Herds Mentality
Herds Mentality
Cows are curious and friendly animals. They like to be in groups, not
alone, and that's why you see them in a herd. Like many animals, cows
establish a pecking order - quickly. With change, the pecking order
realigns, which can be stressful for the cows.
General Info
Cows spend about six hours eating and eight hours chewing cud per-day. They
will spend around four hours a day sleeping, taking very short naps. The
girls sleep laying down while chewing cud.
Cows have almost total 360-degree panoramic vision, and they can see color!
Cows have a great nose and can smell up to six miles away.
Cows need to have recently given birth in order to produce milk. Cows are
bred at approximately 15 months and the gestation period is nine months,
the same as a human. Cows like cool temperatures – 50°-60° F – milk
production goes down in high temperatures.
Astronomy binoculars is a great alternative
Feeding Cows
What a cow eats is very important for her digestion, milk production and
milk quality. Crystal Farm has formulated a special blend of feed to meet
all the needs associated with the health and wellbeing of our cows, as well
as for maximum milk production. Their feed consists of a mixture of:
– Corn silage
– Sweet corn silage
– Haylage
– Corn
– Soy Hulls
– Whey Permeate
– Canola Meal
– Protein Mix
– Wet cake
Cows are “ruminants” – meaning they have four digestive areas in the
stomach – not four stomachs! The cow digests plant-based food by initially
softening it within her first, known as the rumen, then regurgitating the
semi-digested mass, now known as cud, and chewing it again. The process of
re-chewing the cud to further break down plant matter and stimulate
digestion is called “ruminating,”
There are a few sayings that have been derived from cows such as:
“Digest an idea”
“Chew the cud”
Ruminate = ponder or think about!
Keys to Superior Animal Treatment & Care
– Our cows are bedded with sand for cleanliness and comfort
– Automated water troughs are available to cows at all times throughout
each free stall
– Our cows are milked three times each day for comfort and health
– Free stall alleys on our dairies are cleaned three times each day for
cow health and safety
– Our cows have access to fresh feed 24 hours a day developed with a
herd nutritionist
– The feed is pushed up and replenished several times throughout the day
– Our dairies include an on-site hospital and maternity area with 24/7
care
– Cross-ventilation barns as well as fans and misting systems for cow
comfort
– Cows’ hooves are trimmed at least twice each year for bovine health
– Our team includes herd health specialists on staff at each dairy 24
hours per day
Dairy cattle breeds are mostly wanted throughout the world for optimum milk
production with a minimum number of animals. You will also consider the
adaptability, easily manageable, and early maturity with yearly calving.
The above ten most common dairy cattle breeds are known elsewhere in the
dairy industry, and most farmers own them for milk production.
