Quality forage conservation: important aspects

Source: CLAAS Ukraine LLC

Forage must be of top quality and none of milk producers will deny this fact. Though, ways to obtain top quality forage often become a matter of argument among specialists of different production lines and an owner of the dairy farm. At first sight it makes sense as agricoltor, engineer or herd manager’s motivation differs. One is more interested in price, the other — in cost of parts and top yield and the amount of forage are of high priority for the last one. However, it doesn’t matter how much you will grow per hectare, milk production depends on the amount fed to cows.

Automation is Being on Trend

The world’s population is growing from year to year along with food requirements. Thus dairy industry is constantly developing. Of course, only effective milk production brings profit . If to analyze major stages of efficiency evolution, mechanization may be said to be the first among them. Thereat machines replaced labor-intensive processes at work. Automation was the next step: smart devices began to perform certain operations instead of humans. In the modern period the automated systems do not simply perform programmed functions, but suggest a person what and when to do.

Integrity in farm business

Phil Durst, Sr. Extension dairy educator from Michigan (USA), a participant of the 7-th Ukrainian Dairy Congress

What are the values that describe your business? Does “integrity” come quickly to mind? It’s on my mind and I’d like to share some thoughts with you about it. Webster’s Dictionary lists several similar meanings among which are “firm adherence to a code of moral values; incorruptibility; the quality or state of being complete or undivided” and lists honesty as the synonym. In short, integrity means that there is no difference between what you say and what you do — with no intention of deception.

Dairy Sector Matureness Test. Interview with Andrii Dykun, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food

Ukraine is going through a bed stretch. Political and economical volatile has also affected dairy sector. What immediate steps Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food takes to solve problems and what goal sets in present difficult conditions — this is the topic of the conversation with Deputy Minister Andrii Dykun.

Bovine Viral Diarrhea

Based on the materials of Intervet International B.V.

Bovine Viral Diarrhea in cattle herds is one of the most common diseases on dairy farms in the whole world, including Ukraine. This disease can result in major economic loss. It’s impossible to get rid of the problem completely, but there is a number of measures which help to reduce the incidence of animals and at the same time save money. We offer our readers a systematic approach to solving this problem — from analysis of the causes of the disease to measures to combat the virus.

Cooling Systems on Dairy Farms

Volodymyr Tomov, CJSC Eltron, Bulgaria

Systems which maintain the microclimate in barns is one of the most economically sound investments. Equipment for ventilation and air cooling allows to obtain permanent milk yield not only in summer but in the fall, as heat stress effects milk production during a long period.

Valerii Samofal: “We aim to create fair and clear rules of the game at the Ukrainian veterinary market”

Interviewed by Olga Zarytska

Ask the first comer, whether he believes in fair and honest business. In response, you will likely hear "No!" It’s not because there are no reliable companies in the market, but there many of those, who wish to make money fast, easy and by any means. Newcomers have the hardest time in this situation, no matter what noble the intentions they have. The only thing that can help them is convincing facts and satisfied customers. The director of a start-up company DK -Vet Valerii Samofal is telling about formation, growth and success of the company.

The role of bedding in the cattle housing

Maria Yaroshko, MBA Magister

Many dairy farms in Ukraine have turned away from tie-stall housing system or gradually changing to loose housing system. The latter occurs mainly in two forms: keeping cows in deep-bedded units or free stalls. Under these conditions cows are easy to move inside the barn and in a pasture. It improves their health and makes it possible to increase the mechanization of production processes in the barn, such as: milking, cleaning, distribution of feed. Energy costs are reduced significantly together with labor costs, and animals feel better.

What is the difference between grain and silage hybrid?

Dmytro Kovalchuk, Product Consultant, “KWS-Ukraine”

When choosing corn hybrids modern farmers are paying more attention to their purpose: planting for grain or silage etc. How to choose hybrids best suited to a farm operation? What traits of hybrids should be considered? How will our choice affect profitability in general? We will try to answer these questions.

The Price Paid

Stepan Lyhosherst, Veterinary, CC UDA consultant on selection and young stock breeding

«Cattle breeding is a relatively simple endeavour. The only difficult part is to keep it simple».

Tom Lasater

The main objectives in breeding dairy cattle are to increase milk production, breed better functional characteristics that will allow the cow to produce more milk over a longer period of time. Naturally, the more characteristics for which one selects, the less progress is made. Therefore, in line with the above quotation, most farmers restrict selection criteria to the following: