Longlivity: Maximum or Optimum?
A cows longevity is a crucial aspect to operating income. A cow needs 1.5 lactations to cover the purchase and rearing costs. So, getting many lactations is important.
But actually it is not about whether a cow gets old and how many lactations she makes, but it is about how many kg of milk, rather how many kg of fat and protein she delivered in the tank during her productive life with the lowest (vet – feed). -) costs.(LDY: Lifetime Daily Yield)
A couple of things are important to know:
- Heifers that calve at 23-24 months produce 15000 litres more in their lifetime than heifers that calve at 27-30 months;
- Using consequently DelPro’s 2-Minute-Check, information concerning cows with abnormalities are detected earlier: timely intervention makes a difference in longevity;
- Giving a cow after calving the right amount of a certain feed assists her trough the transition period and also helps thereafter going through the period with negative energy balance. Additionally, making sure these two periods the appropriate amount and speed is crucial in these periods;
- Precisely estimating if a treatment has a big chance or a little chance of succes for the cow.
- Or can/will she transmit infectious diseases? That could make a difference in the longevity of the cows stable mates;
- Etc. Etc.
But:
If a cow has calved ca. 4 times already, then ask yourself: must I have her inseminated again?
Or is there a bigger chance that the next lactation is better for the vet, hooftrimmer and cattle dealer than it is for my wallet?