Analysis. Szymanski Dairy 1375 Argyle Rd Snover, MI Date of Herd Evaluation: November 5, 2015

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1 Analysis Szymanski Dairy 1375 Argyle Rd Snover, MI Date of Herd Evaluation: November 5, 2015 A. Milking Practices: 1) One employee and one family member milked cows in zones of 4 cows each. The parlor routine (the order that cows were visited and the task performed during each pass) was very consistent; after dipping germicide and stripping/massaging on the first pass, teats were dried on the second pass and units attached during the third pass. 2) The lag time between the first pass and attaching units (Lag time 1) averaged 120 seconds and was consistent. In order to optimize milk letdown, the desired range for lag time should be at least 60 seconds and no more than 150 seconds. The Protocol Variation Index measures consistency of protocols PVI = (Maximum minimum) / average Excellent Good Moderate Too much variation The PVI for Lag Time between stripping and attaching =

2 Number of cows 25 Figure 1-Lag Time to Unit Attachment - 31 cows Lag 1- Strip Lag 2-Wipe >180 Seconds 3) The total time of stimulation from stripping/massaging and wiping was at least 10 seconds for 22/31 cows (71%; Figure 2). Stimulation of at least 10 seconds optimizes milk let-down and good milk flow after attaching units. Only one cow had stimulation time of less than 8 seconds Figure 2- Teat Stimulation < 4 s 4-5 s 6-7 s 8-9 s s 12 s Time of Stimulation Strip Total 2

3 4) VaDia analysis found 5 of 31 (16%) cows with delayed milk flow for greater than 30 seconds after unit attachment (Figure 3). A goal is to maintain this under 20% of the herd. This suggests that overall milking preparation is appropriate to support milk letdown from the cows when the unit is attached. Figure 3- Time to Peak Flow (Number of Cows) < 15 s s s s > 120 s 26 3

4 Number of Cows 5) Your average milking time (unit on time) was 5:22 minutes, and the majority of cows were milked in under 6 minutes (Figure 4). This is a typical milking time per cow for a herd milking twice per day and suggests that overall milking is efficient. 14 Figure 4- Milking Time (minutes) < cows milking in parlor per hour A new cow enters the parlor every 15.6 minutes; or a rate of 3.8 turns per hour. 4

5 Percent of Teats 6) Only 14 of 117 (12%) teat ends of cows scored 3 (rough), a good target is below 20% (Figure 5). Chronic poor vacuum dynamics at the teat end during milking (e.g., improper pulsation or vacuum level, overmilking, relative size of the liner to the teat) or poor milk let-down increases vacuum exposure which can cause teat end problems. Rough teat ends are difficult to clean during pre-milking prep and are more likely to have clinical mastitis and higher somatic cell counts (subclinical mastitis) Figure 5- Teat end condition Score 1- Normal Score 2- Ring Score 3- Rough 10 0 Other Comments: Germicide was used consistently pre- and post milking and covered teats thoroughly. The average time that the pre-dip germicide was on the teats (kill time) averaged 88 seconds and the minimum was 51 seconds. Cows entered and left the parlor quietly and did not show any signs of anxiety, aversive behavior, or reluctance to milk. Very little defecation was observed. Both Mike and Lacey stated that they had participated in MMPA milker trianing schools, 9 and 5 years ago, respectively. The parlor was remodeled to add 4 units (to on wither side and convert the high-line pipeline to a low-line pipiline at the end of Summary: The milking and parlor routines are consistent and follow best practices. Overall teat condition was good. The majority of cows have good milk letdown. The unit on time and parlor flow is typical for a twice per day milking herd. Cows were handled quietly and showed no signs of anxiety. 5

6 Number of Cows B. Milking System: 1) VaDia analysis of milking vacuum found 25/31 (81%) cows overmilked by more than 30 seconds, a goal is to keep this below 20% of the cows (Figure 6). This is likely results from manual removal of the units in the parlor as there are no automatic take-offs. Overmilking can lead to unnecessary exposure of the teats to milking vacuum and delay parlor flow, which increases chances for mastitis and teat end damage. However, milk unit removal was disciplined to minimize gross overmilking, as indicated by the unit on-time distribution for the herd Figure 6- Overmilking 30 s s s s s > 180 s Overmilking Time (seconds) 2) Pulsations was analyzed for all units under milking conditions. Pulsation rate was 60 per minute for all units. However, the milk:rest ratio was about 60:40 for the pulsation on the north side of the parlor (units 1 8 in table below) and about 66:34 for units on the south side of the parlor (units 9 through 15 in table). It is unusual to have unbalanced milk:rest ratios in a parlor and this should be standardized for all units. The D phase of each pulsation cycle, which is the time that the liner (inflation) spends massaging the teat, was consistently less than 200 ms. This is the minimum time needed for proper milking, therefore the pulsators should be cleaned and refurbished. Additionally, for the units that were set at a 66:34 milk:rest ratio, the massage time ( D phase) was even lower that the other units (see graphs below). Maximum pulsation vacuum varied between 13.9 and 14.1 inhg which was expected as this was the operating vacuum for the system. 6

7 60:40 milk rest ratio on pulsators on North side of parlor. b a c d D phase (rest phase with liner massaging teat) is too short, should be a flat line at 0 inhg for at least 200 ms, for pulsators with this ratio, it is only 150 to 180ms 66:34 milk rest ratio on pulsators on South side of parlor b a c d D (or massage phase) even shorter at this ratio, usually only 115 to 135 ms. This can lead to inadequate liner massage or overmilking because of inefficient milk flow. 7

8 Pulsator Nr. Chan Rate (bpm) Ratio a (% ms) b (% ms) c (% ms) d (% ms) Vmax (inhg) : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : Units 1-8 North Side Units South side 8

9 Number of Cows 3) Cluster vacuum varied about 3 to 4 inhg during peak milk flow and ranged from 10 to 14 inhg. This is a typical vacuum variation during milking, however, the overall vacuum level could be set lower as the current level is more typical of a high-line milk pipeline, but a low-line system was added at the end of This would reduce the wear on the system and allow for a more stable vacuum. A unit fall-off test was conducted while milking. With two units fully open, the vacuum at the gauge deceased from 13.8 inhg to 13.5 inhg which suggests that there is adequate vacuum reserve for the system under practical conditions. Effective reserve was measured at the receiver with the units in milking mode. Starting vacuum was 14.0 inhg and decreased to 13.4 inhg when cfm of air was admitted into the system. This meets the accepted standards, however reducing the operating vacuum by 0.5 inhg would increase the reserve of the system. 4) Mouthpiece chamber (teat end) vacuum during peak flow was above the desired range (less than 4 in Hg) for 18 of 31 cows (58%); the lower the vacuum, the higher the milk flow (Figure 7). This suggests a poor fit between the teat and the liner (inflation) during milking, which may be resulting from the pulsation problems. (see pages 6-8) Figure 7- Mouthpiece (teat end) vacuum < > 6 Mouth Piece Vacuum (inhg)-teat End 9

10 Examples of VaDia Graphs Higher vacuum = lower milk flow; lower vacuum = higher milk flow A sensor was inserted into a short milk tube (green line) and recorded vacuum near the cluster. Between brackets is a period of good milk flow: (vacuum drops from maximum and variation in vacuum of about 3 inhg) Good Milk Letdown- Mouth piece chamber vacuum (red -rear quarter: bluefront quarter) near teat end drops to a low level immediately after attachment Minor Overmilking- Rear quarter teat end vacuum (red line) rises about 90 seconds before unit take-off. Front quarter teat end vacuum (blue line) remains low- milk is still flowing until 30 seconds before take-off. 10

11 Bi-Phasic Milking- - Vacuum near teat ends for both front and rear teats (blue and red lines) decreases after unit attachment and then increases to near maximum for 60 seconds after attachment. This indicates poor milk letdown and reduced milk flow. Cluster vacuum is also near maximum during this time period and flat. Overmilking- Vacuum near teat ends for both front and rear teats (blue and red lines) increases to near maximum for 3 minutes before take-off. Cluster vacuum is flat and at maximum during this time, minimal milk flow. 11

12 Summary: Vacuum analysis suggests that overmilking is a problem in the herd. Although the unit on times are reasonable, the lack of automatic take-offs contributes to a high degree of overmilking among the cows. If installation of take-off units is not practical at this time, then units should be removed from cows no later than 6 minutes after attachment (timer in parlor). The system has adequate vacuum reserve but it is strongly suggested to reduce the system vacuum by 0.5 to 1.0 inhg (reduce in small steps) which will reduce wear on the equipment and help maintain a stable vacuum on the system. Pulsation analysis revealed that pulsation ratio is unbalanced between the sides of the parlor and should be set at 60:40 universally. Additionally, the pulsators need to be cleaned and parts replaced. This will help with more effective milking and reduce mastitis. 12

13 C. Cow Environment and Feeding: 1) The best measure of day to day bedding quality can be estimated from udder hygiene and hygromas (swollen joints from rubbing, bed sores ) on the hocks. 36/66 cows (55%) had udder hygiene scores of a 3 or 4 (soiled). A good herd goal is under 20%. Higher udder hygiene scores are associated with more environmental mastitis (coliforms) and new infection rate. Although the stalls were well bedded with sand and cow comfort was very good (virtually no hygromas), there were some deficiencies in the housing design. The barn had been remodeled to extend the number of rows to the north and south. This would reduce the ventilation and thus, the ability to maintain air quality and lower humidity in the barn. This could be a problem during times of heat stress despite the use of fans. However, the bigger concern is the size and maintenance of the stalls. Many of the stalls are 7 feet in length which results in improper use of stalls when cows lay down unless 1) a brisket board or barrier is placed about 66 from the curb, and 2) the stall loops or bars are well maintained. If the cows are able to get too far forward in a stall (no brisket board) or can lay sideways in a stall because it is too wide from the loops being bent, they may defecate and urinate in their bedding and thus expose their udders to soiling. Numerous cows were lying down during the evaluation which indicates cow comfort but many were too far forward in the stalls to remain clean. There were also 6 stalls without a curb near the parlor that resulted in soiled bedding. Examples are pictured below: 13

14 Cows with soiled udders and problem udder hygiene 14

15 Additionally, many of the stalls needed repair, especially on the north side where two-thirds of the stalls were not of proper width (too narrow or too wide). Although the stalls were designed with 48 inch centers (width) the range was highly variable and measured 29 to 71 inches. This results in cows lying inappropriately in the bedding, further increasing the risk for soiled udders. Stalls no longer attached to the wall on north side; there is no space under the loops to allow cows to stretch their legs The stocking rate was less than 100 %- 172 stalls for 134 cows = 78% If 40 stalls in poor repair on north side are not considered for use; stocking rate = about 100% 15

16 Number of stalls 25 Figure 8- Count of stall widths in North Barn 48 inch designed widths < 44 inches inches > 52 inches 2) Dry cows and heifers were currently on pasture and a lot (seasonal). This results in potential udder hygiene problems during periods of rain. Additionally, the herd does not currently use dry cow therapy or teat sealant for cows when drying them off. This is reduces new infections (mastitis) during the dry period and cures existing mastitis. 16

17 3) Three water tanks provided adequate water space for lactating cows. Video was taken while cows were drinking and no behavioral abnormalities or reluctance to drink were observed. Additionally, 272 feet of bunk space is provided for TMR feeding in the barn with an additional large bunk in the southwest corner of the barn for feeding in the lot. This provides more than enough bunk space for 140 cows. Lactating cows are fed twice a day (about 9:00 and 14:30) and feed pushed up once (about 19:30 to 20:00). One limitation regarding feeding is the lack of grouping relative to production and all dry cows (seasonal pasture) are housed in a similar group with no close-up group. The bunker silo was not covered which will lead to spoilage and possible exposure to mycotoxins. Summary- Overall, while the bedding is of good quality and provides adequate cow comfort, the stall design and lack of maintenance allows cows to crawl too far forward or sideways so as to soil their udders. It is recommended to repair the stalls and place a barrier to keep cows from getting too far forward. On the day of the evaluation, it was noted that very few of the stalls on the north side of the barn were being used and the majority of the cows were crowded into the south side of the barn where the stalls were in better repair. This suggests that the cows do not fully utilize the stalls on the north side due to comfort, mobility, or ventilation. Dry cow therapy is recommended. 17

18 D. DHI Records: 1) The 12 month average DHI herd SCC was 172,000 cells/ml which is about the state average. The percent of infected cows (linear score at or above 4) averaged 22%, which is the more critical goal than average SCC, and places this herd at the median (50% of herds in above and below) relative to 138 other Michigan herds. There has been a trend towards fewer infected cows (cows with a linear SCC score of 4 or greater; inverse of cows with a linear SCC score of 0-3 in figure below) in 2014 and 2015 (22.5%) relative to 2012 and 2013 (27%). Every infected cow (linear score of 4) is losing production and money every milking. 2) 8 cows are becoming chronic (with mastitis) each month The new infection rate (cows that increase to a linear score of 4 or greater) was 10.3% in November, 2015 and places this herd in the bottom 25% compared to 138 herds in Michigan. 60% of new infections become chronic (SCC 4 for a second consecutive month) in this herd. With 134 milking cows, this herd has about 14 new infections each month and 8 infections become chronic infections; chronic cows are more likely to have problems later in lactation, including clinical mastitis. The high new infection rate is in part, being compensated by the high proportion of cows that are milking with three quarters (10%), so as to maintain a herd SCC that is on par with peer herds 3) 17% of heifers start their lactation with a test date 1 SCC score of > 4.0 which is typical for most dairies. 4) Only 7% of second lactation cows start lactation with a first test date SCC score of 4.0. However, 33% of older cows (third or greater lactation) start 18

19 lactation with a first test date SCC score of > 4.0. This places this herd in the bottom 25% relative to 138 other herds. The new infection rate over the dry period is currently 27%. This is in the bottom 15% relative to other herds. Use of blanket dry cow therapy (treat all cows) and an internal teat sealant (Orbeseal) at dry off will reduce this infection rate. A cow that starts with a first test date score of 200,000 cell/ml is likely to lose 2,000 lbs of production during her lactation compared to non-infected cows. Also, 50% of clinical mastitis in the first 30 to 45 days after calving began as new infections during the dry period. Insure that you consistently clean teats before any infusions, including dry cow treatments. DHIA SCC distribution from 138 herds in Michigan and Midwest (your herd is compared with grey shading) % Cows with LSCC 4 % Cows with new infections % Infected Fresh cows % Dry Cows with new infections Bottom 25% Median Top 25% Top 10% ) Current production records indicate that peak milk averages 83 lbs for all lactations, 150 day milk is about 61 lbs, and milking cows are averaging 53.5 lbs/day (fat 3.8%, protein 3.3%). Rolling Herd Average (RHA) milk is currently 18,272 lbs which is 800 lbs higher than November, 2014, and 1,000 lbs higher 19

20 than May, However, this is still lower than the RHA for 2012 and the early half of ) Test day milk (milking cows) was about 54 lbs of milk/cow for the November, 2015 test date. Overall, test date milk was lower from 2013 through 2015, as compared to 2012 (64 lb average for year), although there has been an increase in 2015 (57 lb average for year). 7) Peak milk also was at a high point during much of 2012, declining by nearly 20% throughout late 2012 and nearly all of This milk production parameter has been steadily increasing for nearly two years and has nearly reached levels that were attained in early

21 8) Average Days in milk varied between 167 days and 222 days during the past 12 months with no trends over the time period. 9) Over the past four years, the numbers of cows in the herd has averaged about 160, except for the latter part of 2012 and early 2013 when the average was over 200 after a large number of heifers entered the herd as first lactation cows. 10) The rate of cows (percent of the herd) leaving the herd has not varied appreciably from 2012 through The monthly percent of cows leaving the herd was 3.8%, 5.2%, 4.7%, and 4.3% during 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015, respectively. 3.8% 5.2% 4.7% 4.3% 21

22 Number of Cows During the past 19 months (since April 2014) 116 cows have left the herd, of which 20 died, this is a replacement rate of about 46% of the cows per year, and a mortality rate of 8%. While there is a tendency for greater cow losses in the first three months of lactation, especially for cows that died, this is not as marked as often observed in other herds. The number of animals that left the herd (by lactation) during the past 19 months was: first lactation = 26, second lactation = 39, and third or greater lactation = 50. Cows Left Herd >12 Left Died Month of Lactation Summary- Overall indicators of milk production suggest that levels of production or the past four years (limits of DHIA records) were at their highest in 2012 and decreased markedly during 2013 and much of The trend for 2015 has been increasing although the RHA milk is still below 2012 levels. There was a slight increase in the proportion of the herd that was removed each month from 2012 to 2013, but no cause and effect can be discerned from these records. It should be noted that the size of the herd was at its maximum during this time period which may have contributed to housing or feeding challenges. 22

23 E. Comparisons to Peer Herds Dairy Metrics software (Dairy Records Management Systems-PCDart) was used to compare the Szymanski herd to peer herds in Michigan that were predominately Holstein and between 120 and 180 cows, which resulted in a peer group of 84 other herds (below). DairyMetrics Report for: JLC DAIRY FARM Last Test Date: 11/3/2015 Author: Mr. Ron Erskine Date of Report: Wednesday, November 25, 2015 DM Data Value Perc Number of Herds Average St Dev Minimum Maximum General Number of Cows-All Lact % Days in Milk % Cows Left Herd-All Lact % 49 87% Cows Died-All Lact % 8 71% Production Rolling Milk % Rolling Milk-Year Change % Rolling Fat 641 2% Rolling Protein % Daily Milk-Milk cows % Daily Milk-All Cows % Peak Milk 1st Lact 75 20% Peak Milk 2nd Lact 88 11% Peak Milk 3rd+ Lact 88 8% Udder Health SCC Actual % Cows (SCC of 0-3) % 74 33% Reproduction Dry Less Than 40 Days % 55 94% Dry More Than 70 Days % 23 80% The areas that the Szymanski herd is performing above their peers are shaded in green, below their peers in yellow. However, as this was a snapshot of the current test date (November, 2015), some of the parameters were also compared as a 12 month trend. 23

24 There was no difference in overall SCC trends between the Szymanski herd and peer herds (above). 24

25 The proportion of increase in the Szymanski herd was considerably higher than peer herds for Rolling Herd Average milk and peak milk for lactations 1 and 2 (below). This was not the case for peak milk for lactation 3 cows. This suggests that the Szymanski herd is improving in these areas at a greater rate than their peers and most of this improvement is in the younger animals. 25

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27 F. Other Observations Barn additions and use of sand was stated to be in place for more than 10 years, the original barn was built in Breeding was done by natural service with two bulls, thus increasing risk for disease transmission and stillborn calves, as well as limiting genetic improvement. Most critically, DHI records indicate that the majority of cows in the Szymanski herd have dry periods that are not in the desired range of 40 to 70 days, and after 2012, 67% to 80% of the cows had dry periods outside the desired range (see graph below), peer herds average 32%. Dry periods that are too short (under 40 days) or too long (greater than 70 days) increase the risk for decreased milk production in the following lactation and transition cow health problems. 27

28 SUMMARY 1) Mastitis and milk quality- Overall, the prevalence of mastitis in the herd has decreased slightly since 2012, based on a lower proportion of infected cows in the herd. This is consistent with trends for peer herds in Michigan. The herds owners stated that little has changed in terms of milking practices, facilities, or bedding except the realignment of the milk pipeline from a high line system to a low line system at the end of 2012, at which time two additional units were added to either side of the parlor (parlor converted from "double-6 to double-8 ). Based on current DHI records and the farm evaluation, there are some challenges with a high new infection rate in this herd relative to peer herds. In particular, the lack of dry cow therapy is resulting in a high proportion of cows that become high SCC cows over the dry period and into early lactation. Also, the dimensions of the freestalls in the barn are contributing to new infections from environmental contamination of the udders. This was supported by the high proportion of cows with soiled udders relative to peer herds. Conversely, the milking routine in the parlor is consistent and follows accepted best practices; additionally the personnel responsible for milking on the farm have remained unchanged for several years. Thus, milking protocols are not likely a major contributor to new mastitis infections. The milking equipment has adequate vacuum reserve but the pulsators are in need of service. Cows in the parlor displayed minimal aversive behavior or anxiety while milking, entering or exiting the parlor. Recommendations Use dry cow therapy Repair and remodel freestalls to meet standard dimensions Refurbish pulsators, lower system vacuum 2) Housing and Feeding- Herd owners stated that the housing and bedding has not changed for several years. The sand bedding is clean and dry, and cow comfort is good as measured by the proportion of cows that were using stalls and the lack of hygromas (swollen hocks) and lesions. Minimal lameness was observed. The major opportunity with housing is the maintenance and dimensions of the stalls. Currently, there are adequate stalls for the number of cows in the herd, however this could become a challenge for cow comfort if more cows were added to reach the full 200 cow capacity in the barn. This may explain, in part, why peak milk decreased in 2012 and 2013 which was also a time period of highest cow numbers in the herd. Water and bunk space were more than adequate for the number of cows in the herd and would probably also meet the needs for a larger herd size. Cows were observed to be calm while walking amongst them and no aversive behavior was observed while drinking water of eating. 28

29 Recommendations- Repair and remodel freestalls to meet standard dimensions Cover silage bunker to maintain top feed quality 3) Removed Cows As of the November, 2015 DHI test date, the proportion of removed cows (culled and died) in the Szymanski herd is higher than peer herds in Michigan. For the past 19 months, the overall herd removal rate was 47%. The average rate of cows that left the herd (culled and died) per month has been about the same from 2012 through 2015, with a modest increase from 2012 to A higher rate of mortality is seen in the Szymanski herd during early lactation, which is typical as compared to peer herds. 4) Production- From 2012 through 2015, RHA milk, peak milk, and daily milk per cow in the Szymanski herd were at their highest levels during 2012, then declined to their lowest levels at the end of 2013, or early During 2014 and 2015, these production parameters increased, particularly in the past 12 months. However, RHA milk remains about 1,000 lbs lower in 2015 than in Conversely, peer herds gained about 300 lbs of milk in RHA milk from 2012 to 2015 (see figure below). Similarly, peer herds gained 1 lb/day in daily milk from 2012 to 2015, whereas the Szymanski herd lost 7 lb/day. Thus, the Szymanski herd did not perform as well as peer herds in terms of milk production from 2012 to 2015, although increases in rolling herd milk and peak milk were better in 2015 in the Szymanski herd than peer herds, especially for younger (lactation 1 and 2) cows. Nonetheless, as of November, 2015, RHA milk is nearly 6,000 lbs lower and peak milk about 10 lbs lower in the Szymanski herd relative to peer herds. This deficit can be explained by several factors that are part of the Szymanski herd management. 29

30 Change in RHA milk for 84 peer herds; Sub-optimum milk production, as with any other problem in a dairy herd, is rarely attributable to one cause. Additionally, comparisons of management, facilities and other factors related to milk production could not be made between the peer herds and the Szymanski herd. However, there are several challenges in the Szymanski herd that probably contribute to decreased milk production relative to peer herds: 1) Natural service (bull breeding) often increases heat detection and conception rates for cows but decreases the rate of genetic improvement. Natural service also increases the risk of stillborn calves, calving difficulties, and transmission of infectious agents such as Bovine Leukemia Virus. Additionally, natural service decreases the reliability of calving dates, which results in a high proportion of cows with dry period that are too long or short (Szymanski herd had twice the rate as compared to peer herds) that further challenges milk production. 2) Single group feeding for cows decreases the ability to fully target feed consumption to production needs, 3) High proportion of cows with mastitis at first test date results in about a 2,000 lb loss in milk production by 305 days in lactation for these cows, and 4) Milking twice per day, which would result in about 10 to 15% lower milk production compared to herds that milk three times per day. It should be noted that all of these factors were in place on the Szymanski herd before 2012, and while associated with lower milk production, these issues cannot be taken as cause and effect for changes in production in the Szymanski herd from 2012 to 2015, or prior to Other factors such as variation in forage quality, weather stressors, infectious disease outbreaks, and 30

31 compliance of vaccination programs are all common and important factors that impact dairy herds but were not subject to review in this analysis. If careful review of temporal and electrical environment records indicate cow-contact voltages were of the magnitude to induce current exposure (>4 ma) that results in aversive behavior, stray voltage could be considered as an additional factor. Date of Report: November 30, 2015 Ronald J. Erskine, DVM, PhD 31