How to increase milk yield in a cow at home: ways to increase
Everyone who keeps a cow would like it to give a lot of milk. After all, it depends on whether its content will be cost-effective and profitable. Let's look at how you can increase your cow's milk production at home with the help of rational feeding, animal care, creating optimal living conditions, he alth care and proper milking.
What and how to feed
Foods that will be eaten by a cow affect the composition, taste, fat content and mineral content of the milk produced. Despite the fact that cows are herbivores, they cannot produce much milk on grass and hay alone.As top dressing, they need grain and grain waste, pulp, meal, cake and molasses - sources of carbohydrates and protein, vegetables and root crops - sources of vitamins and mineral elements. As well as chalk, s alt and fodder sulfur, meat and bone meal and milk powder as mineral supplements.
In the diet of domestic cattle, not only variety is important, but also the ratio of rough and succulent feed and concentrates. In order not to make up the diet yourself, you can feed the cows with compound feed. It has an optimal composition, all components and their proportions are selected so that the product brings maximum benefit to animals. Feeding frequency - 3 times a day, the same number of times you need to milk. The distribution of food should be timed to certain hours so that the cow gets used to it and her digestion is activated by this moment.
Correct launch and unloading
Starting up is a gradual decrease in milk yield before calving. It is necessary for the animal to regain strength and prepare for feeding the next calf. Pregnant cows are prepared for childbirth by stopping milking a month before this event.
At this time, the cow is reduced the amount of root crops, silage, more hay, some concentrates. Need to massage the udder and belly.
After calving, you need to feed the cow with a little more feed than usual. The first week after giving birth, the cow gives only colostrum, which the calf drinks. It can be kept close to the mother. When milk starts flowing, you need to milk the animal 5-6 times a day, with an equal interval. Be sure to massage the udder before milking. Milk quickly and vigorously, milking all the milk from the udder so that it does not stagnate.
Attitude towards cow
Aggressive attitude towards the cow, screaming and beating are unacceptable. The animal perfectly feels the mood of a person, being under stress, can resist milking, quickly reduce milk yield. And, on the contrary, in a good mood, the cow will allow you to milk milk from the udder completely. It does not hurt to talk to her before milking, to stroke, to give something tasty.
Drinking lots of water
In addition to feed, cattle need water. Liquid is the basis of milk, if it is not enough, you should not wait for large milk yields. A cow needs to drink 100-150 liters of water per day, 4-6 liters are required to produce 1 liter of milk. Fluid should be warm in winter and cool in summer, always clean and fresh.
Probiotic use
Probiotics contribute to the normal functioning of the stomach and intestines. To normalize and improve the microflora of cattle, these drugs are given. They stimulate metabolic processes, increase the efficiency of the use of nutrients from food by the cow's body, and strengthen immunity.
Maintain milking schedule
Milk in cows is constantly produced, in this regard, the productivity of the animal is affected by the mode of milking.Cattle are milked at least 2 times a day, usually in the morning and in the evening, you can milk 3 times (recently calved and very dairy individuals). You can increase milk yield only by adhering to the milking regimen.
Planning the calving season
Animals that calve in winter produce 7-10% more milk than those that give birth in spring, summer and autumn. Timing the birth of a calf in the winter months can naturally increase milk production.
Good milking technique
It has already been said that all the milk must be milked from the udder. The milking machine copes well with this task, which removes milk from all 4 lobes at once. If the device is not available, milk the fore and hindquarters by hand until the milk stops flowing.
Udder hygiene
Before milking, the udder must be washed with warm water and wiped with a cloth. Then they do a light massage, after the end of the procedure they wipe the nipples. If the skin of the udder is damaged, worn, cracked or dry, it is lubricated with a special cream.
It can be bought at veterinary pharmacies. Creams act quickly and effectively, do not contain harmful substances.
Increased daylight hours
For animals during lactation, it is necessary to maintain a lighting duration of 16 hours. Artificial lighting in autumn and winter slows down the secretion of melatonin and thereby increases milk yield by 8%. If the windows do not cope with providing light comfort, you need to use artificial light lamps. Of course, you will need to spend money on electricity, but this will pay off with an increase in milk yield.
Fresh air consumption
The purity of the air that animals breathe is also important. Whenever possible, they should be let out on the street, even in winter, if there is no frost. When the animals are in the barn, it should be ventilated every day.
Proper grazing
When grazing, cows go out to pasture every day. The distance to it should not exceed 2-3 km. 2-3 times a day, animals need to be moved to a new place so that they can eat. The total duration of grazing is 8-10 hours.
With proper organization of grazing in summer, milk yields increase by a third.
Maintaining the temperature regime
Being in a cold room, cattle spend a lot of energy on heating. The temperature in the barn in winter should not fall below 10 °C. Drafts are excluded, which harm animals even more than cold. In summer, the barn should be cool, not higher than 25 ° C. This is achieved by using a ventilation system or ventilation.
Regular he alth monitoring
The reasons for the decrease in milk yield may be diseases: mastitis, paresis, cracks in the skin of the udder, pathology of the gastrointestinal tract.It may not be easy to restore the he alth of an animal, the healing process will take a long time. To prevent this from happening, you need to observe the animal, conduct veterinary examinations, and vaccinate. A caring attitude towards livestock will allow timely detection of a violation or disease and start treatment.
Reduction of milk yield can also occur due to such a defect as self-milking in cows. To eliminate a bad habit, a special device is put on the muzzle of the animal, which does not allow it to drink milk, but does not prevent the absorption of food.
Increasing the milk yield of livestock at home is an achievable goal. To stimulate the production of milk, a livestock breeder has a lot of ways at his disposal. These are proper feeding, organization of optimal conditions for keeping, grazing on the pasture, proper milking, he alth protection. A good owner who cares about his animals has no problem with the amount of milk he gets.
Recommended
Why does a cow's milk yield decrease: causes of a sharp decrease in milk and what to do

Many novice farmers are wondering why a cow's milk yield is decreasing. Most often, the causes of problems are due to improper feeding or violation of the conditions of detention.
How to increase the fat content of milk in a cow: how to feed for good milk yields at home

How to increase the fat content of milk in a cow - popular ways. How to make the right diet and organize good animal care. Possible reasons for the decrease in the fat content of milk.
How to feed a goat to increase milk yield: increasing lactation at home

To learn how to feed a domestic goat to increase milk yield, the following tips will help. What to feed goats to increase milk yield. Grass, succulent and roughage, concentrates, mixed fodder, swill.