Dairy Cattle. Bos taurus (Bovidae) Fast Facts:

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1 Dairy Cattle Bos taurus (Bovidae) Fast Facts: Number of growers: 496 Amount of Cattle produced in Washington State: 238,000 head in 2008 Economic impact in Washington State: $784 million Annual value of production per dairy farm: $1.58 million Washington State ranks 10 th in milk production in the U.S Milk is the 2 nd most valuable commodity in the state Description of crop: Dairy cattle are cattle raised for milk production (as distinguished from beef cattle). All seven of the major dairy cow breeds, Holsteins, Jerseys, Guernseys, Ayrshires, Brown Swiss, Milking Shorthorns and Dutch Belted, can be found in Washington. Holsteins are the most common breed, as is the case throughout the U.S. Modern Holsteins can produce more than 60 pounds of milk per day, and many farms report herd averages in excess of 20,000 pounds per lactation. Washington ranks 10 th in total milk production in the United States, Total milk production exceeded 5,531,000,000 pounds or more than 641,000,000 gallons in 2007, which is an increase of 1.2% over 2006 production levels The Holstein cow originated in Europe, The historical development of this breed occurred in what is now the Netherlands. The original stock was the black animals and white animals of the Batavians and Friesians, migrant European tribes who settled in the Rhine Delta region about 2,000 years ago. For many years, Holsteins were bred and strictly culled to obtain animals which would make best use of grass, the area's most abundant resource. The intermingling of these animals evolved into an efficient, high-producing black-and-white dairy cow. Average production for all Holsteins enrolled in official U.S. productiontesting programs in 1987 was 17,408 pounds of milk, 632 pounds of butterfat and 550 pounds of protein per year. There are 45 certified organic dairies operating in Washington. Six additional dairies are transitioning to organic status and 2 others have applied to begin the transition process (2008). There are a total of 14,241 organic dairy cows and replacement heifers, 2,183 transitional dairy cows representing 6% of the Washington dairy industry. Consumer demand for organic milk is relatively high in Washington compared with the rest of the nation. In Seattle, organic milk

2 represents 10.4% of all milk sales (#2 in the U.S.). In Spokane, organic milk represents 5.9% of all milk sales (#7 in the U.S.). Nationwide, organic milk constitutes about 3.7% of all milk sales (2008). Key pests: Insects are the main pest in cattle. These include the horn fly, face fly and cattle lice. Horn flies are blood sucking flies that spend their entire adult life on the back of the back of their host cattle. Weight lose, along with grazing disruption are common symptoms of uncontrolled Horn fly control. Face flies feed on the secretions of the eyes, nose, and mouth, which in turn may lead to infections from bacteria that may cause pink eye. Face flies may also annoy the animal, leading it to stop or reduce its feeding, which can lead to overall health and weight issues. Cattle lice infections commonly accrue over winter when the hair is longer creating a more advantageous environment. Due to the loss of blood, cattle gain less weight and produce less milk which affects how much the weaning cattle will weigh. Key pesticides: A majority of the pests in the dairy cattle industry are going to be controlled in the environment. Applications would be made to the areas that the livestock would be occupying, such as pens and places they bed. Surrounding areas also may have applications made to them. For example insecticides are going to be applied to an area where pests are likely to be breeding and developing such as manure piles. Pesticides you might use to control pests would be Permectrin, Permethrin, Amitraz. Contacting a dealer would be a good way to keep up with the changing regulations and products Critical pest control issues: A critical pest control issue is the small numbers of pesticides available for use that leave no pesticide residue in the milk being produced by the treated cow. Expert contacts: Dr Leonard Eldridge, DVM, State Veterinarian's Office WSDA PO Box Olympia, WA (360)

3 Head of Cattle Fax: (360) Location of production: 25 Washington state counties have dairy farms. Whatcom County has the most dairy farms. Yakima County has the most dairy cows. The other counties are Clallam, Clark, Grays Harbor, Jefferson, King, Lewis, Pacific, Skagit, Snohomish, Thurston, Wahkiakum, Spokane, Stevens, Adams, Franklin, Grant Head of Dairy Cattle in Washington State by County County

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