Dairy cows are of great relevance to Brazilian livestock. That is why it is important that the rural producer pays attention to the main indicators in milk production and invests in quality products to keep dairy cattle healthy and productive.
What are dairy cattle indicators?
These are numbers generated through daily notes to know the essential aspects to consider in the appreciation of animal welfare.
WHAT ARE THE CRITERIA FOR EVALUATING THE PERFORMANCE OF A DAIRY FARM
From the dairy cattle indicators, there is an assertive analysis and control of these data to realize which aspects need to be reevaluated on the property to maximize animal reproductive efficiency.
The implementation of strategies is carried out based on indicators of great value, such as criteria for evaluating the performance of a dairy herd property, such as:
Production per lactating cow
Daily milk production and the number of cows will make up this indicator. It evaluates the economic process according to the animal’s production efficiency: liters/lactating cow/day.
According to Embrapa data, the national average of production per animal verified in 2020 was 2,192 liters/cow/year, an increase of 2.37% compared to 2019. Among the states with the highest yields, Santa Catarina stood out, milking 3,716 liters/cow/year, Rio Grande do Sul, with 3,695 liters/cow and Paraná, with 3,490 liters/cow/year.
Based on the principle that dairy cows need to be in perfect nutritional and health status, the production indicator per lactating cow is essential to measure the quality of the herd.
As an example of this, there is the Holstein cow, Fini Renegade Beatrix , champion of the Agroleite production tournament, from which it produces more than 100 liters of milk in a single day.
Therefore, it is important to know the average daily milk production of the animal to understand advantages and possible profits with periodic control.
Lactating cows in relation to the total herd
The ideal percentage of lactating cows in a herd’s total is 83%. This average is the result of an ideal lactation period, being 10 months, divided by the calving interval (12 months).
In this indicator, the total number of lactating cows is divided by the number of animals on the property, such as lactating cows, suckler calves, breeders, dry cows and heifers. After the result of the mathematical operation, the number found is multiplied by 100.
The analysis to be made with this indicator is related to the potential of the rural property in generating income and profitability.
According to Veterinarian Ana Gabriela Postalli, who works in the southern region of Brazil, the percentage of lactating cows varies according to the profile of the property. Many producers leave the largest number of lactating cows in winter, where the amount of milk and the price are higher, thus increasing the number of dry cows in seasons of higher temperature, where heat stress is greater and pasture production is not so abundant, consequently decreasing milk production.
Remembering that the time period of a lactating cow is ten months and the ideal period of drying the cow, two months.
Have you ever stopped to think about how many liters of milk are produced per hectare?
This is the indicator of production by area used for dairy farming. It divides the annual milk production by the area destined for milk production. It is recommended that 5,000 liters of milk be produced annually per hectare.
In other words, the results will depend not only on the number of dairy cows, but also on the size of the rural producer’s territorial extension.
Knowing that the use of behavioral, health and management indicators in the evaluation of welfare in dairy cows is essential in the economic rise of dairy farming, Labovet is a partnership that crosses generations.
We work with tradition and efficiency, ensuring animal health and well-being with vaccines, therapeutic medicines and beautification products for farmed animals.
Text: Samara Kalene
Veterinarian: Analaura Pereira – CRMV-SC 09126