Assam ASSEB HSLC NSQF Agriculture Dairy Worker flashcards

38 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Zebu cattle characteristics

Bos indicus cattle have a hump over the withers, dewlap, drooping ears, heat tolerance and tick resistance. Assam local cattle are small, hardy, low-yielding zebu types used for milk, draft and manure.

Murrah buffalo identification

Murrah buffalo are black with tightly curled horns, a heavy body and high milk yield. Their milk fat is about 6–8%, and they are heat sensitive, needing shade and water.

Sahiwal breed traits

Sahiwal is a red-brown tropical dairy zebu with a loose skin, tick tolerance and milk fat commonly 4.5–6%. It performs well under heat and low-input smallholder conditions.

Jersey crossbred performance

Jersey × zebu crossbreds yield about 8–15 litres daily under good feeding, mature early and suit smallholder farms. They need cooling, concentrate feed and regular health care in humid climates.

Progeny testing of bulls

A dairy bull is evaluated by the average milk performance of his daughters compared with herd contemporaries. The proof is unreliable below about 10–15 daughters and needs records.

Grading-up crossbreeding

Grading-up mates successive female offspring to purebred exotic bulls. Exotic inheritance rises by half each generation, so the second cross is about 75% exotic, raising heat stress risk.

Dry matter intake rule

Dairy animals eat about 2.5–3% of body weight as dry matter daily. A 400 kg cow therefore consumes roughly 10–12 kg dry matter, split between roughage and concentrate.

Concentrate for milk production

Feed about 1 kg concentrate per 2.5–3 litres of milk above the first 5 litres. Adjust the allowance for milk fat, body condition and the quality of roughage offered.

Urea treatment of straw

Dissolve 4 kg urea in 100 litres water per 100 kg straw, seal for three weeks, then air before feeding. This raises crude protein and digestibility of dry roughage.

Mastitis detection

Use a strip cup at each milking to look for clots or flakes, and the California Mastitis Test for somatic cells. Treat with intramammary antibiotic and withhold milk per label.

Haemorrhagic septicaemia

This bacterial disease causes sudden death, high fever and throat swelling in cattle and buffalo. Vaccinate annually before the monsoon and report outbreaks to the veterinary officer.

Milk fever signs

Hypocalcaemia after calving causes recumbency, cold ears, muscle tremors and low temperature. Treat promptly with intravenous calcium borogluconate and keep the animal warm.

Full hand milking

Milk with the whole hand, squeezing the teat against the palm, not thumb and forefinger. Milk out each quarter completely to reduce mastitis and maintain yield.

Post-milking teat dip

Dip teats in an iodine-based disinfectant immediately after milking and keep cows standing for 30–60 minutes. This protects the open teat canal from bacterial entry.

Machine milking settings

Typical vacuum is 40–45 kPa with pulsation 50–60 cycles per minute at a 60:40 ratio. Check teat cup liners for cracks and finish milking within 6–8 minutes.

Milk specific gravity

Cow milk ranges 1.026–1.032 and buffalo milk 1.030–1.035. Adding water lowers specific gravity, so the test screens for adulteration at collection.

Methylene blue reduction test

This test measures bacterial load by dye decolourisation time. Above five hours is good, two to five hours is fair, and under two hours indicates poor quality milk.

Milk cooling after milking

Cool milk to 4°C within two hours of milking and hold it there until dispatch. Raw milk kept above 10°C supports rapid bacterial growth and spoilage.

Calving interval target

Aim for 12–13 months between calvings for dairy cows. Longer intervals reduce lifetime yield and profit, and usually indicate poor heat detection or nutrition.

Cost per litre calculation

Add feed, labour, medicine, AI and overhead costs for a month and divide by litres sold. Compare with the sale price to judge profitability of the dairy unit.

Culling decision rules

Consider culling for repeat breeding after three services, chronic mastitis, lameness, or low yield over two lactations. Replace with a home-bred heifer to maintain herd size.

Cattle floor space

Allow 4–5 square metres covered plus 8–10 square metres open area per crossbred cow; buffalo need slightly more. Calves require about 1.5–2 square metres each.

Animal register contents

Record unique ear tag number, breed, dam and sire, birth date, calving dates and health events. This register links breeding, milk and treatment records for selection decisions.

Oestrus cycle length

Cattle repeat heat every 18–24 days, averaging 21, and buffalo every 21–23 days. Buffalo often show silent heat, so use a teaser bull or heat detection aids.

Best time for AI

Inseminate about 12 hours after the start of standing heat in cattle, following the morning-evening rule. Late insemination reduces conception rate and lengthens calving interval.

Colostrum feeding rule

Feed the newborn 10% of body weight as colostrum within the first one to two hours. Colostrum supplies antibodies, energy and vitamins before gut closure.

Hybrid napier planting

Plant stem cuttings with two nodes at 60 × 45 cm spacing and take the first cut at 60–75 days. Later cuts follow every 45–60 days with irrigation and manure.

Azolla as feed

Azolla is a pond-grown fern with about 20–25% crude protein on a dry basis. Feed 1–2 kg fresh daily per cow and harvest as the mat doubles every 5–7 days.

Silage making steps

Chaff maize or sorghum to 2–3 cm at 65–70% moisture, pack tightly in a sealed pit, and ferment 45–60 days. Good silage has pH below 4.2 and a pleasant sour smell.

Zoonosis precautions

Brucellosis, tuberculosis, leptospirosis, anthrax and rabies can pass from animals to people. Wear gloves, boots and mask for calving, abortion handling and sick animal care.

Quarantine for new animals

Keep newly purchased animals separate for 30 days and observe for fever, lameness, abortion or coughing. Test for brucellosis and deworm before mixing with the herd.

Paneer yield and margin

About 1 kg paneer is obtained from 6–7 litres of milk. Converting surplus milk into paneer, curd or ghee raises margin and extends shelf life compared with raw milk sale.

Village dairy cooperative

A village society collects milk twice daily, tests fat, pays members on quality, and federates into a district union for processing and marketing. Members share profits as dividends.

Gerber fat test

Mix 10 ml sulphuric acid, 10.77 ml milk and 1 ml amyl alcohol in a butyrometer, centrifuge five minutes, then read the fat percentage directly from the scale.

Semen thawing for AI

Thaw the semen straw in water at 35–37°C for 30–40 seconds, dry it and load into a warm AI gun. Deposit in the body of the uterus and record the bull code.

Heat detection practical

Watch for standing to be mounted, clear mucus discharge, restlessness and reduced feed intake. Record the time and arrange insemination about 12 hours later.

Foot and mouth disease signs

Vesicles on the tongue, gums and hooves cause drooling, lameness and fever. It is notifiable; isolate animals, report to the veterinary officer and vaccinate twice yearly.

Bloat emergency care

A distended left flank with breathing difficulty signals rumen bloat. Give an anti-foaming agent, pass a stomach tube, and use a trocar only as a last resort.