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@ vets delight    our facebook page Breeding methods Breeding can be achieved through natural service or artificial insemination, and irrespective of the method, the aim should be to achieve increased chances of conception. Natural mating vs artificial insemination  Natural service:  This is where the cow is taken to a bull and left for some time for the bull to serve. Advantages   • The cow has an opportunity to be served more than once; this increase the chance of conception. • The semen is fresh and of good quality since there is no handling. • Where the farmer does not own a bull, cost of service is lower compared to A.I. Disadvantages • Rearing a bull is not economical especially to a small holder farmer  • There is risk of spreading breeding diseases.  • There is risk of inbreeding if the bull is not changed frequently  • There is no opportunity to select the type of bull the farmer wants.  How to increase the chances of conception through natural

©vets delight Major nutrients required to feed a dairy cow so that  she will not only produce good yields of milk for 250 days but also  have a calf every year The two major nutrients are Energy (which comes from carbohydrate in the form of sugars, starches, cellulose and hemicellulose found in plants and their seeds) Protein, also found in plants and their seeds. The other nutrients are vitamins and minerals but they will be found naturally in most plants and if not, can be supplemented quite cheaply. Thus it is important that plants fed to cows are high in energy or protein or preferably both. Natural (veld) grass only has these for the cow for about three months of the year in the rains. After that they are not good enough for good milk yields and good fertility and furthermore, by September, there is often not enough grazing for the animals, especially in a dry year. Commercial dairy concentrates have energy derived from maize and maize by-products and protein fro

@vets delight DRY COW THERAPY : dry period (drying to calving: 60days) The dry period should last for about 60 days irrespective of whether the cow is still producing a lot of milk. Attempts should be made to minimize stress to the cow during the drying especially for high yielders. Ways of drying cows:  • The feed intake should be reduced to maintenance level by withdrawing the concentrates and for high yielders, feed on low quality forages (eg straw) to reduce milk synthesis. • For low yielding cows, just stop milking. Pressure builds up in udder and milk production is cut off. • If cow is a high yielder, practice intermittent milking i.e. skip some milking times (milk only in mornings) so as to reduce milk synthesis due to pressure build up in udder while reducing feed intake. • Water can be temporarily withdrawn for very high yielders to reduce milk synthesis. • After cessation of milking, treat (infuse) all the quarters with long acting antibiotics to prev

VETS DELIGHT THE FAMOUS BRACHIARIA GRASS (MULATO II HYBRID GRASS) Mulato II hybrid brachiaria is a perennial grass used to improve beef and milk production in tropical and subtropical regions.  It is recommended for regions with  acid soils of medium and low fertility, prolonged periods of summer drought & high summer temperatures .    Main Characteristics Commercial name Mulato II grass Scientific name Brachiaria ruziziensis x B. decumbens xB. brizantha cv. Mulato II uses Grazing, hay, silage, cut and carry system Palatability High Digestibility High Protein potential Up to 18% Tolerance to water logging poor Tolerance to drought good Planting density 8–10 kg/ha; zero tillage, 2.5 - 3 Kg/Acre Days to first grazing/cut after germination 70-80 days on average Time in rotation / Regrowth Period

METHODS OF DRUG ADMINISTRATION IN DISEASED POULTRY Commonly used drugs include – antibiotics, anticoccidial, growth promoters In Drinking Water : ADVANTAGES > there is no delay in administration or withdrawal. Birds may continue to drink when sick and “off feed”.There is prompt absorption and is also very convenient to use. Topical Spray or Dust : ( for Ectoparasites)   Egg Dipping : Must be done at the hatchery under controlled conditions. Usually results in reduced hatchability or fertility (e.g. antibiotics to control egg transmissible diseases such as mycoplasma. Individual Bird Injection : necessary in severe disease or when drug of choice is non-absorbable (e.g. antibiotics). It is also labour intensive and time consuming In Feed: Often used in preventive or long-term medication. Must be done when mixing feed and requires planning so that delivery and storage on the farm does not delay treatment.

HOW TO PREPARE SILAGE FOR DAIRY COWS. Silage is high-moisture fodder preserved through fermentation in the absence of air. These are fodders that would deteriorate in quality if allowed to dry. Silage can be made from grasses, fodder sorghum, green oats, green maize or Napier grass. An ideal crop for silage making should; i) contain an adequate level of fermentable sugars in the form of water-soluble carbohydrates ii) have dry matter content in the fresh crop above 20% iii) possess a physical structure that will allow it to compact readily in the silo after harvesting Crops not fulfilling these requirements may require pre-treatment such as: i) field wilting, to reduce moisture ii) fine chopping, generally 20–25 mm preferred to allow compaction iii) use of additives, to increase soluble carbohydrates Harvesting stages Napier grass should be harvested at about 1 metre when protein content is about 10%. Maize and sorghum should be harvested at dough stage, that

Common dairy cattle breeds in kenya This documentation entails several dairy breeds and their characteristics FRIESIAN Purpose :milk production Average body size:500-550kgs Average milk yield :40-60L/day Characteristics :black and white ,short haired coat & short horns Advantage  : The breed has a high milk production potential with a low butter fat content of about 3.2% Disadvantages It is susceptible to diseases e.g. milk fever Susceptible to high temperatures It requires large amounts of water i.e minimum of 60 litres It is also a heaven feeder i.e 90-110kg of forage/day AYRSHIRE purpose :milk production [The ideal drinking milk] because it posseses desirable quantities of proteins and doesn't lack adequate fat. Average body size : 450kg Average milk yield : 30L/day Description : body ranges from brown with white patches in almost equal amount to dark mahogany colour. Advantages : High milk yield (30L/day) :it has a butter fat content of 4.0% Fairly hardy and adaptable to