BASIC INFORMATION ON DAIRY FARMING
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• Food- Milk, ghee, yogurt, paneer etc
• Money - Sales of milk.
- Sales of surplus stock.
- Sales of value added products -
ghee, paneer etc
• Meat - from surplus stock.
• Employment – family and hired labor
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• Friesian
• -ersey
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Few cows are kept (not more than ten (10), usually tethered and the milk or dairy products produced are used for home consumption. They are also milk suppliers that provide fresh milk to consumers every morning eg Town Suppliers. They also make and sell ghee to consumers.
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• These are small farms that are supplying to the Processor – Fiji Dairy Limited.
• The number of Milking Cows (Dry & Wet) ranges from 10 to 30. Milking is done by hand and twice a day (morning/afternoon).
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• These are big dairy farms with higher number of dairy cows, which supply milk to Processor – Fiji Dairy Limited.
• They use milking machines to milk the cows.
• They have their own cooling storage tank to freeze milk overnight on the farm.
• All farms are located in the Central Division.
• They use large amount of Concentrate feed.
• How to start a dairy business
(Smallholder)
• In order to operate a dairy farm you should comply with the following:
• Have a minimum of 10 cows.
• Have a proper milking shed milking cans and containers.
• Have special room for milk storage.
• Should have concrete floor.
• Should have the dairy registered under your name.
• Dairy should be licensed renewed every year.
• Should have a good and reliable water supply.
• Cows should be tested for Tuberculosis and Brucellosis.
• Have good and sufficient grazing pasture on the farm.
• Proper Waste disposal and be environmental friendly. with and
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• Properly wash the shed every day after milking.
• Clear drains to allow dirty water to flow away from milking shed.
• Properly wash the equipment with hot water daily.
• Keep the grass short and keep the dairy clear.
• Seven days post calving no sale of milk.
• Milk should be strained through clean strainer.
• Udder should be washed with clean water before milking.
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• They should be well fed with good feed and adequate water.
• Cows should be kept in shade during hot days.
• Replace breeding bull in every 3 years in order to set maximum production.
Select good animals, which have good dairy characteristics.
Pregnant cows should be well fed and cared. • •
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Many cases of calf mortality happen at the time of parturition (calving) or a short while after the birth of the calf.
• Disinfect naval with iodine solution.
• Colostrum in the first day of life of the calf is essential, for nutritional reasons and for diseases prevention. At least 2-3 litres per meal.
In the first two-four weeks of life, the risk of infectious diseases is the highest.
Clean water should be always available to calves from the first day of life.
Calf shed should be clean and dry at all times.
Feed good quality meal making it • • • •
and water available at all times. They will only nibble a little at the start but intake will gradually rise.
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6\PSWRPV - Painful udder
- Small udder
- Hard udder
- High udder temperature - Cows not feeding properly - The milk appearance will be
watery, flakes, clots, or pus.
7UHDWPHQW - treat infected teats with Intra mammary tubes (antibiotics). Also note of milk withholding periods before consuming milk.
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1. Select Production and breeding stock carefully.
• Good breed
• Large and spacious udder
• Free from diseases
• Good conception
• Medium teats and docile animal
2. Proper feeding
Feed cows a balanced diet according to their maintenance and production needs.
3. Provide adequate water supply.
4. Use of good management practices
5. Safeguard the animals from diseases.
6. Select the best method of marketing and best outlet.