Dairy R&D in SA

Dairy farming generally has small profit margins. A large capital outlay is required at start-up while daily operations also require a high, mostly feed, cost input. A number of factors affect the economic success of dairy farming. The average milk yield of cows is often regarded as the most important factor affecting profit margins. Although, generally, higher producing dairy herds have higher profits, a high average milk yield does not always guarantee high profits, because production systems differ, for example TMR and pasture-based systems.

Because of high milk yield, some farmers of high producing TMR-based dairy herds  service cows later in the lactation period, i.e. after the live weight nadir point when live weight starts to increase because of a positive energy balance. Often maximum feed intake has been reached and milk yield is decreasing following peak milk yield. Some research has shown a positive response in conception when cows are inseminated at this stage of the lactation period.

The economic benefits of restoring natural capital have been well known. Also, the economic value of ecosystem goods and services, when taking a natural capital accounting approach, often far exceeds the usually accepted value of natural capital. Yet, despite the obvious value in restoring and maintaining natural capital, the world is facing a crisis with respect to environmental breakdown.

During the transition period (three weeks prior to three weeks after calving), dairy cows experience a period of considerable increase in energy demand coupled with a dramatic reduction in dry matter intake, leading to an unavoidable negative energy balance (NEB), which might cause metabolic and health problems, reduction in milk production as well as in reproductive performance. The site of starch digestion can modulate the negative effects associated with increased rumen starch fermentation such as feed intake, and the occurrence of problems encountered by transition cows.

An elicitation exercise was conducted to collect and identify pressing questions concerning the study of helminths in livestock, to help guide research priorities. The authors cited below are the primary global experts who compiled the report. Whereas this presentation does not cover research results as usual, I consider it important to share their ideas with the reader as a main focus of our R & D is in control of parasites and because prominent researchers in the group are South African or South African of origin.

The preservation of the teat canal is crucial for udder health, as the main route for bacterial infection is via the teat canal. Milking machines differ in layout and settings and continue to be a challenge to the primary immune system of the bovine udder namely the teat canal. Different levels of teat end vacuum during machine milking may influence milking performance and teat condition. When there is little or no milk flow the vacuum at the teat end increases to that in the milking machine system.

The Dairy Industry loses millions of Rand per annum due to age gelation of milk that reduces its shelf life. Age gelation can be induced by anything that has an impact on the suspension of the negative charge on the casein micelle during storage of long life (UHT) milk. This includes the enzymatic or chemical processes that occur during storage. The enzymatic processes involve the action of plasmin (native enzyme) or heat stable microbial proteases.

The 2018 Progress Report of a study by Dr Inge-Marie Petzer of the Faculty of Veterinary Science of the University of Pretoria.

Dairy farmers increasingly are employing precision farming practices and computer software that enables them to manage large herds at the individual animal level. In South Africa, dairy farmers have been adopting similar strategies with a trend towards larger production units and the incorporation of automatic milking systems (AMSs). The software used in automatic systems can record production, reproduction and health parameters daily.

Discipline: reproduction; Key words:concentrate level, crossbreeding, days open, energy source, interval traits, genetic parameters, management-induced infertility.