mid heat) and diestrus. Here duration of the estrus is 12-18 hours and time of the ovulation will be 12-16 hours after the end of estrus.

Estrus signs: Frequent bellowing, urination, discharge from the vagina, restlessness and mounting on other animals are exhibited by the cows whenever they are in heat.
Insemination time: It should be inseminated at mid heat i.e. after eight hours of onset of estrus. In simple words if animal is showing estrus signs in the morning it should be inseminated in the evening or if it is exhibited signs in the evening, inseminate it next day morning. If it is not exhibited any estrus signs 21 days after insemination, it indicates animal has conceived.
Milking: Milk the animals twice or thrice daily. Clean the udder before milking and dry it with clean cloth. Milk it completely. Milking person should take care of his hand hygiene before milking. Clean the udder after milking also. Full hand and complete milking is preferred than strip method.
Dry period: 60 days dry period is essential for the cows. Stop milking the cows at its seventh month pregnancy. This will help replenish the energy required.
Diseases in cattle and buffaloes:
Bacterial diseases: Anthrax, Haemorrhagic Septicemia, Black Quarter and mastitis
Viral diseases: Foot and Mouth disease, Rabies
Metabolic or management problems: Calf scour, Milk fever and ketosis etc.
Endoparasitic infestation: Strongylosis, Schistosomiasis, Babesiosis and thieliriosis
Ectoparasitic infestation: Tick, lice and mite infestation

Rather than going in detail, as per farmers point of view, if I say, any abnormality in animal like animal might be offfed, dull, passing watery dung or any swelling in the body (Eg: Mastitis) please contact Veterinary doctor and get the treatment done. Every day carefully observing the animal is good management practice.

Vaccination: Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) vaccine to be given at four months of the age. Later it is to be repeated for every six months. Hemorrhagic Septicemia (HS), Black Quarter (BQ) vaccine can be started at the age of six months later repeat it annually. Only female calves need to be to be vaccinated for brucellosis at the age of four months. Anthrax vaccination is done at the age of six months, later to be repeated every year.

These are few basic management techniques to be practiced by farmers for successful dairy industry. In addition to it, farmers need to update his/her knowledge by getting training from Veterinarians/KVK scientists. They should use modern technologies like mobile apps for ration balancing, milk sale price and for treatment. They should have experimental approach to try different new things to get more profit. Visiting other government/private farms or discussing with other progressive farmers is essential to increase the economy. Government will provide subsidies to set up new farms along with few facilities under different schemes. Farmers must use these loan provisions to become self reliant. Even they can promote for organic milk production and its packaging as the indigenous breed milk fetching more popularity in recent days. They can plan for Gaumootra distillation unit and sell the Arka or Gaumaya. Even selling desi ghee, milk, butter milk and sweets prepared from them fetch good profit.

Dr. Aparna Hebbar H,

Chief Veterinary Officer, Livestock Breeding & Training Centre, Koila, Kadaba Taluk, Dakshin Kannada, Karnataka, 574241 Email id: appehebbar@gmail.com

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