FAS, Dairy, Livestock & Poultry Division, 1997 U.S. role in the global dairy industry

Michigan and the U.S. dairy industry, 2001 Hoard’s Dairyman, 147(6):231

Dairy: Historical Trends (United States) Milk/cow Cows Total Milk Cows x x x x10 6 Yield: (1997) 16,915 Average pounds per cow per year x10 6

Michigan Dairy Industry 1999 Milk prod., billion lbs5.46 Yield/cow, lbs18,244 Dairy cows299,000 Dairy farms3700 MDA & MASS,

Types of Dairy Farms Milking Cows Only Heifer growers Crop Farmers - contract with dairy producers to supply feed material Total Enterprise - milk cows, raise own replacements, raise own crops for feed for livestock

Size of dairy farms NASS, 1998

Location of Dairy Farms

(Bokemeier et al Decisions for the future: Dairy farming in Michigan; MSU AES Res. Rpt. 540) Decisions for the Future: Dairy Farming in Michigan Future Profiles of MI Dairy Farmers (n = 445) Survey Summary Importance of profitability Importance of dairy farming both as a business and a way of life Few operators were concerned only with financial, or only with life quality >75%: good place to raise a family, to work outdoors, do things “own way” >80%: paying down debt, enough money, income and profitability

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Gross Chemical Composition. Average composition 87.3% Water 3.7% Fat 3.4% Protein 4.9% Lactose 0.7% Ash

The future for dairy farming Greater environmental restrictions Higher production and greater efficiency per cow Increased use of technology and milk output per worker Fewer and larger farms; overall fewer cows Novel dairy products and processes

Registration Numbers 2001 Breed Annual Registrations (1,000 animals) Holstein Jersey 67.7 Brown Swiss 10.0 Guernsey 6.0 Ayrshire 4.6 Hoard’s Dairyman, 2002

Ayrshire Origin -- Scotland 305 d milk yield, 2x/d mature equivalent – 16,864 lbs –3.3% protein –3.9% fat Red and white ~ 1200 lbs mature weight

Holstein Origin – Holland 305 d, 2x, ME –24,755 lbs –3.2% protein –3.6% fat Black and white ~ 1500 lbs mature weight

GUERNSEY Origin -- Isle of Guernsey 305 d, 2x ME –15,143 lbs –3.5% protein –4.5% fat Fawn and white ~1100 lbs mature weight

JERSEY Origin -- Isle of Jersey 305 d, 2x ME –17,680 lbs –3.7% protein –4.6% fat Light fawn to nearly black ~1000 lbs mature weight

Brown Swiss Origin -- Switzerland 305 d, 2x ME –20,972 lbs –3.4% protein –4.0% fat Light to dark brown ~ 1450 lbs mature weight

Evaluating Dairy Cows

Type Classification Registered, ID grade, grade Official type classification by breed associations Varies according to age & stage of lactation Excellent – 90 and over Very Good – 85 to 89 Good Plus - 80 to 84 Good – 75 to 79

Parts of a dairy cow

Composition of a Dairy Herd Management GroupsStage Number Heifers (Nulliparous)Birth to 24 Mos150 * Birth-->Wean6 Wks * Wean-->Puberty1.5 to 12 Mos * Puberty-->Conception12 to 15 Mos * Conc.-->~ 30 d prepartum 15 to 23 Mos Cows (Parous) 200 * Prepartum ( ~30 d) 23 to 24 Mos * LACTATINGCalving-->305 d preg. * Early Calving-->90 d * Middle91 d to 200 d * Late201 d to 305 d * Dry 60 d-->1 d Prepartum

Did you know? lbs. of blood circulate through the udder to produce 1 lb. milk The record milk yield is ~70,000 lbs./lactation