List of books available to order from DPSL

The books listed below offer information about dairy cow health and welfare, including nutrition, rations and forage, fertility, calving, hoof care and tips on how to recognise cow signs. There are also books that discuss pasture care and crops for feeding stock. The books may be ordered from DPSL on the Book Order Form, which you will find on the Products and Aids page.

Cow Signals by Jan Hulsen

$80.00 incl GST + Postage (prices are subject to change)

Cows send out signals continuously about their health, well-being, nutrition and production. The difficulty for every dairy farmer is how to interpret these signals and use them. When observing cows it is important not to jump to conclusions; instead, always ask yourself three questions: What am I seeing? Why has this happened? What does this mean? For example, a lump on a cow’s shoulder says something about the feed barrier, while a cow standing in its cubicle is a sign of mediocre cubicle discomfort. Armed with information like this, you can take appropriate remedial action. If you know what to look for, you can pick up the signals.

Robotic Milking by Jan Hulsen and Jack Rodenburg

$95.00 incl GST + Postage (prices are subject to change)

The success of robotic milking depends upon the housing, feed, care and handling of the cows in the barn. The farmer relies heavily on information that is provided by the computer. Because the cows must be super-healthy and stay super-healthy, the technical apparatus must continue to work perfectly, so prevention and thinking ahead are crucial. “Good enough” does not work; only “excellent” is acceptable. The farmer who uses a robotic milker successfully is a manager who knows how to distinguish important issues from subsidiary ones. He focuses primarily on the cows, thinks in terms of processes and can work well with management information. Robotic Milking is full of practical information, management information and ideas.

Udder Health by Jan Hulsen and Theo Lam

$80.00 incl GST + Postage (prices are subject to change)

Do you know how to organise milking so that it takes the minimum time and runs smoothly for each cow? Do you know how to treat a cow with udder problems? Or how to overcome a cell count problem? With a structured approach, a dairy farmer can achieve and maintain first-rate udder health. This guide shows you, the farmer, how to make udder health part of everyday farm management. Its practical text, problem-solving flowcharts, clear photos and illustrations make Udder Health an accessible and useful guide for every dairy farmer.

Fertility by Jan Hulsen

$90.00 incl GST + Postage (prices are subject to change)

Getting cows into calf may seem easy enough, but fertility is a problem for many dairy farms. Important issues include nutrition and the health of the cows with respect to calving and the first month of lactation. Managing these successfully is the most important challenge in breeding for every dairy farmer. Getting cows into calf, usually by insemination, is a meticulous job that requires commitment, care and professional skill. Fortunately, professional skill can be taught. This guide offers a sound approach to fertility on your dairy farm.

From Calf to Heifer by Jan Hulsen and Berrie Klein Swarmink

$80.00 incl GST + Postage (prices are subject to change)

Rearing calves into heifers is a major investment in terms of money and labour. Your duel aims are to turn your heifer into a strong, productive dairy cow and to use labour, housing and feed efficiently. If you achieve these aims, you will cut the costs of rearing per kilogram of milk. This guide covers the basics of successful rearing, shows you how to control risks and helps you to structure your work so that each calf automatically receives the best treatment. It contains many sensible tips on how to improve the rearing of calves and yearlings. You will turn to this guide time and again for its practical information: after all, your young stock are your future!

Hooves by Jan Hulsen

$72.00 incl GST + Postage (prices are subject to change)

Lame cows are a sign that preventive hoof care can be improved. Good hoof management saves you time and money and spares the cow discomfort. This guide offers practical help in achieving good hoof health for your animals. Hoof disorders result in cows suffering from pain, insufficient rest, inadequate intake of feed and water and an increased susceptibility to many other disorders. Hooves will teach you how to minimize the risks before the first symptoms occur and to respond effectively to the first signs of hoof problems.

Hoof Signals by Jan Hulsen

$ 95.00 incl GST + Postage (prices are subject to change)

Our cows’ hooves frequently cause health problems, and cows that become lame, however slightly, will eat, drink and lie down less. They will therefore produce less milk and it will be more difficult to get them in calf. This is why it is important for every livestock farmer to consider the health of his cows’ hooves in terms of the design and construction of paths and barns, in order to keep their hooves clean and dry, and in terms of daily tasks such as feeding, moving and treating the animals. A good manager focuses on prevention by getting hoof health under control with the help of specialist vets, hoof trimmers and feed advisors, so his time is not constantly taken up in treating lame cows. He thinks ahead! Hoof Signals provides practical knowledge with easily understandable descriptions, clear drawings and lots of photographs.

Weather & Crop Protection by Erno Bouma

$80.00 incl GST + Postage (prices are subject to change)

The weather has a great influence on crop protection. It affects the development of diseases and pests, the application and effectiveness of products, and the protection of plants and harvested crops. These relationships are explained clearly in the practical guide, Weather & Crop Protection. After reading this guide, you will understand the influence of weather on diseases, pests and their control. You will be able to take preventive action and, by responding quickly to the first signs of disease, achieve the best possible results for your crop, your wallet and the environment.

Grassland Signals by Berrie Klein Swarmink, Nick van Eekeren, Bert Philipsen

$80.00 incl GST + Postage (prices are subject to change)

For many dairy farmers, grasslands are their prominent feed supply. However, there are different types of grassland, and sometimes the neighbour’s grass is actually greener. The production and quality of crops vary markedly. What causes these differences? Grassland Signals is an unparalleled practical guide that supports farmers in making better use of their grassland. The book poses three basic questions: What am I seeing? What does this mean? What should I do? Plants often function as an indicator: the presence of much annual meadow grass may be an indication of excessively grazed pasture. Grassland Signals provides new insights that can improve the growth and quality of your grass, allowing for greater returns from grasslands.

Feeding the Dairy Cow by AT Chamberlain and JM Wilkinson

$100.00 incl GST + Postage (prices are subject to change)

Feeding the Dairy Cow is a comprehensive guide for farmers and advisers who wish to become more adept at solving nutritional problems and devising improved diets for efficient milk production. The book is designed to establish a thorough working knowledge of dairy cow nutrition and diet formulation on farms. Specially devised tables, a computer program, worked examples and exercises are provided to help the reader understand feeding systems and to facilitate rapid problem-solving.

Building for the cow by Jan Hulsen

$95.00 incl GST + Postage (prices are subject to change)

The dairy industry is busy making up lost ground: many worn, inadequate sheds from the 70s and 80s are being replaced on a large scale by new ones. The average farm size of 70 cows is expected to more than double over the next ten years. Many farmers who want to expand are still planning on the basis of their trusty one-man-farm, however, which can be an obstacle to a good larger shed design. Farmers and their advisers will have to think carefully in order to arrive at an adequate and affordable shed design; given the average useful life of 25 years, a good shed design is valuable to the farmer. Building for the cow uses a structured, detailed step-by-step plan to describe all the important aspects of shed design. The book describes factors to take into account when designing and building a new shed, or adapting and extending an existing shed, not forgetting the financial and commercial aspects. Emphasis is on the four cornerstones of good shed design: comfortable for the cow, workable for the farmer, extendable and simple, flexible and durable. Building for the cow is an excellent tool in farm management.

Prospects for bedded pack barns for Dairy Cattle

$80.00 incl GST + Postage (prices are subject to change)

What do cows, dairy farmers and society want? This question formed the background to the study carried out by Wageningen UR Livestock Research into alternatives to the traditional cubicle-based housing. Recently, due to animal welfare considerations, there has been a greater focus on providing cows with more space and reducing the amount of concrete and ironwork in their housing. The bedded pack barn offers the opportunity to achieve this on the condition that the requirements for a hygienic and dry top layer (on the ground or floor) are complied with. Prospects for bedded pack barns for dairy cattle clearly and concisely describes the perspective offered to dairy farmers by bedded pack barns.

Cow Signals Checkbook by Jan Hulsen

$150 incl GST + Postage (prices are subject to change)

The Cow Signals Checkbook is a collection of the 54 most important checklists, score cards and instruction cards designed to help dairy farmers manage their day-to-day operations. These cards cover all aspects of cow husbandry. This check book is part of the successful Cow Signals series. As the cards are designed to be used separately, it is not a book in the usual sense of the word, but a source of information for you to dip into when you need it. By working with the Cow Signals Checkbook, you can improve the health, production and welfare of your cows. And improve your financial results.

Dry period, special needs cows and treatments by Jan Hulsen

$95 incl GST + Postage (prices are subject to change)

Dry period, special needs cows and treatments brings together practical information about the most important period in the dairy cow’s lactation cycle, the group of cows that requires most of the farmer’s attention and the tasks that have the greatest impact on cow health, welfare, and production. Eighty per cent of your herd-handling time goes on twenty per cent of your herd. This twenty per cent consists of special needs cows – dry cows, new heifers, newly calved cows, lame cows, weak cows and sick cows. Planning this work efficiently saves a lot of time and trouble. Dry period, special needs cows and treatments explains how to organise and implement actions and treatments so that your cows have a healthy and problem-free dry period, calving, and start of lactation.

The following books are available to order through DPSL – they are not currently in stock, but price and availability can be obtained if you are interested.

Successful Feeding Systems for Dairy by Mike Hutjens

$40 incl GST + Postage (prices are subject to change)

Successful Feeding Systems for Dairy examines all types of feeding systems, from grain feeding to TMRs, including grain-feeding systems such as electronic computer-controlled feeders. The book indicates the best options for different herd sizes and economics. It also discusses feed storage and feed bunk management. The latter part of Successful Feeding Systems for Dairy covers TMRs for growing heifers, pasture-based feeding systems, the importance of water as part of the ration, and rations for particular applications.

University of Illinois Dairy Nutrition CD & Feeding Guide Book

$TBA

Dairy Nutrition CD from the University of Illinois online course, along with the 2008 Hoard’s Feeding Guide.

Useful for feed nutritionists, veterinarians, students and dairy farmers, the modules are 10 to 15 minutes in length, and users can go on to register for the online class and obtain credits, if desired. The CD includes 67 modules, totalling almost 14 hours on ration formulation; energy and protein considerations; transition feeding and health; minerals, vitamins and additives; feeding forages; phase feeding; and feeding systems. It now includes material on rumensin and feed efficiency.

Directory of Feeds and Feed Ingredients by Charles A Macgregor

$40 incl GST + Postage (prices are subject to change)

This is the revised and expanded third edition of the Directory of Feeds and Feed Ingredients. With a comprehensive index, its 95 pages list over 150 feeds, with feeding guidelines and composition for as-fed/dry matter-based feeds. You should find this book a useful reference when you are purchasing dairy stock feeds.

Feeding Guide Book by Mike Hutjens

$60 incl GST + Postage (prices are subject to change)

This Feeding Guide looks at the cow’s nutritional needs in terms of its physiology, and discusses how to optimise the cow’s dry matter intake. Feeding during the gestation and lactation cycle is looked at in detail, as is general ration formulation. There is a useful section on purchasing and valuing feed and one on special feeding challenges encountered on dairy farms.

Forage Management for Dairy by Mike Hutjens

$50 incl GST + Postage (prices are subject to change)

Forage is the backbone of the dairy ration; this book, Forage Management for Dairy, offers feeding strategies to maximize value while saving you money.

Forage test values are crucial, so the book explains how you can make these meaningful in terms of feed management. It also outlines how you can plan to manage risks and weather challenges so that you can maintain the quality of your feed. It suggests practical feed storage strategies and ways in which you can feed forage to your dairy stock with minimum waste.

Horse Signals Look-Think-Act by Menke Steenbergen & Jan Hulsen

$110 incl GST + Postage (prices are subject to change)

Horses send out useful information every moment of the day. Are you receiving it?
Horses send out signals continuously about their health, well-being, nutrition and behaviour. The challenge for every horse owner and horse lover is how to interpret these signals and use them. Dutch vets and horse owners and lovers Menke Steenbergen and Jan Hulsen have drawn on their expertise and wide experience of horse owners and lovers to write Horse Signals: a richly illustrated guide on how to interpret the behaviour, posture and physical characteristics of individual animals and groups.
When observing horses it is important not to jump to conclusions   immediately, but instead always to ask yourself three questions: What      do I see? Why has this happened? What does this mean?

Feeding Signals  by Jan Hulsen, Dries Aerden & Jack Rodenburg

$110 incl GST + Postage (prices are subject to change)

 

A practical guide to optimal feeding management and production
Feeding perfect rations is only possible when you understand feed analysis, the properties of the feed, the way a cow works and her milk production. From mouth to rumens and intestines, Feeding Signals shows you the cow’s feed requirements and ensures her daily rations.

 

 

 

DPSL Book List 2014 (PDF)

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