Things dairy farmers must pay attention to for a profitable dairy farm:

2020-02-23

1. Farm cleanliness and hygiene:

Regular cleaning and hygiene are essential for livestock farming. Along with regularly cleaning animal feed and water containers, animal waste should be properly cleaned and stored in pits. Sick animals should be separated from healthy ones, and special care should be taken for pregnant cows. After a cow gives birth, all straw, food, and waste should be cleaned and disinfected with sterilizing agents. The entire farm should be disinfected with high-quality disinfectant spray.

2. Disease carriers:

Visitor access to dairy farms should be limited as they can act as disease carriers. Those who work on the farm must take special precautions, such as thoroughly cleaning their shoes or boots before entering the farm and dipping them in disinfectant. Diseases can also spread through contaminated feed and water. Diseases can spread from one farm to another through wild birds, rats, or dogs.

3. What to do before purchasing new animals:

Introducing livestock directly from outside to another farm is extremely risky. Newly purchased animals should be kept separate from other farm animals for thirty days and only released into the farm after thorough examination by a veterinarian. Especially for cows, they should be purchased after checking for mastitis, uterine inflammation, and other reproductive health issues.

Additionally, the cow's udder and teats should be palpated to check for heat, hardness, wounds, or infections. For milking cows, milk samples should be tested bacteriologically in a laboratory. For bulls, reproductive health examination is essential.

4. Exercise:

Cows should be taken outside daily for exercise as it increases their appetite and makes it easier to detect cows in heat.

5. Fly control on the farm:

The farm should always be kept clean to prevent fly breeding. For this, waste piles, drainage areas, silage grass piles, dirty feed, and water containers should always be kept clean. Pyrethrin 0.1% spray can also be used to control flies.

6. Checking cow illness:

Cow illness can be identified by the following characteristics:

1. Decreased milk production

2. Rough coat

3. Reduced rumination

4. Increased body temperature

5. Loss of appetite

6. Dry muzzle

7. When to call a veterinarian:

1. When infectious diseases appear

2. In case of milk fever

3. When a cow stops eating

4. Painful or abnormal childbirth

5. Pregnancy diagnosis and reproductive problem diagnosis

6. When the placenta is retained

7. In case of severe injury or wounds