Approximately 20% of the milk within the udder of a cow is stored in the cistern and immediately available for milk removal, while activation of the milk ejection reflex is required for removing the remaining milk stored in the alveolar compartment. The aim of this literature review is to describe, evaluate and consider implications of the three different suckling activities that the calf displays during a suckling bout. In terms of milking, these phases are represented by pre-stimulation, stimulation during milking and post-stimulation. Pre-stimulation is commonly performed in order to induce the milk ejection reflex, whereby the hormone oxytocin is released and the alveoli in the secretory tissue are contracted. Time requirements regarding pre-stimulation must be considered in relation to lactation stage and milking interval.

Ravelsmarks gård have now reached the stage when there are few options for the future. The options are either a construction of completely new farm buildings or a winding up of the milk production. Present on the farm today there is 65 dairy cows plus recruitment. 44 cows stand in long-stalls and 20 cows stand in short-stalls. The objective of this study was to examine the profitability of a completely new cowshed. In order to get costs for investments different milking systems and equipment for feedstuff have been compared. The systems in the investment budget have been chosen on recommendations from advisers, salesmen and on the basis on what is suitable for the farm. One system where a so-called mix feeder wagon is used for the roughage seemed to be best suited for Ravelsmark. The different prices obtained for the manure well show that there are possibilities to decrease the investment costs.

Automatic milking systems (AMS) provide the opportunity for less manual labour and an increased milking frequency. But in order to reach an optimal milking frequency a well-functioning cow traffic is crucial. There are many factors affecting cow traffic but one factor that has not been studied thoroughly yet is the effect of different light intensities during the night, 22.00 h to 05.00 h. Therefore the aim of this study was to determine the effect of different light intensities during the night on number of selection gate passages (GP), milking frequency and milk yield. The study was conducted as a Latin square were three light intensities were applied: LOW (11 ± 3 lux), INT (33 ± 1 lux) and HIGH (74 ± 6 lux), in three different herds.

In modern dairy production, the newborn calf generally is separated from its mother and put in a single pen for some time before it is introduced to group housing. Group housing is becoming more and more common because it saves the farmer a lot of valuable time. Even thought group housing has a lot of benefits it is often associated with a higher morbidity and mortality in the young calves. Therefore, knowing the optimal way to use the group pen lies in many farmers? interests and the importance of different factors such as the optimal age of introduction is important to evaluate. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of age at introduction to group housing on the health of the calves in the group pen.

Med dagens växande besättningar är det svårare att upptäcka brunst hos mjölkkor genom visuell observation. Detta leder till ekonomiska förluster, minskat genetiskt framsteg, högre inkalvningsålder och längre kalvningsintervall. För att underlätta brunstregistrering i besättningarna finns olika automatiska registreringar som kan upptäcka fysiologiska eller beteendemässiga förändringar som framträder hos kon vid brunst. Denna litteraturstudie sammanställer tre olika principer för brunstdetektering; visuell brunstdetektering, stegräknare och bestigningsdetektor, som kan vara antingen elektronisk eller manuell. Resultatet visar att stegräknare är den metod som upptäcker flest brunstperioder medan visuell observation ger minst felaktigt detekterade brunstperioder.

The probiotic bacteria Lactobacillus reuteri DSM17938 was evaluated as a starter culture in cheese production, with the intention to produce a new interesting product within the functional food market. Growth and acidification rate in milk subjected to different heat treatments, as well as supplementation with growth promoting factors or support cultures was measured during controlled fermentations. The results showed that the weak proteolytic activity of L. reuteri could be compensated for by supplementation with 1% casamino acids or 5% MRS broth. Furthermore, a decrease in growth and acidification rate could be seen when using yoghurt culture or Lactobacillus delbrueckii as adjunct cultures.

The aim for this study was to investigate if it is less stressful for cow and calves in loose housing systems when separation is made so they can see and touch each other (Physical Contact-PC) instead of just hearing each other (Hearing Contact-HC). The behavior of eight cow- calf pairs (n=4 pairs per treatment) on an ecological dairy farm with cubicle housing were studied for four hours directly after separation and four hours the day after separation. The first four cows that gave birth were used for treatment PC, and the following four cows that gave birth were used for treatment HC. The only selection criteria used was that both cow and calf were healthy. Separation took place 3-4 days after birth and the calves were put separately in two different pens while the mothers were let loose into the cubicle system.

In this essay I have summarized important factors for an effective, but also successful, way to raise and house heifers. This study can be used for other dairy farms to use as guidelines in their process to raise heifers. To let outside heifer growers house, feed and have the heifers pregnant before return, can save a lot of work. But also moneywise, when the care and individual programs makes them strong and increases the growth.The result is a faster breeding and an earlier time for their first calving.In Sweden the heifers tend to be older if you compare with Denmark or United States where the custom heifer raising is well known and growing. One reason can be the Swedish laws regarding outside grassing for all cows during the summer months.

Protecting the environment has with time grown to take a more central role in the society. Agriculture plays an important role in the society since this sector produces our food. More thorough research on how agriculture affects the environment is therefore motivated. This research can be used to improve the agricultural practice from an environmental point of view. This is something that both the farmers and the consumers can profit from. This study aims to form the basis for creating environmental indicators for use of nitrogen and energy on dairy farms. Twenty-three farmers in western Sweden have been interviewed about their farms, both organic and conventional. They produce milk with different intensity, defined as the amount of milk delivered (sold) per hectare of arable land.

In a time where information overload is a fact, well formulated messages is required and communication is a big contributing element for building strong brands. In the north of Sweden, Norrmejerier is one of the big actors with dominance on the dairy factor market. Through making milk products that lands in the consumers refridgerators, they are not only working for economical interest but also for improving the nature of the north of Sweden. Through visual communication, Norrmejerier shows the consumers a beneficial view of the north of Sweden which corresponds to the populations own impression of their part of the country. This contributes to a feeling of belonging that makes strong and loyal consuments. The feeling of belonging is also reflected in Norrmejeriers commercial movies, that uses the consumers conscience to make costumers. By two group interviews and a semiotic analysis of Norrmejeriers commercial movies, this study aims to examine how Norrmejerier uses qualities of the north of Sweden when building their brand.

SAMMANFATTNINGMastit är den vanligaste och mest kostsamma sjukdomen hos mjölkkor. Enligt statistik från Svensk Mjölk har cirka 65 % av alla kor i Sverige mastit någon gång under en laktation. Subklinisk (utan märkbara symtom) mastit utgör det största problemet. De är svåra att upptäcka då även mjölken ser normal ut, vilket resulterar i att den hamnar i tanken och levereras till mejeriet. Mjölk från kor med mastit har ett ökat celltal samt försämrad kvalitet och sammansättning vilket i slutändan medför sämre betalt för lantbrukaren.

In order to investigate if the KRAV-regulations have any effects on the health and welfare of calves, KRAV-affiliated farms were compared to conventional farms with respect to calf management and outcome. The dairy calf has had a low economical impact during history. Even today the value of the calf is low and a lot of calves have a poor health status. The calf breeding is built on tradition and on the fact, that cheap antibiotics have made it possible to ignore, the recommendations about good hygiene in the calf?s environment.

Småskalig mjölkproduktion är ett system som främjar regelbundna inkomster och spelar en viktig roll för att minska fattigdomen, ger anställningsmöjligheter och skapar välfärd samt säkrar en näringsrik livsmedelsförsörjning. Det finns cirka 2500 småskaliga mjölkbönder i Zambia men deras kunskap om bra mjölkningsrutiner och hygien är ofta dåliga. Bra skötselrutiner och mjölkningshygien är viktigt för att uppnå en god juverhälsa och mjölkproduktion, och för att inte förorena mjölken. Subklinisk mastit är en vanlig sjukdom bland mjölkkor, som medför förändrad sammansättning av mjölken och minskad mjölkproduktion vilket orsakar stora ekonomiska förluster. Syftet med denna studie var att undersöka skötselrutinerna, med fokus på mjölkningen, hos småskaliga mjölkbönder i tre olika områden i södra Zambia samt att undersöka om det fanns något samband mellan skötselfaktorerna och juverhälsan (subklinisk mastit).

The objective of this thesis was to get more knowledge about how to design a dairy farm reducing the working hours and the work tasks whit high work load. I will try to reduce the working hours and the tasks whit high work load on my own farm witch I am about inherit. Today, the old stanchion barn has room for about 60 cows and 74 young cattle and need two men to run it every day. The total acre is 188 hectare, 100 hectare forest, 65 hectare farmlands and 23 hectare natural pasture. I have studied two solutions. In the first solution, I will use my old barn for young cattle and build a new barn for the cows.

Detta arbete är en litteraturstudie som handlar om hur deltidsbete påverkar mjölkkors avkastning, foderintag och välfärd. I Sverige har vi beteskrav till skillnad från många andra länder i världen. Detta skapar problem då besättningstorlekarna ökar och det blir svårare att få marker i närheten av gården att räcka till alla kor. Det största problemet med mjölkkor på bete är dock att högavkastande kor inte producerar lika mycket på bete som inne på stall. Det är därför viktigt att finna ett sätt att lösa problemen som både gynnar kon och bonden.