CHAPTER 11 



DAIRY HERD MANAGEMENT 



BY C. W. LARSON 

 Professor of Dairy Husbandry, The Pennsylvania State College 



The dairy cow is more sensitive to her treatment than any other of our 

 productive animals. By care and breeding she has been developed into an 

 animal of habit, and upon the care she receives depends largely the profits 

 of the herd. The feed is an important item in the cost of milk production, 

 but the systems practiced also materially affect the profits of the herd. 

 It is no longer profitable to keep a cow all the year for the small amount 

 of milk that she produces during the summer months while on pasture. 

 The cheapest method of keeping a herd is not always the most profitable. 

 This chapter deals only with the heifers from breeding time. 



Age to Breed. The age at which a heifer should be bred depends 

 largely upon her size, but in general, an animal that has grown well can be 

 bred to have her first calf when two years of age. During the last three 

 months of the gestation period a heifer grows very little, so that it is not 

 advisable to breed a small heifer too young, and some prefer to wait until 

 the heifer is two and one-half years old before she has a calf. A heifer bred 

 too young will not attain a large size, which is desirable in a dairy cow. 



Gestation Period. The gestation period of a cow is from 280 to 285 

 days. It is a gqod practice to keep a record of service, so that the cow can 

 be properly taken care of before calving time. 



Regularity. A regular routine of work should be planned for the herd 

 so that the cows will receive the same treatment each day. Any disturb- 

 ance or irregularity affects both the amount and quality of milk. The 

 cows should be milked at the same time each day. The milker should start 

 at the same end of the row and be as regular in the treatment of the cows 

 as possible. There are a number of points to keep in mind in planning 

 the routine of the cow stable. Grain may be fed before milking, but hay 

 should not be, because of the length of time it takes to eat it and because 

 of the dust it will raise. Silage also should not be fed immediately before 

 milking, because of the effect in the flavor of the milk. The stable should 

 be cleaned before milking, if possible, and if the cows are kept in the stable, 

 the grooming should also be done before milking. The cows need not be 

 watered until after the morning feed is given. Hay should be fed late in 

 the evening. 



Care of Cow at Calving Time. A cow should be carefully watched and 

 fed during calving time. She should be provided with a clean, well-bedded 



119 



