Sound Handling & Management
This Technical Reference Guide and the companion Self-Evaluation Guide have been compiled by and for a wide audience including researchers, students, media, veterinarians, and of course, producers. In addition, new employees, family members, students, consumers, and others that are learning about the dairy industry will find them useful. This Technical Reference Guide is designed to provide a focus for animal care and to provide the dairy industry with a common voice across the nation.
Caring for Dairy Animals
On-The-Dairy Self-Evaluation GuideFirst step toward DQA FIVE-STAR Dairy Quality AssuranceSM rating
Quality Control Point #1 - PRODUCER AND EMPLOYEE ATTITUDES
Top milk producers and employees are well aware that cow comfort is essential for dairy profitability and the long-term viability of their business. Milk producers know consumers do not want dairy animals abused. Milk producers are also aware that all cow comfort is directly connected to the attitude and knowledge of the people who work daily with the dairy animals.
Best Management Practices Checklist
Written mission statements relate to cow comfort.
Long- and short-term goals are established for the dairy.
Scoring of cleanliness or hygiene ratings of animals is done regularly (at least monthly).
Facilities, fences, gates, staff, and other dairy components encourage proper animal care.
Time is allocated to observe animals daily for comfort, locomotion, and behavioral changes.
I/we belong to dairy professional organizations such as the Dairy Calf and Heifer Association (DCHA), Dairy Business Association (DBA), Northeast Dairy Producers Association (NEDPA), etc.
I/we have completed the Milk and Dairy Beef Residue Prevention Protocol manual this year.
When handling animals, neither pain nor fear is used as a motivator to encourage movement or other animal behavior.
Written emergency/weekend/holiday animal care plans are readily available (emergency phone numbers, etc.) to all employees.
Family members/employees are trained annually as to an awareness of animal flight zones, animal behavior, OSHA safety standards, etc.
An annual cow comfort checkup is held to remind employees, management, etc., of the importance of cow comfort and animal well-being.
Quality Control Point #2 - EVALUATING ANIMAL HEALTH CARE
The health care provided is fundamental to quality dairy cow comfort. Throughout this evaluation animal health will be addressed.
Best Management Practices Checklist
Dairy operation has a valid veterinarian-client-patient relationship (post DVM name and phone number in a prominent location).
Animals are monitored for the following items daily:
Hair coat
Milk production
Behavior changes (includes vocalization)
Breathing
Feed and water consumption
Nasal or ocular discharges
A routine herd health program is established and implemented.
A series of written protocols are followed for elective surgeries and procedures that minimize animal discomfort.
Elective surgeries and procedures are completed at an appropriate age and by an appropriate method (castration < 4 months, dehorning < 10 weeks, supernumerary teat removal < 90 days).
Cauterization is used to dehorn young calves.
A local or general anesthetic and veterinarian consultation are used if elective surgery is delayed (be sure anesthetic has taken effect).
Fly repellent is used during the fly season whenever elective surgery is practiced.
Individual records are kept on all animals.
Drugs are administered subcutaneously in the neck (when appropriate) to avoid damage to primal cuts.
Needles are never reused on more than one animal.
All animals have animal identification used for health records, production, and reproduction (chips, tags, combination, etc.).
A written pest and parasite program is followed.
Ninety percent or more of my herd score 2 or better on the locomotion scorecard (1-normal gait, 5-refuses to bear weight on one leg).
Body condition scores for 90% of the dairy animals are between 2.0 and 4.0 (1.0 is thin and 5.0 is fat).
Switch trimming is preferred over tail docking by elastrators.
Quality Control Point #3 - ENVIRONMENT FOR DAIRY ANIMALS
Many times members of livestock producers families feel their animals have better housing (environment) than the family members themselves. While this is generally said tongue in cheek, it does indicate the effort of dairy producers to provide an ideal animal environment. Research has shown that cattle have the ability to alter their comfort zone (officially called thermoneutral zone) to a wide range of temperatures.
Best Management Practices Checklist
Animals in this operation are typically maintained at temperatures in their thermoneutral or comfort zone.
Sunshades, sprinklers, misting, fans, and dietary alterations are used to reduce heat stress and prevent a decrease in milk production or food intake in hot weather.
Airborne dust is controlled as a way to reduce exposure to microbes.
Adequate lighting is in place to allow inspection of animals and to provide safe working conditions.
Quick movements and alarming sounds are avoided while working around animals.
Stray voltage has been checked and is not a problem on this dairy.
Monthly observation of facilities includes monitoring and taking action for:
Moisture collecting on roof or walls
Frequent condensation on metal surfaces
Certain parts of building where animals refuse to rest or sleep
Nonslip walkways or alleys
Animal activity counts are monitored monthly to determine percentage of cows resting (60%), eating, drinking, etc.
All fans are cleaned at least annually.
Facility sanitation and waste management programs result in clean animals (90% score 3 or above). See page 14 for the DQA Hygiene ScorecardSM.
Quality Control Point #4 - FACILITIES PROVIDED FOR DAIRY ANIMALS
Dairy producers are utilizing free stalls. Stalls should be long enough and wide enough that cows can lie down comfortably without having their tails or hind legs protrude into the common traffic areas. Bedding should be clean and may come from many sources. Adequate lunge, waterer, and feeder space should be provided.
Best Management Practices Checklist
Acceptable guidelines are followed for the appropriate housing system:
Stanchions/Tie Stalls
Animals are turned out daily for exercise (weather permitting).
Animals have room to stand and lie down (see specific guidelines for breed, size).
Animals have room to stretch, eat, drink, and eliminate comfortably.
Manure is removed at each milking.
Free Stalls
Bedding is raked at each milking (remove soiled sawdust, sand or other bedding material), and fresh bedding is added on a regular routine basis.
Stalls provide appropriate space to match size/breed of animal.
Water space, feed space and shelter are provided for each animal housed.
Stocking rates are normally less than one animal to one stall (1.2 animals/stall max.).
Lunge space is provided to aid animal movement.
Air movement and sprinkling or misting are provided for animal comfort.
Hospital Pen
An isolation area is provided for sick animals (separate from calving area).
Animal treatments are rarely performed in the milking parlor.
The hospital pen has a locking stall to facilitate treatment.
Locking Stanchion
Treatment and routine handling procedures are done in familiar surroundings (tail chalking, hoof spraying, rBST injections).
Cows have access to feed and water while waiting to be treated.
Cows are restrained in their own pen for no more than two hours.
Self-locking stalls provide an emergency release for a downer situation.
One person can isolate and restrain an animal safely and easily.
Open Lots and Pastures
Animals can always avoid standing in mud after rains.
Animals cannot access streams, open water, or muddy areas around them.
Animals have access to shade in summer or windbreaks in cold weather.
Quality Control Point #5 - DAIRY NUTRITIONAL CARE: WATERING AND FEEDING
Control Point #5 emphasizes access to feed and water on the dairy. All animals should have access to feed and water throughout the day and night; however, an annual evaluation must go beyond this simple fact. Professional producers, seeking to maximize their income and reassure the consumer, go the extra mile and evaluate water and feed quality.
Best Management Practices Checklist
Cows have continuous access to abundant water immediately after leaving the milking parlor.
Water is tested annually for nitrates, pathogens, and minerals.
Water is protected from freezing.
All animals without continuous access to water are provided water at least twice per day.
Waterers are positioned at a convenient height.
Watering arrangements prevent a boss animal from limiting water to other animals.
Feed ingredients are sampled and tested at least annually.
Total Mixed Ration is tested annually, and the results are reviewed by herd nutritionist.
Feeder space exceeds 24 inches in a 4-row barn and 16 inches in a 6-row barn.
Feed is pushed up at least twice per day.
Feed equipment is never used to haul manure.
Feed for other species is never mixed with dairy animal feed.
Feed (cotton seed/home grown) is checked for nitrates, mycotoxins, or other soil- or climate-induced problems after abnormal growing weather.
Particle length is checked regularly.
The percentage of the day that cows are eating is computed at least monthly.
Quality Control Point #6 - EVALUATING MILKING PROCEDURES AND EQUIPMENT
Milking centers vary greatly depending upon herd size, climate, producers dairies, and finances. Employee safety, cow comfort, and milk quality are the desired outcomes regardless of the specific milking procedure or equipment used.
Best Management Practices Checklist
Written and specific training procedures are discussed with all new employees.
Milking procedures are designed to prevent undermilking or overmilking and to facilitate correct use of equipment.
Proper hand washing is practiced, and milkers are required to wear rubber gloves.
A specific milking routine, procedures, and actions are followed to reduce stress.
Wait times between udder preparation and unit attachment are consistent and short.
Employees are trained to recognize signs of clinical mastitis.
Care is used when milking the cows to prevent mastitis and maintain udder health.
Milk is checked for abnormalities as part of a pleasant routine of cleaning and drying the udder in preparation for milk letdown, or an automatic monitoring system is used.
Teat ends are inspected and scored at least seasonally by management.
Appropriate teat dips (foams, sprays, etc.) are used prior to and after milking.
Milking equipment has been tested in the last six (6) months.
Milking equipment field personnel meet regularly with the dairy management team.
Quality Control Point #7 - TRANSPORTING AND HANDLING ANIMALS
During the transporting and handling of cattle, the safety and comfort of the animals is almost as important as employee safety. Cattle producers should keep in mind that their responsibility extends beyond the producer gate to the trucking system, to the sales system, to the packing facilities, and ultimately to the retail markets and consumers.
Best Management Practices Checklist
Family members and employees are trained on the principles of flight zones and flight distances.
Employees know the importance of controlling the herd movement in lanes, alleyways, and other parts of the complex.
Animal-friendly, employee-safe loading facilities are used at all sites.
Animals are marketed (transported) before they become infirm.
Cull market cows are not penalized for carcass defects when sold.
The transportation system is checked every year (route, floor conditions, ventilation, driver).
Antimicrobial withdrawal times are checked and followed before animals are culled/sold.
Downers are slaughtered or euthanized on the farm.