Description

This is a very practical foundation course; providing unique and extensive support from university qualified and industry experienced experts.  If you want to learn about dairy cattle and their management, this is the course for you.

Lesson Structure

There are 9 lessons in this course:

1. Dairy Breeds

2. Dairy Products

3. The Lactation Cycle

4. Pests & Diseases of Dairy Cattle

5. Feeding Dairy Cattle

6. Managing Dairy Cattle

7. Breeding Dairy Cattle

8. Managing Dairy Facilities

9. Dairy Business Planning

Each lesson culminates in an assignment which is submitted to the school, marked by the school's tutors and returned to you with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading.

Aims

• Select appropriate dairy breeds for different farming situations.

• Describe the different characteristics, including their nature and scope, of dairy products.

• Explain the management of the lactation cycle in dairy cattle, on a farm property.

• Manage general husbandry operations for the dairy cow.

• Manage the wellbeing of a dairy cow, including consideration of its health and vigour, to optimise quality and quantity of production.

• Explain the significance of animal breeding programs for milk production.

• Explain the management of the facilities, including buildings and machinery, at a farm dairy.

• Develop a business plan for the management of a dairy property.

What You Will Do

• Distinguish between three different breeds of dairy cattle, which are either significant in the learner's locality, or have potential in the learner's locality, including:

  • size

  • appearance

  • preferred conditions

  • milk

  • cost per head.

• Evaluate the suitability of three different dairy cattle breeds to a specified property, in a locality with which the learner is familiar.

• Select three appropriate dairy cattle breeds for each of four specified situations, with regard to:

  • pasture varieties

  • climatic conditions (eg. temperature and weather patterns)

  • locality

  • market requirements for the product

• Judge a dairy cow, using a standard score card, such as the dairy cow unified score card produced (and revised in 1982) by the Purebred Dairy Cattle Association.

• List the different dairy products which are commonly available, in the learner's locality.

  • Describe the composition of milk, with reference to different characteristics, including:

  • sediment

  • bacteria count

  • chemical impurities

  • somatic cell count

  • added water

  • flavour

• Explain the different types of flavours in milk, referring to both cause and prevention factors, and using relevant terminology, including:

  • feed

  • rancid

  • flat

  • unclean

  • foreign

  • salt

  • acid

  • oxidised flavours

• Explain how milk composition can affect its use for different purposes.