Simple steps to increase milk production

Dairy farmers are currently enjoying record milk farm gate prices and many that I speak to would like to increase their milk production. When I ask how they intend to do this the most common answer is they would like to purchase more cows and increase their herd numbers. I believe many farms are not achieving the full potential from their current herd, and they could quite easily achieve gains of 20-30% and possibly even more by implementing some basic, low cost practices.

Heat Stress - Many farms I visit in Vietnam are in very hot humid areas. I believe this would be the number 1 factor with production loss. The cow is using too much energy just trying to stay cool (a cow can only cool itself by breathing). Therefore it is not using the energy from the feed to create more milk; it is using a lot of the energy to try and stay cool. By providing a cooler environment for your cows their feed conversion efficiency will improve, so more milk can be produced. Farms should be individually assessed for the best way to do this, but simple fans to move the air in the barn are a good start.

Water - A cow drinks (and requires) on average around 140 litres of water per day. Many farms I visit only have a small reservoir of around 20-40 litres for a number of cows to drink from. They are topping it up regularly, but it is still not enough for the demand of the cow, especially in tropical conditions. A solution for this is to put in drinking troughs with float valves that automatically keep it full.

Feeding - A cow requires a good amount of energy and nutrition from the grasses and concentrate given to it. Many of the natural grasses in tropical countries I have seen fed to the cows have little nutrient value. There have been varieties of grasses developed for tropical countries that provide much higher nutrient value to your cows. Sure these grasses may be more expensive to purchase, but they will well and truly pay for themselves with the increased milk production.

Milking Machine - A lot of farms have high production genetic trait cows, but still milk them by hand. Cows with Australian, American, Canadian, etc. genetics are bred for high flow, high production and fast milking. A milking machine will provide a consistent milking routine so the cow will let down correctly and supply a consistent amount of milk. A milking machine will also help to improve the quality, provided it is maintained and cleaned properly.

Teat Dipping - Teat dipping after milking is essential to stop bacteria entering the teat canal and causing mastitis. A correct teat dip should be used, not a disinfectant just mixed with water. Proper teat dips will provide a barrier “film” to stop bacteria entering the teat orifice while. Correct routine post-milking teat disinfection has been, and still is, the single most effective component of hygienic milking programs used in the United States, United Kingdom and Australia. This can save big costs for animal health and help to improve milk production.

This is just a few small things that can help to increase your milk production, which are relatively low cost compared to buying more cows, especially at the price for which they are selling currently. In the next edition of the Dairy Vietnam newsletter I will include some further points to help with milk production and general farm productivity. For further information on any of the above subjects please email Dairy Vietnam dairyvietnam@gmail.com