Among the many key aspects of milk production, one of them is the existence of efficient protocols when it comes to repetitive work on the farm. Here are a few simple yet clever innovations by Chinese farmers, implemented in dairy farms, briefly described by DairyGlobal.

Birth weight

One of the most important things is being able to accurately monitor the growth of calves, especially in the early months. To do this, farmers need to record the weight of the calf at birth and again at weaning to calculate growth and make necessary adjustments if the growth is not correct.

The weighing process can be done in different ways, but here's a simple and smart solution from a dairy farm in China. The farmer uses a plastic barrel that is cut in half and fixed on a sack stand. The newborn calf is placed in the barrel, and then the caretaker simply leads the calf to the weighing station and weighs the entire unit, including the calf, on the scale.

Afterward, the calf is taken back to the pen, and the barrel is washed and disinfected. This is a convenient and fast method that greatly improves the efficiency of weighing calves.

Weighing heifers

In the later stages of life, heifers need to be weighed again, as mentioned earlier, at weaning and later on. Many farmers do this every 3-4 months.

In larger farms in China, where there are thousands of heifers, not all heifers are weighed, but usually a number of heifers are randomly selected for weighing and proper monitoring of their growth to increase the likelihood of them maturing enough to give birth at 22 months or 23 months of age.

To solve this problem, farmers have built a simple mobile weighing unit, which can be very useful. This mobile scale, built on an electronic weighing platform, is not only practical to use but also has a simple measurement profile, allowing the farmer to record the height of his heifers as well.

Moving calves

Regularly moving small calves from one place to another can be challenging. However, a simple box with wheels that can move in all directions can be helpful. The calves are simply put in the box, and the unit is pushed to where the farmer wants to place the calves. This method also allows the farmer to move multiple calves at once.

Keeping unwanted animals at bay

The creative device is essentially a noise generator that can be set to turn off at a certain time of day. This unit sounds an alarm that imitates various animals. What is it used for exactly?

A farmer had issues with birds coming to his feed storage, eating corn, and contaminating the stock with bird droppings. Birds are usually not a problem when people are present, but without anyone there, the facility is open and easily accessible to birds.

This simple device solved that problem and can be used against other animals as well, not just birds.

Smart cooling

During the hotter summer months, water usage dramatically increases on many dairy farms. Not only do animals drink more water, but more water is also used for cooling cows. Farmers worldwide need to use water in an intelligent way to help the environment. A simple yet smart solution to reduce water consumption can be adopted.

At one farm, a watering system was installed in the return alley for cows leaving the milking parlor. However, instead of the system running throughout the entire milking process, it has a motion sensor connected to an electronic valve. When a cow leaves the parlor, the system starts automatically and stops when the last cow has left the return alley. It is a relatively simple yet intelligent system!

Tips and tricks for proper ventilation

Good ventilation with sufficient capacity and air velocity is very important to prevent heat stress in broilers. Gerwin Bouwhuis, avian veterinarian and owner of the Bird Health Center (GvP), shares his tips and tricks.

"Compared to 20 years ago, broiler farms are much better equipped and prepared to prevent heat stress," says Gerwin Bouwhuis, poultry veterinarian and owner of the Poultry Health Center (GvP) in Emmen, Lower Countries.

A few decades ago, the maximum ventilation capacity designed in poultry houses was much lower. Around the turn of the century, the standard was 3.6 cubic meters per hour per kilogram of body weight. In houses built after 2000, the maximum ventilation capacity varies from 4.5 to 7 cubic meters per hour per kilogram of body weight.

Especially for broiler farmers with fast-growing birds, it is important to be prepared for high outside temperatures. "Especially in spring, temperatures can rise rapidly from one day to the next. For the farmer, it's all about response time to quickly change ventilation settings. It is important to realize that heat stress can already set in chicks from 20 days of age at a relatively low stocking density," says Bouwhuis.

Using the wind

Sufficient and good ventilation are of the utmost importance to ensure a pleasant indoor climate on hot summer days. "With near-tropical ambient temperatures, this is essential to ensure maximum ventilation. You can create a so-called wind chill effect with additional fans in the house. The faster the air speed, the colder it feels.

The perceived temperature drops, which will make the chicks more comfortable. Long, narrow house designs do particularly well in creating high air velocity through tunnel ventilation," says Bouwhuis, who recommends increasing ventilation in good time.

A hot house is hard to cool, so start cooling the air before the high temperature reaches the interior. In some critical cases, it is useful to turn on the heater fans for additional air movement. At GvP they warn farmers about "dead spots" in the barn.

If possible, place additional fans in the house to create airflow through these dead spots. For houses that are equipped with spray cooling, there is an additional point of attention. In some cases, when the humidity is low, the maximum ventilation must be limited to ensure that the cooling effect of the mist installation works optimally.

Short ventilation strip

In the summer months, a short P-band of 3C is recommended so that the maximum ventilation becomes early. Bouwhuis advises chicken farmers to maintain a short bandwidth (P-band) for ventilation in the summer months.

The P band implies the temperature difference between the minimum and maximum ventilation level. "In the summer months, a short P-band of 3 C is recommended so that maximum ventilation occurs early," says Bouwhuis.

An example: if the shelter temperature is set to 24 C, the ventilation will operate at the minimum setting at a house temperature of 24 C (or lower). With a P-band of 6 C, maximum ventilation is only reached at 30 C. With a P-band of 3 C, this already happens at a house temperature of 27 C.

It is essential that the incoming air actually moves at the level of the animal. "Make sure there is enough negative pressure, depending on the height of the inlet valves in the wall. If this is not adjusted properly, the incoming air immediately rises, leading to insufficient air movement between the chickens,” says Bouwhuis.

A smoke test and temperature probe at the level of the chicken will show if the air is moving as it should. In houses with longitudinal ventilation, it is important to ensure that cold air is not drawn over the chickens in the evening and at night.

Modern home computers will determine the P-band themselves based on the outside temperature. Therefore, an investment in state-of-the-art equipment will pay for itself, especially during critical temperatures and temperature changes.