Cowling is more of an economic concept and it means a shortage of calves in a calendar year. For example, if out of 10 cows in a year only 7 gave offspring, then the yield was 30%. Various factors can be the causes of the maleness. The most common of them are diseases of the reproductive system, abortions, etc. Breeders usually call a cow a cow that has not fertilized in due time, i.e. has not become pregnant, although it is time for her. Such “problematic” cows usually either do not come hunting at all, or they come but do not get pregnant after insemination. The reasons should be understood by a veterinarian, individually in each case, but this is a completely different topic.
Startup is a technological process that rebuilds the physiological processes in the body of a lactating (milking) cow, forcing it to stop milk synthesis. Usually, the launch begins at the end of pregnancy, so that by the end of the seventh or beginning of the eighth month, the cow no longer gives milk. You only need to run a pregnant cow! It makes no sense to start a cow, on the contrary – it is necessary to stimulate its dairy productivity with feed. At the same time, it is necessary to understand as soon as possible the reason why the cow is not inseminated. Otherwise, she will turn from a wet nurse into a freeloader!
The launch and the dry period following it is not only a technological stage in milk production, but also a natural, mandatory part of the natural cycle of animal life. According to scientifically based requirements, which are confirmed by centuries–old animal husbandry practice, a cow must rest for at least 45-60 days before calving. How much exactly: 45 or 60 depends on many factors, but first of all on the productivity of a particular animal and the priorities of the owner himself.
It happens that among the owners of livestock there are those who, in pursuit of profit, milk their cows almost to the very calving. This practice eventually results in a decrease in the amount of milk in new lactation, the birth of weak young and the depletion of the cow’s body. A weakened animal is more susceptible to various diseases, which means that expenses are predicted to appear (possibly considerable!) for his treatment. In addition, the total period of use of the cow will be reduced.
Now in more detail about the objective reasons that affect the successful implementation of the launch. The more productive a cow is, the more difficult it is to start it, and the longer this process takes. This should be taken into account when planning the start date of the startup process. When we talk about 45-60 days, we mean that by this time the cow has already been fully started, and milk is not produced in the mammary gland.
According to the difficulty of starting, all cows can be divided into four groups.
The first group are those cows that have low productivity or, due to their hereditary and physiological characteristics, gradually reduce their daily milk yield themselves, starting from the fifth to sixth month of pregnancy, and by the eighth month they completely stop producing milk. The number of such animals is small. In addition, their quality is undesirable for a productive farm. Low-yielding cows are more preferable for keeping in a household, since they do not require high professional qualifications on the part of a person.
The second group consists of cows that have high or average productivity. They are very responsive to the feeding effect, and the value of their daily milk yield is easily regulated by the diet. These animals are relatively easy to start on time and are most desirable both for keeping on a dairy farm and in a household. They make up the majority of the dairy herd. Their average milk yield fluctuates at the level of 20 liters per day. It is possible to launch such an animal without endangering the health of the breast in about two to three weeks.
The third group consists mainly of cows of specialized dairy breeds with very high productivity and a uniform lactation curve. They give a lot of milk, and with a decrease in the nutritional value of the diet, they continue to produce it at the expense of their body’s reserves. They run hard and take a long time. It takes at least a month to launch, and sometimes more. Cows with such features require special attention and a lot of experience from livestock breeders.
The fourth group of cows is very rare. These are animals of medium, but more often high productivity, which cannot be fully started until the very next calving. As a result of the efforts of the owners and veterinary staff, the animals reduce their milk yield to three to four liters per day. Sometimes it is possible to milk them every other day, but the milk continues to arrive, as a result of which there is a threat of mastitis.
How can a cow be launched without the risk of mastitis and stress for the animal and its owners? First of all, it is necessary to accurately classify which of the above groups your cow belongs to. The start time of the startup process will depend on this. After the final determination of the date, I recommend a diagnosis for latent mastitis, separately for each quarter of the udder. Detailed instructions for testing a cow for mastitis are described in my article on this topic.
If mastitis is detected, then it must first be cured, and only then proceed to start the animal. It is also recommended to conduct a rectal pregnancy test on your cow, if it has not been performed before. Such an event is necessary to avoid a possible situation when a cow has successfully passed the launch, and in due time for calving it turned out that she was not pregnant. The simplest and most accurate diagnosis of pregnancy is rectal. Other indirect signs (by milk, appearance, appetite, etc.) they do not give any guarantee of pregnancy. Diagnostics using ultrasound gives good results, but such a service is not provided everywhere in our country.
If convincing evidence of pregnancy of a cow is obtained, then the launch begins with a gradual decrease in the amount of concentrates and juicy feeds in the animal’s diet. By the end of the first week, they are completely excluded. Instead of juicy feeds and concentrates, the proportion of coarse ones is increased, and not at the expense of high-quality and easily digested hay, but at the expense of coarse hay and barley or oat straw of good quality. In the summer, the cow is simply grazed on old grass, limiting it to any other feed. As a result of such feeding, the daily milk yield, as a rule, is significantly reduced, and the cow can be transferred to two milking sessions: in the morning and in the evening. And the cow of the first group even for a one–time meal – in the morning.
During the second week, the animal is no longer given bean hay, replacing it with cereal or straw. If the further decline in daily milk yield does not progress, then watering should be reduced by 30-40% of the usual rate. By the end of the second week, the amount of milk in most animals decreases so much that they can be milked once a day. The cow of the first group during this period can be milked several times after one or two days and run completely. But at the same time, it is necessary to take into account the degree of filling of the udder.
By adhering to a low-calorie diet, we further reduce the synthesis of milk in the cow’s mammary gland and by the end of the third week we switch to milking in a day. Do not be afraid of short-term “malnutrition” on the part of the cow. Such a diet is necessary for the restructuring of the physiology of the animal’s body, and it will not harm it. Much worse consequences for the cow during the start will occur with full feeding and an overflowing udder.
For the entire fourth week, we milk the cow every other day or two days on the third. If her udder has decreased in size and there is no reflex to fill it at the usual time for milking, then milking a cow can be completely stopped. I recommend sticking to a meager diet and limited watering for a few more days, up to a week, after which you gradually switch to a regular diet for dry cows. The completion of the startup process can be considered successful if there is no udder filling during the transition to normal feeding.
All the time frames in this step-by-step guide are very approximate, because they are individual for each cow. When carrying out work, it is necessary to monitor the condition of the mammary gland of the animal and focus on this factor, and not on the timing.
For cows of the third and fourth groups, the described method will stretch over time. In addition, at the end of the entire process, special intravenous drugs can be used (one syringe tube is injected into each nipple through its opening), which will prevent the development of mastitis. Good results are obtained by Bayoclox DC, Orbenin EDC and Nafpenzal DC.
These drugs contain antibiotics, and they should not be administered later than 42 days before calving. They are used for the rapid forced start of cows in livestock complexes with intensive milk production technology.
Have a successful launch!
