"Oz" wrote in message
...
Mike Randall writes
This may be a stupid question, however, if anyone knows the answer,
please indulge me.

What is the average daily output of a dairy cow (in gallons)? I
realize there are many factors involve. I'm just looking for a rough
estimate.

For a UK cow calving mid jan (in the '60's) this is the typical
production at month end. Animal milks for 305 days and dry for 60 days.

Lits US gall Lits US gall Lits US gall
Jan 17.7 4.7 26.5 7.0 35.4 9.3
Feb 19.9 5.2 29.8 7.9 39.7 10.5
Mar 19.9 5.3 29.8 7.9 39.8 10.5
Apr 21.4 5.7 32.1 8.5 42.8 11.3
May 20.7 5.5 31.0 8.2 41.4 10.9
Jun 18.3 4.8 27.4 7.2 36.6 9.7
Jul 16.0 4.2 24.0 6.3 31.9 8.4
Aug 13.8 3.6 20.6 5.5 27.5 7.3
Sep 11.9 3.1 17.8 4.7 23.7 6.3
Oct 9.9 2.6 14.9 3.9 19.9 5.3
Nov 8.3 2.2 12.5 3.3 16.7 4.4
Dec 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

TOTAL 5000 1321.0 7500.0 1981.5 10000.0 2642.0


Here is a little deeper look into the factors that go in the ammout of milk
a dairy cow produces. Things such as lactaion period 10 month vs 15/16
months, harmone treatment, milking 2,3 & 4 times a day breed differces and
using non protien feed sorces for protien.

http://www.vth.vt.edu/intranet/clinnutrition/level1.asp
http://www.wdmc.org/ExtendedCalving.pdf
http://ag.arizona.edu/arec/pubs/rmg/...0%20managenutr
itionalchall01.pdf
http://www.israel-embassy.org.uk/web/pages/pap_cal1.htm
http://www.ces.uga.edu/pubcd/B816-w.htm
http://www.condesan.org/memoria/BOL0198.PDF
http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/ansi/dairycon/99WDMC_F.pdf

If you look had enough you will find cattle that have been fed on notheing
but waste. It is seldom practical but some unconventionaly practiecs such as
milking 3 times a day and replacing some of the protien reqiurment wiht urea
when the price is right for urea can make a good deal of difference in the
bottom line.

I have seen men grow rich in hte dairy business while their neighor went
borke on a simular operation down the road simply because he was a better
manager. Dairy probaly pays the best returns to good mangment of any
conventional agricultral enterprise.

Oz has his hands tied on using may of the methods in that list some by law
and some by the cost of labor. He can't get migrant worker of questionable
orginan that do good work for a reaonble pirce like the US Dairman can so
milking 3 or 4 times a day will probably not be cost effective for him. I
know he can't use haromoes and I expect that 15 or 16 month lactations would
get him in dutch wiht the animal rights folks. Some how I think the the Eu
would find something wrong with feeding urea as well.

Using those methods if you are a good enough mager to make them work will
let you make as much milk wiht 35 or 36 cows as you could with 40 milking
twice a day and milking for 10 months with no harmones. It does take a much
higer level of magment and attention to you cows to keep a top producting
herd.


Gordon Couger
Stillwater, OK
www.couger.com/gcouger