Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
should be calibrated carefully. All equipment should be washed, sterilized, and properly
stored immediately after milking has ended.
Treating mastitis
Mastitis is treated with prepackaged mastitis tubes widely available at veterinarian office or
general farm supply stores. The tubes contain antibiotics and have a special tapered end,
which inserts into the canal of the teat. It is imperative that the teat and the end of the teat be
washed free of dirt, manure, and other foreign matter and the end of the teat repeatedly
swabbed with alcohol before inserting the tube into the teat canal. The cow will need to be re-
strained in a stanchion, with a halter, or in a cattle chute. If the cow is not used to humans
handling her teats, it is wise to have a second person perform tail restraint on the cow while
you clean the teat and insert the tube end into the teat opening. After inserting the tube, the
plunger on the end of the tube is pushed in slowly, allowing the medicine to enter the teat
canal.
CASE STUDY: THE COW SENSE
Daryl Johnson
Evansville, Minnesota
Daryl Johnson got started in dairy farming at an early age. His parents were dairy farmers
and when he was ready, he took over the family farm. Johnson milks about 60 Holstein cows
twice a day, 365 days a year. He has been through many financial cycles during his years of
dairy farming; right now, the dairy industry is in a downward cycle with low milk prices, mak-
ing dairy farming a shaky prospect.
However, Johnson feels that this downward cycle might be a good time for a beginning dairy
farmer to start up a small-scale dairy. Unlike just a few years ago, prices of dairy heifers and
cows are reasonable and feed prices are going down as well. Both these items are among
the biggest expenses of dairy farming. Another big expense is land, which is needed to
spread cattle manure on, to make hay for the cattle, and to grow crops.
Dairy farming is a capital-intensive business. The majority of dairy farmers will need a close
working relationship with their banker or financial institute to make sure they have enough
money for needed equipment, grain, and cattle. In addition to cattle, land, and capital, there
are other necessary items to make it as a small-scale dairy farmer. A barn with tie stalls is
sufficient for a small dairy herd like Johnson's. A parlor barn with free stalls is another option,
but it is more costly to construct. A manure-handling system will greatly reduce the labor-in-
tensive part of manure removal from the barn. Although a stave silo is almost iconic on a
