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Of the 9 million dairy cows in the U.S., approximately 90% of them are of the Holstein descent. [66] The top breed of dairy cow within Canada's national herd category is Holstein, taking up 93% of the dairy cow population, have a production rate of 10,257 kilograms (22,613 lb) of milk per cow that contains 3.9% butter fat and 3.2% protein [8]
Since a heifer has not calved, it does not have a fully developed udder and, therefore, does not produce milk. Once bred, a heifer is pregnant for nine months and, after giving birth, is then considered a cow. During pregnancy, the udder begins to develop further. After calving, a cow will nurse its calf briefly and then typically be milked two ...
The cows teat is a projection of the mammary gland that is sealed during their dry period. A dry cow refers to a dairy cow that is in a stage of their lactation cycle where milk production ceases prior to calving. This part of their lactation cycle is referred to as the cows dry period and typically last between 40 and 65 days. [1]
[35] [36] Some of the ethical complaints regarding dairy production cited include how often the dairy cattle must remain pregnant, the separation of calves from their mothers, how dairy cattle are housed and environmental concerns regarding dairy production. The production of milk requires that the cow be in lactation, which is a result of the ...
Keeping in mind that bovine somatotropin is a protein growth hormone, it can increase average milk yield anywhere from 10 to 15%, which in turn would lead to cows consuming substantially more nutrients in order to keep up with the increased milk production. Most of a cow's energy consumption goes directly towards milk production.
The milk is filtered and cooled before being added to a large bulk tank of milk for storage. [3] The average time of milking is 5–7 minutes and a cow can be milked with a machine 2–3 times a day. [4] The existing robotic milking has allowed cows to have the freedom to decide when to milk, but still needs to make contact with people. [5] [6]
Cattle bred specifically for milk production are called milking or dairy cattle; [1] a cow kept to provide milk for one family may be called a family cow or a milker. A fresh cow is a dairy term for a cow (or a first-calf heifer in few regions) who has recently given birth, or "freshened." The adjective applying to cattle in general is usually ...
The dairy industry in the United States includes the farms, cooperatives, and companies that produce milk, cheese and related products such as milking machines, and distribute them to the consumer. By 1925, the United States had 1.5-2 million dairy cows, each producing an average of 4200 lb of milk per year.