How to care for a cow: keeping at home for beginners

For centuries, the cow was the breadwinner of the entire family of the peasant, and then the farmer. She gave milk, meat, skin, put sour cream, cream, butter, and numerous varieties of cheeses on the human table. Without this pet, many families simply would not have survived, and those who had it were considered, if not rich, then we althy. Therefore, everyone knew very well how to care for a cow.

Cow conditions for beginners

Today, the situation has changed somewhat, but many rural residents, especially farmers, prefer to keep cows on their farms.Some have a "walking dairy" as a source of income, others keep for the needs of their own family. In order to understand how to keep such a large animal, it is necessary to find out in what conditions it should live, what to feed on, how to care for it. You should start from the place where the cow or several animals will live.

The following types of cattle are used:

1. Stable. This method involves keeping cows without grazing, and is used in places where farmers and villagers have to do without pasture due to the specifics of the relief and due to the fact that all free land is plowed and occupied.
2. Pasture. This method is suitable for raising young and fattening animals for meat. Milking of cows is carried out directly on the pasture, in equipped buildings.
3. Mixed stall-pasture. Due to the specifics of their feeding, cattle are indoors at night and driven out to pasture during the day.Keeping dairy cows is especially profitable, as they eat free pasture, and thanks to fresh grass they give high-quality milk.
4. Cows can also be kept on a leash, especially if there is not enough space for a large barn, and the animal has a rather cool, restless disposition. With this method, special requirements and conditions must be observed so as not to harm the cow.

For the maintenance of the animal, it is important to properly equip the stall. It should be 190 centimeters long, 140 centimeters wide, and 150 centimeters high along the side. The feeder is made in the form of a half oval, containing a daily portion of hay. The leash for the animal should not interfere with movement or lie down to rest, while it should be easily detached.

Indoor temperature should not fall below 10-15 degrees below zero in winter.You also need to monitor the indicators in the heat - the barn must be ventilated in the absence of a herd, as drafts can cause serious harm to the he alth of cows. They are prone to colds, and high humidity and dirt on the floor can cause a variety of sores and rot on the hooves.

Cattle care rules

Regardless of whether the cow lives in a private household or on a farm, it is necessary to follow a well-planned daily routine, as the cow gets used to it and behaves calmly, does not interfere with the person caring for her. Strictly according to the schedule, you need not only to feed and milk the cow, but also to clean it, clean the stall and barn, and take it out to pasture.

Domestic cows should be fed two or three times a day, dividing the daily ration of hay and other food into portions. This is due to the fact that the cow will sort out the prescribed daily portion of hay or grass with her tongue when she is full, which will make her wet due to saliva. A cow may refuse to eat wet hay due to a change in smell, which will lead to an overrun of the product, while the cow may remain hungry, which will inevitably affect the volume and quality of milk.

It is believed that roughage is given in each of the feedings, and grains and succulent foods are added in the morning and evening. First, concentrates, compound feeds are fed, then juicy and, last but not least, coarse food. If food remains in the feeders, it must be removed immediately before it deteriorates and leads to poisoning of the cattle. Cows are not fed immediately before milking because certain foods can impart an unpleasant odor or taste to the milk.

The animal must be kept clean, and this applies not only to the premises, but also to the cow itself. She is cleaned with a straw cord and then brushed, wiped with a rag, the udders are thoroughly washed before milking, the eyes and ears are kept clean, checked for wounds, infections and insect bites.

What should I feed?

The diet of a cow varies with the seasons. In summer, her diet is more fresh green fodder, which in cold weather is replaced with hay, preferably from nutritious grasses, such as alfalfa and other legumes.

Summer

During the hot summertime, cows and other cattle mainly feed on pasture, that is, grass that grows in abundance in pastures and pastures. For nutritional value, a small amount of succulent food is added.

In winter

For a cow with an average weight of 500 kilograms, the following is considered the ideal daily set of products:

1. High quality hay - 7-8 kilos.
2. Juicy feed - 3 kilos.
3. Concentrated products, bran - 3 kilograms.

Animals in the village are fed most often from their garden, so the cow gets hay mowed on the site and in the surrounding area, as well as alfalfa, specially sown to keep the herd.

Also, animals eat carrots, fodder, sugar and table beets, potatoes, turnips, corn silage, green waste, which must be clean and not wet.

Cows are given plenty of water after giving succulent feed, clean water with a temperature of at least 10 degrees Celsius. Cold or polluted water is dangerous for the he alth of cows, as well as being in the rain, snow, in a damp, dirty room.

Features of breeding

In order to properly breed a dairy herd, certain rules must be followed:

1. The future dairy cow is left with her mother for no longer than a day, otherwise she will start sucking milk from other females or even from herself.
2. The heifer is kept in a separate room and milked milk is fed to her through a special nipple. Whole milk is given to her until the age of 3 months, then they are given reverse or another substitute.
3. At first, the heifer is fed 3-4 times a day, 2-3 liters each. If milk remains, its quantity is reduced. In the first two months, the volume of milk drunk is gradually increased to 12 liters per day, then they begin to decrease, and in six months they stop altogether. By this time, the calves in the homestead are already being taught to drink water on their own.
4. From 10 days after birth, the heifer is offered some feed and hay.
5. A heifer is ready for mating at a year and a half. Previously, she is taught to wash and massage the udder, milking.
6. At home and on the farm, the future cow is diligently prepared for calving, using special rules. For example, dry housing is used for cows that have already bred.
7. Childbirth in first-calf heifers is more difficult and longer than in more experienced females. If the owner is also not experienced enough, does not have the skills to handle a calving cow and newborn offspring, it is best to invite a veterinarian in advance. Then it will be possible to save both the mother and the calf, avoiding unnecessary suffering and problems. In the future, there are usually no problems with childbirth.

With the right approach to breeding, you can get a strong and he althy calf, as well as a well-milked heifer, giving several buckets of high-quality, full-fat milk with excellent taste.

He alth and Prevention

In order for dairy animals to produce quality and safe milk, they must be he althy. Many of the diseases that cattle are susceptible to can be dangerous to humans, such as tuberculosis and brucellosis, which is transmitted through milk. Infection can be transmitted through direct contact or the environment, so cows should be vaccinated against the following diseases:

1. Pasteurellosis.
2. Brucellosis.
3. FMD.
4. Anthrax.
5. Rabies.

If a cow shows signs of illness, such as lethargy, refusal of food and/or water, discharge from the eyes and nose, untidy appearance, indigestion, you should immediately call a veterinarian.

Prevention of cattle diseases, in addition to regular vaccinations, will be hygiene of the premises and the animals themselves, cleanliness and proper selection of feed, excellent living conditions, as well as the owners' love for the wet nurse.

Is it profitable to keep a cow?

In the homestead, you can have one or more cows for personal needs, and donate the available surplus milk.But for farmers, it is most profitable to keep a large dairy herd, and not to sell milk in its pure form, but to process it into a product that is in great demand, for example, feta cheese or other types of cheese, butter, sour cream.

A few tips from an experienced veterinarian

Beginning farmers who want to keep a dairy cow have the following tips:

1. Be attentive to the condition, appearance and behavior of your nurse, notice the slightest deviations and take immediate action.
2. Keep the room and the animal clean.
3. The quality of milk directly depends on the feed. Animals should be fed, but not overfed - this will affect milk yield.
4. A cow should have enough clean drinking water.
5. Animals should live in a clean, dry and warm room, protected from dampness and drafts.
6. Vaccinations and veterinary examinations should be carried out regularly, as required by the veterinary system.

These simple tips will help those who want to keep a cow not to make mistakes and get stable milk yield throughout the life of a dairy animal. Burenka has always been the breadwinner of man, and she retains this property even today.

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