Air admission hole: Hole in cluster to admit air. Blind quarter: Udder quarter that does not produce milk. Bulk milk cell count (BMCC): Measure of somtatic cells in the farm’s bulk milk. Bulk milk tank (BMT): Tank that holds milk. Called milk vat. Breeding worth (BW): Measure of genetic merit of an individual animal. Claw: … Read more
Are you sure you want a cow?In these days of increasing concern over “healthy food” for the family, there’s an great temptation to keep a milking cow. But be warned; YOU (and all others likely to be involved) should have some very good reasons for wanting a house cow. It could be very much easier … Read more
One of the hardest things to get through to new recruits coming into dairying was that “dairy farming” was not just about growing grass and milking cows while cleaning up afterwards. I tried to enthuse them by saying they were entering “the Food Industry”. I tried to impress them further by telling them is was … Read more
Milking is when animal-human interactions are at their maximum. There’s no more important time of day for dairy farmers and their staff and the effects of this interaction can be measured directly in the milk vat. So it’s easy to see success and failure. The points below are presented with the permission of New Zealand’s … Read more
MILK QUALITY QUIZ – 10 QUESTIONS Have a bit of fun with these questions, and try them out without warning at morning tea or at the next staff meeting, and give a prize for the top score. Do it again a few weeks later. Then at the next meeting, go around the table and get … Read more
Cattle, farming, husbandry, body condition scoring, easy method to learn & use, implication of scoring errors, replacing body condition Condition Scoring (CS) Dairy Cows By Dr Clive Dalton You would think that everybody in New Zealand would know how to CS a cow. Well they don’t. Let’s check the history first. History 1. CS has around … Read more
The modern New Zealand dairy cow is a very efficient machine for turning pasture into milksolids, but she won’t do this if she’s allowed to get skinny. The genetics of the modern cow drive her to keep on milking at the expense of her body condition. There are some serious implications listed below in order … Read more
While the genetic merit of bulls in dairy AI programs is improving all the time, the costs of running an AI program are increasing due to factors like rising fuel charges, increasing wages and declining cow fertility. So it’s very important to get the best from an AI program which requires a good knowledge of … Read more
Daft Laddies. Farming Tales of North Tyne and Rede 50 years on. By Clive Dalton and Donald Clegg An extract from the book – Daft Laddies. Farming Tales of North Tyne and Rede 50 years on (2003) By Clive Dalton & Donald Clegg. If you would like a copy, contact donaldclegg@btopenworld.com The call for milkThe … Read more
yres, hemmels, shippons and mistles – milking machine talesby Jack Dent (2005) I started for the Simplex Milking Machine Company in February 1952 and was designated a “Service Inspector” which meant visiting farms over a wide area fitting new milking machines. At that time most of the herds were between 10 and 20 cows and … Read more
by Jack Dent (2005) After a milking machine was installed, I had to spend sometime showing the farmers how to use and clean it. On one farm I was doing an installation for one of the nicest farmers I have ever worked for. His greatest pleasure was to go to Leyburn market every Friday to … Read more
by Jack Dent (2005) Forty-five years doesn’t seem long as you live it, but nowadays I get some queer looks from young ones when I mention what went on in the past. This was brought home to me during my last few months working for Simplex. I was moving on after twenty odd years as … Read more
by Jack Dent (2005) When I was fitting, I installed a weird contraption on a farm just outside Hexham; it was called a Runway Parlour and was very successful. First I suspended a runway track around the cowshed, and from it I suspended a cradle which supported a standard 10-gallon milk churn. The churn had … Read more
by Jack Dent (2005) I installed a milking machine near my home for a very nice old chap and he was pleased at first, but then complained that it didn’t milk as well as his neighbour’s new machine. The neighbour’s was an Alfa-Laval and I found out that this neighbour was telling him that his … Read more
By Jack Dent (2005) I knew an old engineer in Leyburn when I was an apprentice during the war, and used to go into his workshop to get bits and pieces made, as parts were very scarce in those dark days. Old Alf could just about make anything – he had to. One day he … Read more