Dairy cattle production will be able to meet future increases in the requirements for animal protein in the human diet by means of increased efficiency of production, without an increase in cow numbers. Breeding, nutrition, production enhancers and automated milking will increase efficiency. It is also worth increasing the protein to fat ratio by breeding and nutritional methods. On a small scale, dairy cows may in future be used to produce human medicines in their milk.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
BichardM. (1991) Genetic improvement of livestock over the past 20 years. In: RossierE. (ed.), On the Eve of the 3rd Millennium. The European Challenge for Animal Production. EAAP Publication No. 48, Pudoc, Wageningen, pp. 9-22.
2.
BovenhuisH. (1992) The relevance of milk protein polymorphisms for dairy cattle breeding. Doctoral thesis, Wageningen Agricultural University.
3.
ButteryP.J. (1993) Growth promotion in animals, an overview. In: BentM. (ed.), Livestock Productivity Enhancers: An Economic Assessment. Wallingford: CAB International, pp. 7-23.
4.
CunninghamE.P. (1991) Progress in science and technology over the past 20 years. In: RossierE. (ed.), On the Eve of the 3rd millennium. The European Challenge for Animal Production. EAAP Publication No. 48, Pudoc, Wageningen, pp. 63-67.
5.
De BoerI. (1994) Use of clones in dairy cattle breeding. Doctoral thesis, Wageningen Agricultural University.
6.
De WitJ.OldenbroekJ.K.Van KeulenH. and ZwartD. (1994) Criteria for sustainable livestock production: a proposal for operationalization. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment (in press).
7.
DijkstraJ. (1993) Mathematic modelling and integration of rumen fermentation processes. Doctoral thesis, Wageningen Agricultural University.
8.
FAO (1992) In situ conservation of livestock and poultry. Animal Production and Health PaperNo. 99.FAO, Rome.
9.
GroenA.F. and VosH. (1993) Response on milk protein/fat ratio and correlated response on milk protein composition in a dairy cattle selection experiment. Journal of Dairy Science 76, Suppl. 1, 151.
10.
HaslerJ.F. (1991) Current status and potential of reproductive technology. Journal of Dairy Science74, Suppl. 1, 195.
11.
HillertonJ.E. and WinterA. (1992) The effects of frequent milking on udder physiology and health. In: IpemaA.H.LippusA.C.MetzJ.H.M. and RossingW. (eds), Prospects for Automatic Milking. EAAP publication No. 65, Pudoc, Wageningen, pp. 201-212.
12.
MetzJ.H.M. and IpemaA.H. (1993) Consequences of automatic milking for production, behaviour and health of cows. 44th EAAP, Aarhus, Denmark, 16-19August, pp. 482-483.
13.
MeuwissenT.H.E. (1990) Optimization of dairy cattle breeding plans with increased female reproduction rates. Doctoral thesis, Wageningen Agricultural University.
14.
MeuwissenT.H.E. and Van der WerfJ.H.J. (1993) Impact of heterogeneous within herd variances on dairy cattle breeding schemes: a simulation study. Livestock Production Science, 31-41.
15.
MattassinoD.ZucchiG. and di BerardinoD. (1991) Management of consumption demand, supply and exchanges. In: RossierE. (ed.), On the Eve of the 3rd Millennium. The European Challenge for Animal Production. EAAP Publication No. 48, Pudoc, Wageningen, pp. 105-126.
16.
NicholasF.W. (1979) The genetic implications of multiple ovulation and embryo transfer in small dairy herds. 30th EAAP, Harrogate, UK, 23-26July.
17.
NicholasF.W. and SmithC. (1983) Increased rates of genetic change in dairy cattle by embryo transfer and splitting. Animal Production36, 341–353.
18.
OldenbroekJ.K. (1988) Feed intake and energy utilization in dairy cows of different breeds. Doctoral thesis, Wageningen Agricultural University.
19.
OldenbroekJ.K. and BrascampE.W. (1994) Breeding goals for milk composition. 5th World Congress on Genetics Applied to Livestock Production, Guelph, Ontario, 8-12August(in press).
20.
OldenbroekJ.K. and GarssenJ.G. (1992) Somatotropins in animal production. In: Open University and Thames Polytechnic (eds), Biotechnogical Innovations in Animal Productivity. Butterworth-Heinemann, pp. 79-104.
21.
OldenbroekJ.K. and Van der WerfJ.H.J. (1994) Effect of milk production on efficiency and metabolic parameters of lactating dairy heifers. Contribution to ADSA/ASAS Joint Annual MeetingJuly11-15, 1994. Minneapolis, MN (in press).
22.
OldenbroekJ.K.BoudelingP. and BekmanH. (1991) Optimizing milk and beef production using embryotechnology and crossbreeding between specialized dairy and beef breeds. 42nd EAAP, Berlin, Germany, 8-12September, pp. 188-189.
23.
OrdolffD. (1993) State of the art and future development of automatic milking systems. 44th EAAP, Arhus, Denmark, 16-19August, pp. 480-481.
24.
PtakE. and SchaefferL.R. (1993) Use of test day yields for genetic evaluation of dairy sires and cows. Livestock Production Science34, 23–34.
25.
PurselV.G. and RexroadC.E. (1993) Status of research with transgenic farm animals. Journal of Animal Science 71 (Suppl. 3), 10-19.
26.
ShindeY. (1992) Role of milking in the maintenance of lactation in dairy animals. In: IpemaA.H., LippusA.C., MetzJ.H.M. and RossingW. (eds), Prospects for Automatic Milking. EAAP Publication No. 65, Pudoc, Wageningen, pp. 213–218.
27.
SniffenC.J.BeverlyR.W.MooneyC.S.RoeM.B.SkidmoreA.L. and BlackJ.R. (1993) Nutrient requirements versus supply in the dairy cow: strategies to account for variability. Journal of Dairy Science76, 3160–3178.
28.
TammingaS. (1992) Nutrition management of dairy cows as a contribution to pollution control. Journal of Dairy Science75, 345–357.
29.
Van der SchansA. (1993) More calves from high merit cows using new reproduction technologies. In: VuijkD.H.DekkersJ.J. and Van der PlasH.C.(eds), Developing Agricultural Biotechnology in the Netherlands. Pudoc, Wageningen, pp. 127-131.
30.
VanRadenP.M. (1990) Potential improvements in animal model evaluation systems. Proceedings of 4th World Congress on Genetics Applied to Livestock Production, Edinburgh, 23-27July, pp. 357-363.
31.
WelperR.D. and FreemanA.E. (1992) Genetic parameters for yield traits of Holsteins, including lactose and somatic cell score. Journal of Dairy Science75, 1342–1348.
