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Cost Of Feed Per Pound Of Gain In Cal Poly's Dairy Calves, Kayle Anna Phelan

Agricultural Education and Communication

California is ranked one of the top five states in the United States for dairy production. It produces approximately 40 billion pounds of milk per year for US production. California’s dairy industry is not only the largest milk producer in the nation, but it is also the most financially prominent in the agricultural industry. This industry lead is purely because of its careful management practices. The way calves are raised depend on the resources used, the natural environment present, and the operation of the dairy farm. Essentially, there are numerous ways to care for a cow and calf. However, the …

Automating The Milking Process Within A Grass-Based System, John Shortall

Theses

The successful integration of automatic milking (AM) and grazing has resulted in AM becoming a feasible alternative to conventional milking (CM) in pasture-based systems. The objective of this thesis was to establish (i) the social, environmental and economic effects of adopting AM technology and (ii) the factors affecting cow traffic, which once the AM is adopted, can also impact on the sustainability of AM. A theme across this thesis is the examination of AM in the context of a seasonal pasture-based milk production system. Electricity and water meters were installed on seven AM fanns. Milking and livestock/^miscellaneous processes were the …

Interaction Of Stocking Density And The Feeding Environment In Lactating Holstein Dairy Cows, Mackenzie Andrew Campbell

Graduate College Dissertations and Theses

Stocking density serves as a sub-clinical stressor impacting natural behavior and affective state of dairy cows. However, cows rarely experience stocking density as an isolated stressor. Understanding the effects of stocking density with additional management stressors such as low-fiber diets or feed restriction is the next step in alleviating stress and improving the well-being of lactating dairy cows housed in freestall barns. The overall goal of this dissertation was to evaluate the interaction of stocking density and the feeding environment on short-term production, behavioral, ruminal fermentation, and stress responses of lactating dairy cattle.

The first two studies (Chapter 2 and …