Dairy
January
1999
Are Your Milking Machines Operating Properly?
College of Veterinary Medicine
Most dairymen are aware of the tremendous impact milking machines have on mastitis. On a yearly basis this equipment is used more than any other piece of equipment on a dairy farm. It seems logical that it should be maintained in good working order. I do find many problems while conducting milking machine evaluations for diary farms. Most of the evaluations are the result of a milk quality problem and it is very common for the milking machine to be malfunctioning. I frequently recommend a milking machine evaluation as one of the initial steps in developing a mastitis control program. Again, the reason for this recommendation is that the milking machine comes into contact with the cow'' teat at least twice a day and as a result has a tremendous potential for promoting mastitis in a cow. It is important to point out that milking procedures (udder prep, machine attachment and adjustment) also have a very significant impact on udder health and milk quality.
Over the last few years there has been a lot of renewed activity in research related to milking machines. This activity is due to the continued confusion among dairymen about proper sizing of vacuum pumps and pipelines. The sources of information related to requirements include national and state regulatory requirements, company requirements which dealers must follow, individual opinions and the actual requirements as established by research. Knowing the requirements and the reasons for the requirements help the dairymen make correct decisions.
There is considerable variation in suggested requirements for milking equipment. In the 50's milking systems were seriously inadequate for vacuum supply. After many farm advisors discovered that larger vacuum pumps improved performance and milk quality, it became common practice to provide 10-12.5 CFM-ASME (cubic feet per minute ñ American Society of Mechanical Engineers) per milking unit. Since that time the development of very sensitive and precise vacuum regulators have made it possible to control the vacuum characteristics of a milking system. This has resulted in a realization that the previous ëoverkill'of vacuum pump size is no longer necessary to maintain vacuum stability. Oversizing milking systems wastes energy and are unnecessarily expensive.
The key point in establishing vacuum requirements for a milking system is that a vacuum pump must evacuate a volume of air equal to the rate of maximum air admission. The current research based recommendations state that a vacuum should be held within 0.6 inches of mercury during milking since regulators are not capable instantaneous response and measuring device are subject to some error.
What does this mean to the dairy farmer? Some of the major considerations include maintenance of the system and milking procedures which occur in the parlor. The regulator must be properly maintained and periodic checks made to ensure that this component is working properly. The vacuum pump must be in good working order and monitored to detect wear. Backflush systems and advanced milk removal techniques require more air entry and therefore more pump capacity. One of the largest demands for airflow is the CIP (Clean in Place units. Remember, that the vacuum pump must remove air from the system at the highest rate of air entry.
Another common occurrence is to have additional help in the parlor so those more milking units are being put on the cows at the same time. If a mailing unit falls off or the cow kicks it off more air loss occurs. Every time all four inflations of a milking unit are opened to the atmosphere it admits approximately 40 CME-ASME into the system. This means that if two additional milking units are being attached when usually only one is being attached there is a requirement for more pump capacity to remove the air from the system if vacuum stability is to remain within 0.6 inches of mercury. This excessive vacuum fluctuation has the potential for damaging tests and causing mastitis.
Milking system design is complex and requires knowledge beyond simple regulations. The dairyman must be aware of the principles of milking system operation and the factors which may be adversely affecting the milking machine. Regular maintenance, attention to milking procedures and cow flow through the milking center must be done to eliminate as much risk for mastitis as possible. Mississippi has many very qualified individuals who can evaluate your system. I encourage you to take advantage of their expertise so that you can maintain the highest milk quality possible.
Dr. John W. Fuquay, Professor
Animal and Dairy Sciences, MSU
In Mississippi, we worry more about the effects of summer heat on our cows than we do the cold, but we do have our share of cold snaps in the winter for which we need to be prepared. It is true that cows enjoy cool weather. They are quite comfortable with a temperature range of 40 to 70 F. Although changes in performance parameter such as milk production and reproduction are much less noticeable during the winter than during the summer, cold stress does have its cost.
The types of winter conditions that are most likely to adversely affect dairy cows are those wet and windy times when the temperature is at or a little above freezing. The primary reason that cows handle cold well is the fact that they grow a heavy winter hair coat. This thick hair coat traps air providing for a good layer of insulation which inhabits heat loss. Wet hair does not have the same good insulating properties as does dry hair, and wind will remove the trapped air from the hair, destroying that layer of insulation. Cows can handle a dry, still 25 F better than they can a wet, windy 35 F.
The primary cost of cold stress to dairymen is the additional feed needed to produce the same level of mild. When cold, the appetite of cows will pick up and they will eat more. It is part of their survival instinct. The more they eat, the more internal heat they produce to ward off the cold. The extra feed energy consumed does not convert into higher production of milk; it is used for body heat. For the same level of milk production, a cow needs 25% more feed energy at 15 F than it does at 40 F. This is a significant cost factor. However, if cows don't receive the extra feed, they will produce heat by mobilizing body fat. The resulting loss of body condition will lower overall lactation milk yield and reproductive performance.
Another concern is for those calves born in wet, windy conditions when the temperature is in the low 30's. Neonatal death losses may increase, and frequently the calves that survive will not be thrifty. This problem has been attributed to failure of these cold stressed calves to consume enough colostrum as well as to inhibit absorption of immune globulin from the colostrum that is consumed.
What should you do to ease the cost of cold stress? The top priority should be to assure that cows and calves have easy access to a good windbreak. This could be a thick hedgerow or the wall of a barn that provides protection from the westerly and northerly winds that we get after a cold front passes. It will help if that windbreak has a cover to protect from the rain as well, but the most important concern is protection from the wind. Wind chill has a marked negative effect on the ability of cows to function normally during the winter. Dairymen should realize that more feed energy will be needed during cold stress and make it available. Also, in extremely cold weather, sources of drinking water may freeze making it necessary that you help your cows in getting enough water to drink. Insufficient feed or water will result in a heavy toll on performance. Good dairymen will be alert to weather changes that have an adverse effect on the efficiency of cow performance and plan ahead to meet these challenges that affect profitability.
If you have any questions, please call me at Animal and Dairy Sciences, Mississippi State University.
NOVEMBER
HONOR ROLL HERDS* Dairy County No.
Cows Lbs
ECM** 2X/3X RHA
Milk RHA
Fat RHA
Prot DOT MELVIN
NICHOLSON NEWTON 122 63.3 2X 21836 836 695 11/22/98 MACTOC
FARM OKTIBBEHA 195 61.1 2X 26008 940 858 11/05/98 STEWARD
FARM INC TATE 396 60.4 2X 21948 754 701 11/18/98 CAL
MAINE FOODS DAIRY HINDS 1606 59.8 3X 19205 704 615 11/14/98 BRAD
BEAN AMITE 216 59.4 2X 21805 809 696 11/23/98 TIM
WEEKS COPIAH 50 58.9 2X 0 0 0 11/03/98 NORTH
MISS BR EXP STATION MARSHALL 95 56.6 2X 19454 712 639 11/09/98 DAVID
ROBINSON & SONS RANKIN 131 56.0 2X 18730 773 585 11/16/98 RONALD
H CLARK LINCOLN 94 55.9 2X 19320 692 634 11/23/98 COASTAL
PLAIN EXP STA NEWTON 182 55.0 2X 21497 801 708 11/10/98 THOMPSON
BROTHERS MARSHALL 138 54.6 2X 19381 694 626 11/03/98 MS.STATE
UNIVERSITY OKTIBBEHA 167 54.2 2X 21222 910 689 11/10/98 FREEMAN
DAIRY PIKE 148 53.0 2X 19062 628 630 11/11/98 MILTON
AND TERRY JEFCOAT JONES 224 52.9 2X 21766 739 686 11/23/98 PAUL
W EDWARDS NEWTON 134 52.5 2X 17835 640 581 11/17/98 ROWZEE
JERSEY FARM NEWTON 152 51.7 2X 16122 736 622 11/23/98 JERRY
SISCO LINCOLN 117 51.6 2X 14935 561 506 11/19/98 RAY
GURNEY AMITE 239 50.5 2X 17758 648 586 11/18/98 CORY
CLEVELAND PIKE 26 49.6 2X 13323 614 519 11/17/98 DIXIE
DAIRY SALES CARROLL 540 49.5 2X 20848 840 668 11/21/98 JAY
PAUL HOOVER NOXUBEE 145 48.9 2X 17660 0 0 11/19/98 JEFCOAT
& WILLIAMS DAIRY JONES 63 48.8 2X 20289 690 644 11/18/98 DAVID
CAIRE WALTHALL 79 47.1 2X 17372 599 544 11/02/98 RONALD
H CLARK LINCOLN 86 46.4 2X 19248 697 633 11/15/98 ELWAYNE
MAST NOXUBEE 161 46.1 2X 17439 0 0 11/18/98 GRAHAM
DAIRY PONTOTOC 107 45.7 2X 17934 538 571 11/02/98 R
E COCKERHAM AMITE 91 44.7 2X 16916 500 539 11/05/98 LEON
BARDWELL DAIRY LINCOLN 56 44.7 2X 17070 540 541 11/02/98 RAY
GALLOP AND SONS MONROE 67 44.7 2X 18583 635 608 11/24/98 CLEMMER
AND HILL DAIRY TIPPAH 195 43.4 2X 19717 649 623 11/03/98 *
Top 30 herds enrolled on supervised DHIA testing
programs by test day energy corrected milk.
** ECM = (.3246 x test day milk) + (12.86 x test
day lbs fat) + (7.04 x test day lbs protein)
Dr. C. W. "Bill" Herndon
Dairy Economist, MSU
BFP Sets Another All-Time Record High at $16.84
The November Basic Formula Price, or BFP, again responded to persistent increases in cheese prices and established (for the second month in a row) an all-time record high price of $16.84 per hundredweight. With the November increase of 80 cents per cwt., the BFP has risen for the sixth straight month and has climbed a total of $5.96 (+54.6%) since the June 1998 BFP of $10.88 was reported by the USDA. Milk production is beginning to show signs of recovery from the very hot and dry summer and fall of 1998. Milk output is being described as improving and trending higher when compared to the same period of 1997. Despite record high temperatures and poor quality forages, dairy farmers in the Southeast are finally realizing increased milk production due to the fact that cows have begun to graze on ryegrass pastures. Demand for dairy products has remained very strong but seasonal consumption has already reached its annual peak with the year-end Holiday period. Dairy manufacturers will be attempting to process the usual excess volumes of milk that occur because of winter holidays school recess periods. During mid-December, Southeastern processors/handlers were still importing milk supplies to meet bottling needs. Florida handlers imported about 40 truckloads of milk with another 40-45 loads shipped into other Southeastern states during the third week of December. Despite the current positive market situation, the dairy industry is anticipating a flood of milk that is being induced by record high milk prices, favorable weather and moderate feed costs. Dairy market analysts remain very cautious are still predicting that 1999 will bring about a significant and very steep decline in milk prices. The plummeting of milk prices are expected to be of historic proportions and will represent a profound reversal from the 1998 dairy product demand and milk supply situation. So, dairy producers should get ready for this anticipated decline in milk prices over the first half of 1999. The November BFP was reported at $16.84 per cwt. which represents an INCREASE of $0.80 cwt. (up 5.0%) ABOVE the October BFP of $16.04. November 1998's BFP is $3.88 per cwt. (or 30%) HIGHER than the November 1997 BFP price of $12.96. Dairy producers need to remember that the November BFP will be used as the base price to calculate the January 1999 Class I and Class II milk prices and the November 1998 Class III milk price. Because more than 80 percent of Mississippi milk is utilized as Class I and Class II products, farmers will not notice the majority of this 80 cent increase in the November BFP until they receive their February 1999 checks as payment for milk sold in January.
Milk production has begun to respond to the improving weather conditions as dairy farmers are reacting to improved profitability subsequent to record high milk prices and affordable feed costs. In spite of poor forage quality and the lack of forages, milk output has begun to respond to improving weather with the USDA reporting that November 1998 production was up 3.0 percent compared to the same month of 1997. Milk output is increasing throughout the country with the Northeast and Upper Midwest reporting the largest increments. Comparing November of 1997 to November 1998, U.S. milk output was up 372 million pounds (or +3.0%) and cumulative production for the first 11-months of 1998 recorded an increase of 974 million pounds (or +0.7%). In the 20 selected states that the USDA reports monthly milk production, only three states reported a decline in output between these two Novembers and ALL three were Southeastern states. Kentucky, Virginia, and Florida all recorded decreased output ranging from -7.3% to -3.3% and -2.7%, respectively. The states reporting the largest incremental increases were all located in the western region of the U.S. and, specifically, were Idaho (+10.6%), New Mexico (+8.8%) and Arizona (+6.3%). Again, this data indicates that the Southeast is continuing its long-term trend of decreased milk output where dairy farmers in the 11-state region -- from Louisiana/Arkansas east and from Kentucky/Virginia south -- now produce only eight percent of the nation=s total milk production but has almost 18 percent of the national population. Clearly, the Southeast and Mississippi are becoming more and more deficit in milk supplies and thus, are becoming more dependent of imported milk supplies to meet the needs of its beverage milk and dairy product consumers.
The first weeks of December saw a general stabilization of dairy products prices with cheese prices remaining virtually constant and butter prices increasing, slightly. Cheese prices have finally stabilized after witnessing a four to five month spectacular rise where all-time record highs were established almost every week. Butter prices have increased as part of a recovery from a market over-correction when butter prices plunged during November. The dairy market expects that the strong demand for dairy products to begin easing as the Holiday season concludes and with the playing of the Super Bowl. So, most market analyst believe that the current cheese and butter prices are at their peak and are predicting that dairy product prices will fall (sharply) over the next several months. On the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME), Grade AA butter prices have risen 16.50 cents per pound (+12.5%) between November 20 and December 18 and the main reason given for this increase is that prices had declined too much during its November plunge. This price rise is simply a Acorrection@ and more reflective of the current market situation. Amazingly, cheese prices on the CME continued their rise and established new record highs for 14 straight weeks. Block cheese prices were reported at $1.8700 on November 20 versus $1.9000 on December 18 -- a 3.00 cent (or +1.6%) increase for this four-week period. Barrel prices displayed this same pattern but -- in an indication of what is expected for the next several months -- fell by 4.50 cents (or -2.4%) from $1.8300 to $1.8150 per pound on December 18. Nonfat dry milk (NDM) prices exhibited only slight weakness despite the fact that the USDA has sold back over 13.8 million pounds of CCC stocks into the cash market since October 1. The market tone has maintained its Asteady@ characterization and NDM prices are staying well above the price support level. Enhanced demand continues to overshadowed the predicted flood of milk supplies and the NDM price outlook has been downgraded only slightly with prices in the $1.1100 to $1.1300 per pound range during the week of December 18.
The U.S. dairy industry has been Aholding its breath@ because most industry personnel expect that a flood of milk supplies will be produced during the spring of 1999. Improved availability and quality of forages, moderate feed costs, more favorable weather conditions and record high milk prices will ALL promote substantial increases in milk supplies. Again, market analyst are forecasting a steep and significant plummeting of dairy product and farm milk prices during the first four to six months of 1999. History has shown repeatedly that dairy prices fall much faster than they increase and that the market usually Aover-corrects@ itself resulting in sudden and dramatic declines in milk prices and farmers= revenues. Market analysts have forecast that the BFP has neared its peak and the December BFP (that will be reported on January 5) may rise as much as 20 to 30 cents per cwt. but then the market is expected to reverse itself causing a dramatic and severe decline in milk prices. The forecast for the December BFP indicate that this price series could increase as much as 40 cents -- with a realistic chance of setting a new all-time record exceeding the $17.00 level. The BFP is expected to start waning in January and continue to fall during the first 4 or 6 months of 1999. The worst case scenarios have predicted that the BFP could plunge as much as $5.00 (-30%) and bottom out near the $12.00 to $12.50 level by next April or May. These very pessimistic milk price forecasts should foretell that the future is Arelatively@ grim (however; the BFP probably will not fall below $11.00 as it did in 1997 and 1998) and that dairy farmers should be making plans to endure this bleak period of much lower milk prices.
Appellate Court Refuse to Re-Hear Doty Decision
On November 20, the U.S. Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Louis again surprised the dairy industry
The plaintiffs in this case are the Minnesota Milk Producers Association and the defendant is Secretary of Agriculture Glickman. The Appellate Court had issued a ruling in October that overturned a November 1997 court order issued by Judge David Doty that would be eliminated Class I price differentials in most of the federal milk order areas. This latest ruling was unexpected because most of the dairy industry had expected the Appellate Court to delay its actions until the USDA completed its mandated Federal Milk Marketing Order (FMMO) reform. The plaintiffs only recourse now is to appeal this Appellate Court ruling directly to the U.S. Supreme Court.
In other news, the latest rumor out of Washington, D.C. are indicating that the USDA will issue its Final Rule for FMMO reform on or about April 4, 1999. This date was to be the date that the USDA was required to have this reform process completed -- but, the deadline was extended to October 1, 1999 in the recent Agricultural Appropriations bill passed in October, 1998. So, the dairy industry is preparing itself for the details of this Final Rule and, in particular, how will Class I price differentials be modified in the final rule.
Southeast F.O. #7 "Blend@ Price Increases to $17.82 in October
The Southeast Federal Order Milk Market Administrator reported the November 1998 "blend" or uniform prices for milk delivered in Federal Order (FO) #7 at $17.92 per cwt. (for 3.5% Butterfat milk) in Zone 7, see the Mississippi map for zones (Zone 5 minus $0.25, Zone 6 minus $0.10, Zone 8 plus $0.10, Zone 9 plus $0.20, Zone 10 plus $0.32, Zone 11 plus $0.50, and Zone 12 plus $0.57 per cwt.). The November "blend" price of $17.92 for Zone 7 of FO #7 represents a INCREASE of 10 cents per cwt. compared to the October uniform price of $17.82. The November 1998 blend price is $2.59 (or +16.9%) ABOVE the November 1997 blend price of $15.33. This 10 cent increase in the November blend price occurred because of increases in all three classes of milk while the Class I utilization rate declined, slightly. The rise in the November blend price is attributed to a 11 cent increase in both the Class I and Class II milk prices and a 80 cent rise in the Class III price. Class I utilization fell 4.2% (from 85.7% in October to 81.5% in November), while Class II utilization fell by 0.3% (from 8.0% in October to 7.7% in November) and Class III utilization increased by 4.5% (from 6.3% in October to 10.8% in November ). The November Zone 7 "blend" price was calculated using: (1) the September BFP price of $15.10 plus the $3.08 Zone 7 Class I differential for a Class I price of $18.18; (2) the September BFP price of $15.10 plus the 30 cents per cwt. Class II differential for a Class II price of $15.40; and, (3) the November Class III price of $16.84 (which is the BFP). Please consult the map in this newsletter to determine which Zone the plant you sell your milk to is located in FO #7. A dairy producer's uniform price and the amount of his milk check is affected by where the plant that processes his milk is located in the Southeast FO.
UNIFORM
or "BLEND" PRICE FOR NOVEMBER 1998 ZONE
5: $17.67 ZONE
9: $18.12 ZONE
6: $17.82 ZONE
10: $18.24 ZONE
7: $17.92 ZONE
11: $18.42 ZONE
8: $18.02
CLASS
I PRICE FOR JANUARY 1999 (using the November 1998
BFP) ZONE
5: $19.67 ZONE
9: $20.12 ZONE
6: $19.82 ZONE
10: $20.24 ZONE
7: $19.92 ZONE
11: $20.42 ZONE
8: $20.02
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Last Modified: Wednesday, 18-Feb-04 11:03:54
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