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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]
Most dairy producers aim for a replacement heifer to give birth to her first calf, and thus join the milking herd, on her second birthday. As the cow's gestation period is a little over 9 months this means the cow must be inseminated by the age of 15 months.
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]
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 ...
Typical milk fever posture; cow in sternal recumbency with its head tucked into its flank. Milk fever, postparturient hypocalcemia, or parturient paresis is a disease, primarily in dairy cattle [1] but also seen in beef cattle and non-bovine domesticated animals, [2] characterized by reduced blood calcium levels (hypocalcemia).
The gestation period averages 285 days, but varies depending on the age and nutrition of the mother. The sex of the calf may also affect the carrying time, as male calves are carried for a longer period than females. Location, breed, body weight, and season affect the overall health of the animal and in return may also affect the gestation period.
Most cows are milked twice per day, with milk processed at a dairy, which may be onsite at the farm or the milk may be shipped to a dairy plant for eventual sale of a dairy product. [104] Lactation is induced in heifers and spayed cows by a combination of physical and psychological stimulation, by drugs, or by a combination of those methods ...
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 to three times daily. Cows produce about 80 pounds of milk per day, though some can produce well over 100 pounds.