Caring for dairy cows can be a challenge especially if you are new to this business. Here are some tips to care for dairy cows:
Quality feeding
The first and most important part of caring for dairy cows is to feed quality food.
In order to have high producing and healthy cows, proper and sufficient quality good must be given to the cows.
Grain and silage are the most common food for the dairy cows.
Dairy cows would also need a lot of green feeds to help improve milk production.
Sufficient clean and fresh water must also be available to the cows.
As for raising dairy cows on pasture, make sure that the pasture is fresh and safe.
Switch the paddocks on a regular basis if your cows are on rotational grazing schedule.
It is highly encouraged to make sure your dairy cows are getting a formulated ration which are high in calcium, energy, protein as well as phosphorus.
This will ensure the cows are in good health and increases productivity.
Housing
Keep the living place of your cows as clean and fresh as possible.
Make sure the feeding, staying and milking area is always clean.
Replace dirty bedding that has been soiled from manure.
Keeping the place clean will help to prevent mastitis to your herd.
Regular checking for illness
You need to check your cows regularly to make sure there is no sign of injury or illness.
If you noticed something wrong, quickly get your veterinarian to take a look.
Cows highly susceptible to mastitis and lameness issue, hence proper care is needed.
Milking
Cows need to be milked twice a day.
Usually they are being milk once every 12 hours.
You can milk them with either hand or machine.
If you have more than 3 cows, using a machine is definitely more efficient.
Ensure the milking equipment is always clean before using it.