Top Cow Breeds

Top Cow Breeds in North America

Author: Mary Ann Porsuelo

We have our preferences, especially when it comes to raising cows and cattle and making it big in the market. It would depend on the country and its market to choose which cow breeds to favor above the others. Here are the top cow breeds in North America today:

Ayshires: This breed is generally red and white in color, with the red color varying from very light to very dark shades. There are cows and bulls that may be nearly covered all in red or nearly all in white. Brindle and roan colors are rare in Ayshires today, although it was once common.

The Ayshires possess great ability to rustle and forage for themselves when under adverse conditions. They can adapt to rugged terrains and harsh conditions better than most cow breeds, and this makes them an outstanding commercial cow breed. They are strong and easy to raise.

Brown Swiss: Also called Braunvieh, this cow breed is brown in color, with a creamy white muzzle and dark nose. This is another strong breed, well-balanced, with a good physique, and can also adapt to harsh conditions.

The Brown Swiss are used both for dairy and beef purposes, as they provide good milk and meat output. The Brown Swiss are also known among milk producers for their good milk, protein, and butterfat production. Their milk also makes great cheese because of their very favorable fat-to-protein ratio.

Guernsey: The Guernsey can vary from yellow to red or brown, with white patches. This is one calm breed, neither irritable nor nervous. Their appearance is that of an animal born with great physical form.

It is the Guernsey's behavior and individuality that attracts many breeders and producers towards it. Dairy and meat production is no problem with their well-balanced body. Their calm attitude and fine temperament makes them great for utility.

Holstein: The Holsteins are the most recognizable cow breed, with the trademark color of black and white. There are also Holsteins that are red and white. The Holstein is a desirable cow breed for producers, as the breed produces both milk and meat. Their milk production rate is observed to be constantly improving, too.

Jersey: The Jersey's color is light brown, though there are those with colors that range from grey to a dull black. White patches are also present, with some Jerseys almost covered by them. Perhaps the main distinctive feature of the Jersey is its black nose border by an almost white muzzle. Another defining trait is its hard black feet, which contributes to strong legs that makes the breed a sturdy and strong one.

Dairy Shorthorn: The Dairy Shorthorns can be red, red and white, white, or roan. The roan-colored Shorthorn has a specific shade of roan that cannot be seen in the other cow breeds. Despite their name, the Dairy Shorthorn can be horned or polled. The Shorthorns' milk is best for making cheese because of its most favorable fat-to-protein ratio.

The Dairy Shorthorns are gentle and quiet in nature, and they can fit well with the other breeds. The Shorthorns also have the ability to recover quickly and have few physical problems. They especially have strong feet and legs. The female Shorthorns make excellent mothers, and have been used as “foundation” females in the introduction of European breeds to Australia.

It is debatable which cow breed is the best. Perhaps, it will never be known which is the best among them because of each has individuality and benefits for the producer and consumer markets. Nevertheless, these remain to be the top cow breeds in North America.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/business-opportunities-articles/top-cow-breeds-in-north-america-579985.html

About the Author

The author of this article is currently working on Holstein Embryo. Feel free to contact her at keywriterm@gmail.com for any inquiries or concerns.

Friesian Cows

Friesian Cows - Facts And Figures

Author: John J Kelly

With the definitive origins of Friesian cows being undetermined, the traces of the breed have been tracked back to Jutland where herds of cows with the characteristic black and white colourations grazed the fields. These Friesians were imported into Holland in the 1700's to replace fallen stock that became victim of floods and disease. This stock was then cross bred with the remaining Dutch cattle to form the beginnings of what is now recognised as Friesians, which became the mainstay of stock in the modern world. However, during the mid-1900's in the United States, the popularity of this breed declined as emphasis was placed on the purity of colour.

The common place breeding of Friesians with Holsteins has resulted in the majority of modern breed being a cross-breed, which is perfectly suited as a grazing animal which is adaptable for a wide range of grassland while exhibiting high levels of lactation over sustained periods. Being selectively bred over hundreds of years, this breed are now the preferred dairy cow in New Zealand and as a result, there are a number of reputable agents that specialise in Friesian cows for sale.

The typical characteristic of these cattle are the two patched colour types, being either white and black or white and red. Being similar size to the Holstein breed, Friesian cows for sale in New Zealand have become the mainstay of the New Zealand dairy industry exhibiting high protein levels, higher fat levels as well elevated lactation levels and frequency. Additionally, they are renown for their ability to calve more frequently, calve more often in their lifetime, require less replacements, have lower cell counts and exceed other breeds in respect to the quality of milk produced. As a result, Friesian cows for sale in New Zealand are noted for their high lifetime yields, high quality and lean meat they deliver as well as the superior milk they produce.

With the need to increase dairy productivity, farmers are coming under increasing pressure to get the most out of their land. The use of fertilisers, feed additives and other performance enhancing methods are now commonplace in an effort to increase lactose production, calving and productivity per acre. The quality of the stock on the farms is one of the key factors in increasing this production, with the ability of the stock to effectively react to these inputs. Friesian cows are renowned for the ability to positively react to these farming investments, and as a result, are always in high demand within the New Zealand dairy industry.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/agriculture-articles/friesian-cows-facts-and-figures-5457508.html

About the Author

Kelly Livestock is the largest independently owned livestock Company in the Taranaki Region. If you are looking for cattle, dairy cows / herds for sale take a look at Friesian Cows for sale online here : www.cows4sale.co.nz

Breeding Cattle

Breeding Cattle - 5 Tips to Learn How to Breed Cattle Properly

Author: Tim Smith

One of the most important aspects of cattle farming that a farmer should spend a good amount of attention to is breeding cattle. Breeding cattle not only means more stock in the herd to sell but more cows to use for future breeding as well. What you have to understand when it comes to breeding cattle is that the activity requires balance between genetics and actual herd management. Without these, you will not only be left with abnormal, ill-fitting cows but will be spending more time and money on feeding and extra work to get them to meet standards. If you are a cattle farmer and are trying to learn how to breed cattle properly, here are a few tips to try:

•    Always be selective within your own herd. You should be able to distinguish good animals from those with health and body structure problems because keeping only the best not only produces the best cows but also saves up on time and energy for work during breeding time.

•    Remember to have a full body scan of your bulls before using them for breeding. You can have them checked for STDs, sperm count, take them for physical health check-ups, and the like.

•    When choosing bulls for breeding, select those that have been known to have produced high quality calves. Once you've found that bull, you can either keep him in your herd of just artificially inseminate your cows using a wide range of bulls. Though this gives you more options to choose from, artificial insemination requires more work on your part.

•    When breeding cattle, always keep your cattle in a healthy environment and in good condition. Many mistakes done before breeding can cause significant problems to the entire process. For example, if you overfeed or underfeed your cows, it not only lessens their chances of conceiving but increases the calf's health risks at birth.

•    For future breeding activities, it would be best to record breeding dates. Do so accurately as this will help you prepare for future pregnancy signs in your cows and will determine how soon your cows will conceive.

Accomplish most of these tips when breeding cattle and you'll be sure to produce award-winning calves. Though it may be a bit more stressful, the success that you get from breeding is a self-fulfilling one that you'd want to develop your skills even more.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/breeding-cattle-5-tips-to-learn-how-to-breed-cattle-properly-1460768.html

About the Author

Breeding cattle can improve quality of life and provide great satisfaction and responsibility for families. Explore your options and then decide. If you would like more tips on breeding cattle, please visit http://www.howtoraisecattle.com

Israel Dairy Farming Method

The Benefits of Learning the Israel Dairy Farming Method

Author: Aarav

Starting a dairy farm of your own is no small task. It requires meticulous planning and you need to have the best practices in place so that the health of your cows is in best condition, so that it produces the highest quality milk every day. You can get an edge over your competitor buy making use of the latest in dairy farming practices such that your cows produce more milk and one which is of the highest quality, giving you greater yield and profits. In order to get such results, you need to get started with the Israel Dairy Farming method.

Information about the Israel Dairy Farming is available through seminars. These seminars address every issue related to dairy farming ranging from milk production to cow's health, implementing computerized feed management and much more. They give you all information about how a dairy in Israel is maintained which uses the latest dairy farming practices and cattle breeding methods. Here is a look at what you can learn by attending an Israeli dairy farming seminar:

• Best cattle nutrition and optimal feeding practices
• How to breed cows in the best way and fertility management
• How to maintain milk quality at its highest
• How to bring about high production from cow, even under hot climatic conditions
• How to raid calves and heifers
• Learn the benefits of the Parlor milking system
• How to keep cow cool and comfortable
• How to prevent cattle from succumbing to diseases

These are some of the things that you will learn in their seminar and there are lots more. By joining such a seminar or undertaking a course that teaches you the techniques used in a Dairy in Israel, you will become adept in managing your farm excellently while getting the highest quantity milk from it, setting your farm apart from others. Your daily milk production will be quick. The unique breeding principles of the Israeli dairy farming method will improve cattle health which is very essential for breeding and giving high milk production. You will learn the complete methodology for dairy farming which when implemented in your farm will make your dairy farming activities more efficient, thus enabling you to save more money while gaining higher sales through milk sales. You will learn all economic aspects of dairy farming giving you the knowledge on how best to maintain your dairy farm with minimal spending, while at the same time not compromising on quality of cattle feed, health and other aspects.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/drinks-articles/the-benefits-of-learning-the-israel-dairy-farming-method-6700217.html

About the Author

For more information, Israel dairy farming.

Measuring Profitability on a Dairy Farm

Author: Marc R. Sholder

One of the most frustrating management tasks on any dairy farm certainly has to be the evaluation of a farm's financial position. In light of the recent volatility with respect to the key components impacting profitability, the last thing most owners want to spend time doing is analyzing their operations financial position. This can no doubt be a daunting task for owners and farm advisers alike. However, by gathering a few necessary financial statements, including beginning and ending balance sheets, income statements, and cash flow statements a dairy producer and his advisers can begin to analyze the financial performance of the farming operation.  This analysis is the primary quantitative measure of business performance. There are two key metrics that adequately measure and begin to help benchmark profitability. Return on Investment, sometimes referred to as Return on Assets, illustrates the amount of income a farm was able to generate with the assets that were available. The DuPont Model uses two key components, margin and turnover, to shed light on profitability.

Return on Investment (ROI) is a simple rate of return calculation, amount of return/amount invested.  In the case of a dairy operation, we can use net income, from the income statement as the "amount of return" and average total assets as the "amount invested." It is important to use average total assets as the denominator. Using the balance sheet from the beginning of the year and the balance sheet from the end of the year, one can calculate average total assets (prior year end total assets + current year end total assets/2). One must use the average total assets because the total assets from one balance sheet only represents a point in time while the net income is representative of income earned over the entire year.

Let's look at a simple ROI example. Feed Additive X claims to increase milk yield by 1 pound per cow and costs $0.12/head/day to feed. At a milk price of $16/cwt, the ROI would be 33% ($0.16-$0.12/$0.12= $0.33.) Put another way, for every $1.00 spent on Feed Additive X, the cows will generate $1.33 in increased milk revenue. Remember, this is a simple example. More thorough analysis of year-end numbers and historical performance is vital for making sound management decisions.

The DuPont Model expands upon the basic Return on Investment calculation. Incorporating margin and turnover, the DuPont Model allows users of financial statements to easily determine where the strengths and weaknesses can be found in a dairy enterprise.  In other words, management and investors can much more easily identify the cause of changes to ROI from year to year.  The question of whether investment in assets, such as more land or equipment increased profitability or increased revenue from the sale of inventory or assets was the profitability driver. The two key elements of the DuPont Model are margin and turnover.  Margin, or earnings, is net income/sales (gross revenue) and specifically measures efficiency. Put another way, the margin is a way of expressing the net income resulting from each dollar of revenue. Turnover is sales/average total assets and measures how well assets are being utilized to generate revenue.

Most dairy producers and their advisers would benefit from a more thorough understanding of the DuPont Model.  Since turnover is concerned with how much revenue can be generated from the utilization of assets, it makes sense that many dairies hire custom operators to manage crops or send their young stock to a custom heifer raiser. By limiting these costly investments in assets such as machinery, facilities, and feedstuff inventories a manager has a positive impact on the turnover portion of the DuPont Model of ROI analysis.  Most of these reductions in assets, if done correctly will have no impact on gross revenue. The margin portion of the Model takes into account the impact that these business decisions have on profitability. Net income, a key part of margin, is the difference between gross revenue and total expenses. So, margin will allow the decision makers to determine whether the reduction in the assets associated with sending the young-stock to the custom grower is driving up expenses in such a way as to negatively impact profitability.

Every dairy producer should familiarize themselves with Return on Investment and the DuPont Model.  Many producers take the position that cutting expenses is the only way to remain profitable in volatile markets. The DuPont Model is invaluable for truly drilling down to areas of the business that are hindering financial performance. Understanding the specific areas of an operation that are driving profit or loss will make an operation more adaptable in uncertain market conditions. Seeking the counsel of an accountant or another adviser to become more familiar with the quantitative tools available is much easier than trying to figure out what could have been done differently to save a failing dairy.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/agriculture-articles/measuring-profitability-on-a-dairy-farm-2643221.html

About the Author

Marc Sholder is a Dairy Consultant with Cargill Inc. in southeastern Pennsylvania and an MBA student at West Chester University of Pennsylvania

Dairy Farming in New Zealand

Dairy Farming in New Zealand - An Overview

Author: Mark Holland

New Zealand's dairy farming industry is a crucial part of the country's economy. The agricultural sector in New Zealand accounts for two thirds of all exports and has an impressive global reputation. Meat, dairy and other livestock product is revered worldwide for its consistently high quality. The dairy industry supplies the entire country and still exports enough to be the eighth largest milk producer, accounting for 2.2% of the world's production; quite astounding figures for a country of just over four million.

The country's dairy industry rose from humble beginnings during early European colonisation. In the nineteenth century, dairy farming began to expand with the introduction of farming co-operatives. These farmer-owned dairy companies aided the industry's growth substantially. Six years after the Treaty of Waitangi was signed, farming exporting began. New Zealand farmer's arranged the first refrigerated shipments from Dunedin to London in 1882.

There were 600 processing factories open by 1920, the majority owned by co-operatives. The number of co-operatives was growing quickly, and by the beginning of World War II 500 existed in the country. The war brought new technologies and methods of transportation that would lead to a surge in mergers between the country's co-operatives which grew larger and larger. Soon the number dwindled until only four co-operatives existed in the 1990s.

From dairy farming, New Zealand exports a number of different products in huge volume. Fonterra is the largest processing company in the country, responsible for over 90% of the dairy farm produced milk solids; the rest processed by Westland Milk Products, Tatua Co-Operative Dairy Company and Synlait. 2005 saw the number of dairy farms at 12,810, covering more than 2.1 million hectares of land.

In recent years, the dairy industry has come under some scrutiny because of negative environmental impacts on the country. Maintaining its ‘clean green' image, New Zealand quickly sought to remedy the environmental issues that dairy farming causes through the establishment of the Dairying and Clean Streams Accord. This agreement was signed by Fonterra, the Ministry for the Environment, the Ministry for Agriculture and Forestry as well as regional councils and aims to keep water suitable for fish, drinking and swimming by reducing dairying impacts through cattle and affluent discharge restrictions.

The number of the country's milking cows is approximately 4.2 million – almost on par with the human population! These cows are responsible for the export of over 11 billion NZD per year, making New Zealand's dairy industry a major part of the country's booming agricultural sector.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/agriculture-articles/dairy-farming-in-new-zealand-an-overview-5175535.html

About the Author

The Waibury group owns and operates a number of Dairy Farming New Zealand investments and grazing-support farms situated predominantly in the North Canterbury region of New Zealand.

Slurry Pump and Mixer Manufacturers List Worldwide

1. Brand Landtechnik, Germany.

2. Duraumat GmbH, Germany.

3. Eckart Maschinenbau, Germany

4. Franz Eisele GmbH, Germany

5. Bauer, Austria

6. ITT Flygt Pumpen GmbH, Germany

7. Pumpenfabrik Wangen GmbH, Germany

8. Erich Stallkamp ESTA GmbH, Germany

9. Tewe Elektronik GmbH, Germany

10. U.T.S. Umwelt Technik Sud GmbH, Germany

11. Vogelsang Maschinenbau GmbH, Germany

12. Zunhammer Gulletechnik, Germany

 13. Kimadan A/S, Denmark

 14. Landia A/S, Denmark

 15. LJM / Lind Jensens Maskinfabrik A/S, Denmark

 16. Samson Agro A/S, Denmark

 17. Caprari Spa, Italy

 18. Casella, Italy

 19. Comex Sas Di Fiorot Alberto & C., Italy

 20. Cremonesi Francesco Brevetti Spa, Italy

 21. Doda, Italy

 22. Devalle Sarl, France

 23. Flygt, France

 24. Gascoigne Melotte, France

               25. Maury Curetable, France

Manure Scraper Manufacturers List Worldwide

1. de Boer, Netherlands
2. Brouwers, Netherlands
3. Hoopman Machines BV, Netherlands.

4. Hiniker Co, USA.
5. Patz Sales Inc, USA.
6. Worksaver Inc, USA.

7. Gascoigne Melotte, France.

8. Manus, France.

9. Duraumat GmbH, Germany.

10. JOZ, Netherlands

Milking Parlour Manufacturers List Worldwide

1.     Afimilk, Israel.

2.     Dairymaster, Ireland.

3.     Agricultural Technology Ltd, UK.

4.     Ambic Equipment Ltd, UK.

5.     Arbel Electronics, UK.

6.     D & H Animal Husbandry, UK.

7.     Fullwood Ltd, UK.

8.     Milking Solutions (UK) Ltd, UK.

9.     AGRO Vertriebsgesellschaft GmbH, Germany.

10. Lely GmbH, Germany.

11. Vogelsang Maschinenbau GmbH, Germany.

12. Westfalia, Germany.

13. Mullerup Staldteknik A/S, Denmark.

14.  Strangko A/S, Denmark.

15. Bou-Matic, USA.

16. Milkline, Italy.

17. Superex Industries, India.

18. Pentec, Brazil.

Importance of Herd Management Software for Dairy Farms

          It is very important today to track and analyze information about the herd in a dairy farm. Dairy farmers need to have current and correct information in order to have business decisions. Additionally, accurate record keeping of cattle welfare, milking efficiency, feeding and breeding becoming more important. All these with the help of the technology can now be tracked with the help of software. These software programmes can be found in the market offered by different companies.

          The advantage of the herd management  system is that they save time with keeping the record thorough computers instead of manual recording. Additionally, these records can be tracked with mobile after loading them into the computer.

          With the help of these, analyzing and reporting phases of dairy management become much more easier. In these systems reliable sensors are used to track cattle measurements like temperature, blood, weight and feeding. To take an action against an emergent  situation about the cattle can be done faster by this way. All needed information like the number of the cattle, its photo, milking productivity, fat and proteins in the milk, feeding style can tracked and recorded.

Livestock Mats Manufacturers List Worldwide

      1. Gascoigne Melotte, France

      2. Manus, France

      3. STS Stabulex, France

      4. Weda GmbH, Germany

      5. de Boer, Netherlands

       6. E.G. ten Kate, Netherlands

      7. Vereijken, Netherlands

      8. Spinder, Netherlands

      9. Rexlan Europe APS, Denmark

      10. Kraiburg, Germany 

Mixer Feeder Wagon Manufacturers List Worlwide

1. Bergmann, Germany.

2. Fella Werke GmbH, Germany.

3. Kuhn GmbH, Germany.

4. Marmix, Germany.

5. AGM (W. van Schayik), Netherlands.

6. Agrimix (van Berkel), Netherlands

7. Derksen Landbouw, Netherlands.

8. Farasin (Gebr. Verbunt), Netherlands

9. Goweil, Netherlands

10. Holaras, Netherlands

11. Agrimec Ltd, Ireland

12. Blair Engineering Ltd, UK.

13. Hi-Spec Engineering Ltd, Ireland.

14. Kverneland (UK) Ltd, UK.

15. Mohrlang Manufacturing, USA.

16. New Direction Equipment Co., USA.

17. Rotomix Inc, USA.

18. Agrimec Ltd, Ireland

19. Casale, Brazil.

20. DCI Engineering (1996) Ltd, New Zealand.

21. Giltrap Engineering Ltd, New Zealand.

22. Hi-Spec Engineering Ltd, Ireland.

23. Itadistral, Brazil.

24. JF, Brazil.

25. Kverneland, Norway.

26. Mainero, Argentina.

27. Massey Ferguson, Brazil.

28. Ostroj Opava, Czech Republic.

29. Belair Sarl, France.

30. Calvet, France.

Milking Parlours - Types of Milking Machines - Robotic Milking Systems

                 Milking Machines are used to collect the milk from cattles automatically. In 15 minutes a cow can be harvested. Apart from its speed milking parlours also increase the hygiene and decrease the risk of mastitis.

                Herringbone Milking Parlours: Classical way of milking which have been used for more than 50 years. Include one single aisle with galvanized and SS construction. Both sides of the aisle include milking devices. The distance between the stalls is nearly 100 cm. Enables the operator to milk from rear legs of the cows. It can milk up to 500-600 cows.

               Parallel Milking Parlours: Whereas Herringbone type the distance between the stalls is nearly 70 cm. It also has 90 degree side by side stall construction.

              Rotary Milking Parlours: While the platform is rotating the operators can milk the cows. The normal number of the cows on rotary table is around 45-50. Rotary Parlours are very labour-efficient. Comparing to above mentioned two milking parlour types, rotary milking parlours are faster.

            Automatic milking robot : In this system all process is completed by computer lead milking machine. Cleaning and attaching the device all done by the machine automatically. There is no need for an operator to be presented during the process.

Compost Turner Troubleshooting Table

        Below you may find a useful information for the farms running a compost turner:

Problem	Reason	Solution
Drum is not mixing the material	Running Speed is too much	Decrease the speed.
	Material density is too much
No liquid from nozzles	Nozzle or Pipes are locked	Check the Nozzles and Pipes
	Water Pump is fault	Check the pump
Water pump is not working	Freezing	Separate the pump from the system and wait the freezing to end. Do not run under 0oC
	Not Driven	Check the pump drive coupling. Change the broken coupling.
Hydraulic Piston is not working	There is leakage in the connections.	Repair the leakages on hoses and connections.
	Running Pressure is not proper.	Arrange the pressure valve to 100 bar.
	Oil level is low	Add Hydraulic Oil
Tyre Air is under 60 psi.	Air Leakage on Tyre	Change the Tyre
	Problem in tyre Valve	Change the Vlave

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