A Full Analysis of the Key Points of Dairy Cattle Feeding and Management Techniques in Winter
Dairy cattle are very important in our country, because dairy cattle mainly produce milk, and the raw material for many dairy products in our country is milk. So the scale of dairy cattle farming is very large, and dairy cattle farming is different from ordinary cattle farming, with almost different management methods in each season. Now that winter is gradually arriving, how should dairy cattle be managed in winter? Today the editor brings you dairy cattle winter feeding and management techniques, let's take a look below!
1. Drinking water
Water is an essential substance for ensuring the normal growth of dairy cattle, and it is also the key to increasing milk yield. The temperature in winter is too low, which causes water to freeze easily, making it unsuitable for dairy cattle to drink, so dairy cattle are prone to problems with drinking water in winter. Therefore, water management must be done well in winter, maintaining a full-day water supply and appropriately raising the water temperature; the temperature must not be lower than 10 degrees, and should not exceed 15 degrees. Too high or too low will affect the growth of dairy cattle and reduce milk yield.
2. Feed
The temperature in winter is the lowest of the four seasons. Because of the low temperature, dairy cattle need to release more heat to maintain their own body temperature, and therefore also need to consume more nutrients. So in winter, the feed ratio for dairy cattle should be appropriately adjusted, increasing the proportion of nutrients and energy in the feed, improving the appetite and feed intake of dairy cattle, and it is necessary to meet the nutritional needs of dairy cattle in winter to ensure their normal growth.
3. Supplemental nutrition
In winter feed, it is not only necessary to increase the proportion of energy, but also to appropriately increase trace elements such as calcium and phosphorus. If dairy cattle lack trace elements, it will affect their rearing, causing deficiency diseases such as rickets. The harm is especially greater for cows; if a cow lacks trace elements, in mild cases problems such as bone hyperplasia and limb deformation appear, and in severe cases it will have a relatively large impact on the cow's milk yield. In addition, the content of minerals should also be increased to ensure the normal growth of replacement cattle.
4. Breeding
Generally, mating and breeding dairy cattle in winter is relatively better, because the high temperature in summer is not conducive to the growth of calves, and managing calves in winter is simpler than in summer. So in winter we should do a good job in the breeding work of dairy cattle, promote conception in cows, improve farming benefits, provide a sufficient number for farming the following year, and reduce farming costs. But at the same time, measures to protect the pregnancy must also be done well: do not feed spoiled feed or frozen water, prevent pregnant cows from falling and causing miscarriage, meet the nutritional needs of pregnant cows, and strengthen management.
5. Cold protection and warmth keeping
In winter, the cattle shed should be well protected against cold and kept warm, reducing the shed's heat loss capacity, and most vents should be blocked in time to prevent drafts from invading. The air vents at the top of the cattle shed should be closed in time, and bedding should be appropriately added in the shed to prevent dairy cattle from lying on the icy ground and chilling their bellies, which would affect their growth. Also, manure, urine and leftover feed in the cattle shed should be cleared out regularly to prevent the shed from becoming damp, and when necessary, ventilation should also be appropriately provided.
The above is a brief introduction to the key points of dairy cattle winter feeding and management techniques. The management of dairy cattle in winter is very important, because it is directly related to the survival and milk yield of dairy cattle and is tied to one's own farming economic benefits. So everyone must do a good job in winter management. That is all for today's introduction. This article is for reference only, and I hope it can be of some help to everyone!