Learn all about Dairy Cattle
This is a very practical foundation course, providing unique and extensive support from university qualified and industry experienced experts.
If you want to learn about dairy cattle and their management, this is the course for you.
This is an experiential learning-based course. Throughout your studies you will have the opportunity to network with and learn from a variety of industry professionals. Establishing real-world relationships and confidence is key to career success.
Lesson Structure
There are 9 lessons in this course:
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Dairy Breeds
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Comparison of dairy breeds
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Ayrshire
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Guernsey
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Jersey
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Holstein
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Friesian
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A.F.S. (Australian Friesian Sahiwal)
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Illawarra
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Judging cattle: general appearance, dairy character, udder
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Dairy Products
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The composition of milk
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Factors affecting the composition of milk
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Environmental and physiological factors
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The Lactation Cycle
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Explain the management of the lactation cycle in dairy cattle, on a farm property
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Influence of the farmer on:
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lactation
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infertile cows
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feeding
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the milking shed
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planning for feed-flow
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Pests & Diseases of Dairy Cattle
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Manage the wellbeing of a dairy cow
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Optimising quality and quantity of production
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Treatment techniques
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Dry cow therapy
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bacterial diseases in cattle
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Disease types in cattle
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Feeding Dairy Cattle
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Manage the wellbeing of a dairy cow
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working out dairy rations
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maintenance requirements for a dairy cow
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the dairy ration
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working out the cost of dairy rations
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Managing Dairy Cattle
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Manage general husbandry operations for the dairy cow
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Managing the heifer
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Age of breeding
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factors affecting milk yield
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Breeding Dairy Cattle
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Significance of animal breeding programs for milk production
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Selection
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Artificial selection
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Regression
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Disadvantages of inbreeding
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Performance testing
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Artificial insemination
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Ova transplants
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Managing Dairy Facilities
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Explain the management of the facilities, including buildings and machinery at a farm dairy
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Basic requirements of all dairies
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Cooling of milk
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Machine milking
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Components of a milking machine
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Choosing a system
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Different types of systems
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Dairy Business Planning
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Develop a business plan for the management of a dairy property
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Economics of dairying
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Business plan example
Each lesson culminates in an assignment which is submitted to the school, marked by the school's tutors and returned to you with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading.
Aims
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Select appropriate dairy breeds for different farming situations.
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Describe the different characteristics, including their nature and scope, of dairy products.
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Explain the management of the lactation cycle in dairy cattle, on a farm property.
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Manage general husbandry operations for the dairy cow.
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Manage the wellbeing of a dairy cow, including consideration of its health and vigour, to optimise quality and quantity of production.
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Explain the significance of animal breeding programs for milk production.
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Explain the management of the facilities, including buildings and machinery, at a farm dairy.
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Develop a business plan for the management of a dairy property.
What You Will Do
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Distinguish between three different breeds of dairy cattle, which are either significant in the learner's locality, or have potential in the learner's locality
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Evaluate the suitability of three different dairy cattle breeds to a specified property, in a locality with which the learner is familiar.
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Select three appropriate dairy cattle breeds for each of four specified situations, with regard to:
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pasture varieties
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climatic conditions (e.g., temperature and weather patterns)
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locality
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market requirements for the product
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Judge a dairy cow, using a standard score card, such as the dairy cow unified score card produced (and revised in 1982) by the Purebred Dairy Cattle Association.
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List the farm husbandry factors which can influence the lactation cycle.
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Explain how three different variations in a cow's diet may affect lactation.
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Prepare a plan for a feed flow program to support milk production on a specified property.
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Produce a logbook record of management tasks carried out, over a period of 1 month, to control the lactation cycle in dairy cattle on a specified property.
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Milk a cow, verifying the proper undertaking of the task.
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List the routine husbandry tasks carried out on different dairy cows, including those in milk and those that are dry.
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Explain the routine husbandry tasks carried out on two different types of dairy cows, including those in milk and those that are dry.
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Compare the management of heifers with that of milking cows on a specified dairy farm.
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Describe the management of dairy cattle for meat production on a specified dairy farm.
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Evaluate a production system on a dairy farm, in a locality familiar to the learner.
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List the pests and diseases that are significant for dairy cattle in the learner's locality.
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Develop a checklist for the signs of ill health, which should be routinely checked, in dairy cattle.
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Describe three significant pests or diseases of dairy cattle, including mastitis.
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Explain treatments for three different pests or diseases in dairy cattle.
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Explain the irregularities which can occur in the functioning of the digestive system of dairy cattle.
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Distinguish between a maintenance ration and production ration for a dairy cow.
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Explain the nutritional requirements of a typical dairy cow on a specific property.
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Calculate the rations for a dairy cow in accordance with specified characteristics, including:
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weight
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quantity of milk being produced
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butterfat concentration
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Prepare a collection of pasture plant species from two different dairy properties, and including:
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samples of plants (i.e., pressings of different plants in the pasture)
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comments on the suitability of the pasture for dairy cattle.
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Produce a twelve-month plan to manage the vigour of dairy cattle, on a specified property, which includes:
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a list of disease management procedures
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feed program variations throughout the year
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Explain a breeding program in use for dairy herd improvement on a specified property.
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Explain the artificial insemination methods used with dairy cattle on a specified property.
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Develop a profile of an ideal dairy farm site.
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Select the machinery needed to operate a specified, hypothetical dairy farm.
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Develop a maintenance program for dairy farm machinery, on a farm investigated by the learner.
WHY ARE SOME BREEDS BETTER FOR DAIRY PRODUCTION?
Some cattle breeds are preferred for use on a dairy farm. There are many reasons for this. They may give a greater quantity or quality of milk; but there can be other reasons for choosing one breed over another too. Certain breeds are more adapted to certain climates. Other breeds may adapt better to the feed available; or for one reason or other, suit the market they are catering to.
Breeds commonly used for dairy production around the world include:
- Ayrshire
- Brown Swiss
- Busa
- Canadienne
- Dairy Shorthorn
- Dutch Belted
- Estonian Red
- Fleckvieh
- Friesian
- Girolando
- Guernsey
- Holstein
- Illawarra
- Irish Moiled
- Jersey
- Kerry
- Lineback
- Meuse Rhine Issel
- Milking Devon
- Montbéliarde
- Normande
- Norwegian Red
- Randall
- Sahiwal
Studying this course will enable you to understand the various characteristics of the different breeds, so you can choose the most appropriate breed for any situation at hand. From there you will also learn to understand the husbandry techniques and everything else that is important about dairy production.
Why Study with ACS?
Design your own learning pathway.
Study at your own pace, from anywhere, at any time.
Receive prompt, expert support from our team of committed and friendly tutors.
Your learning is our priority. We are flexible and adaptable to meet your educational needs!
ACS Student Comments:
"(This course)... has given me confidence in that I can understand the farmers I will be dealing with as a vet." -- H. Thorneycroft, UK - Dairy Cattle course.
"The course was put together very well. It covered all the important aspects of dairy farming and offered some important practical hands-on information that other courses lacked. I thoroughly enjoyed it and feel now that I have equipped myself to work on a dairy farm." -- K McKenzie, Australia - Dairy Cattle course.
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