Once daliy milking of dairy cows: relationship between yield loss and cisternal milk storage

1994 ◽  
Vol 61 (4) ◽  
pp. 441-449 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher H. Knight ◽  
Richard J. Dewhurst
Keyword(s):  
Milk Yield ◽  
Once Daily ◽  
A Value ◽  
Total Milk ◽  
Alveolar Tissue ◽  
Milking Frequency ◽  
Rate Of Decline ◽  
Milk Storage ◽  
Storage Characteristics ◽  
Degree Of Recovery

SummaryThe proportions of milk stored in the gland cistern (cisternal) and within secretory alveolar tissue (alveolar) were determined for a group of ten cows in mid lactation, yielding ∼ 20 kg milk/d. As a proportion of total milk, cisternal milk, measured at 8 h after milking, ranged from 0·09 to 0·53. Milking frequency was then reduced from twice daily to once daily on two occasions, first for 1 week and then, 2 weeks later, for 2 weeks. Milk yield was reduced during once daily milking in all cows, by an average of 22·8% during the first week (P < 0·001). The amount of decrease varied among cows in a way that was unrelated to pretreatment yield, but the immediate decrease was significantly and inversely correlated with cisternal milk proportion (r = 0·81, P < 0·01). When milking reverted to twice daily, yield recovered to a value not significantly different from pretreatment, and the degree of recovery was inversely related to cisternal milk proportion (r = 0·74, P < 0·01). With the exception of one cow, yield decreases correlated well between the two periods of once daily milking. When treatment weeks were disregarded, lactation persistency (the rate of decline in yield with time) was unaffected by once daily milking. The results show that the ability of individual cows to tolerate once daily milking is related to their cisternal storage characteristics; yield is reduced less in cows that store a greater proportion of their total milk production within the cistern. Once daily milking for up to 2 weeks had no lasting effect on milk yield or lactation persistency, suggesting that there had been no detrimental effect on udder development.

Relationship between milk storage characteristics and the short-term response of dairy cows to thrice-daily milking

1994 ◽  
Vol 58 (2) ◽  
pp. 181-187 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. J. Dewhurst ◽  
C. H. Knight
Keyword(s):  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Milk Yield ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Additional Time ◽  
Lactating Dairy Cows ◽  
Total Milk ◽  
Milk Storage ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Storage Characteristics ◽  
Term Response

AbstractTwenty lactating dairy cows were used to investigate the relationship between the site of milk storage in the udder and the short-term response to thrice-daily milking. Cisternal and alveolar milk volumes were measured 8 h after an ordinary morning milking by catheter drainage and machine milking with oxytocin respectively. The response to thrice-daily milking was assessed using a half-udder technique and the relative milk yields quotient (RMYQ). Over the first 7 days, both halves were milked twice daily (8/16 h intervals) and milk yields over the final 4 days of this period were higher for left fore/right hind (LF/RH) (12·4 (s.e. 0·85) kg/day) than for RF/LH (10·5 (s.e. 0·63) kg/day) which was milked after LF/RH throughout the experiment. Over the following week, LF/RH quarters were milked an additional time (8/8/8 h intervals) and yields over the final 4 days were increased (15•7 (s.e. 0·95) kg/day) compared with control quarters (9·8 (s.e. 0·73) kg/day). In a final 4-day period, animals were milked twice daily and half udder yields were 13·1 (s.e. 0·89) kg/day and 10•6 (s.e. 0·77) kg/day respectively. Differences between yields from the two halves of the udders were highly significant in all 3 weeks of the experiment (P < 0·001). Cistern milk yield as a proportion of total milk yield at 8 h (cistern proportion) averaged 0·170 (s.e. = 0·0275; range 0·020 to 0·334) and tended to be greater for multiparous (0·215, s.e. 0·0279) than for primiparous animals (0·118, s.e. 0·0437; P = 0·076). During the periods of twice-daily milking, the proportion of milk yielded from LF/RH quarters was not significantly related to cistern proportion (P = 0·70 and 0·43 for weeks 1 and 3 respectively). However the response to thrice-daily milking, assessed as RMYQ, was significantly related to cistern proportion both when changing up to, and down from, thrice-daily milking (P < 0·01). Animals with low cistern proportions showed larger responses to thrice-daily milking. There was a significant relationship (P < 0·05) between the responses on changing up to, and down from, thrice-daily milking. Primiparous animals tended to exhibit smaller declines on returning to twice-daily milking than multiparous animals with equivalent responses to thrice-daily milking.

Relationships between milking frequency, lactation persistency and milk yield in Swedish Red heifers and cows milked in a voluntary attendance automatic milking system

2011 ◽  
Vol 78 (3) ◽  
pp. 379-384 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gunnar Pettersson ◽  
Kerstin Svennersten-Sjaunja ◽  
Christopher H Knight
Keyword(s):  
Milk Yield ◽  
Early Lactation ◽  
Large Dataset ◽  
High Quartile ◽  
Total Milk ◽  
Milking Frequency ◽  
Automatic Milking System ◽  
Automatic Milking ◽  
Rate Of Decline

A large dataset comprising output from an automatic milking (AM) system between 1999 and 2006 was examined and a total of 172 cow lactation curves and 68 heifer lactation curves were identified for further analysis. Relationships between milking frequency at different stages of lactation and lactation persistency and total lactation yield were determined. Cows had higher peak and total milk yields than heifers, but heifers had higher persistency (defined as the rate of decline in milk yield between days 100 and 300 post calving). Milking frequency did not differ significantly between cows and heifers in early lactation, but thereafter decreased significantly more in cows than in heifers. The effect of milking frequency on yield characteristics was analysed by comparing the highest and lowest quartiles for milking frequency. High milking frequency in early lactation was consistently associated with increased peak yield. High milking frequency averaged across the whole lactation was associated with increased peak yield in both cows and heifers, and with improved lactation persistency in cows only. This resulted in total lactation yield that was 21% greater in the high quartile cows compared with the low.

Effect of unilateral once or twice daily milking of cows on milk yield and udder characteristics in early and late lactation

1997 ◽  
Vol 64 (4) ◽  
pp. 487-494 ◽  
Author(s):  
KERST STELWAGEN ◽  
CHRISTOPHER H. KNIGHT
Keyword(s):  
Milk Yield ◽  
Control Period ◽  
Mammary Epithelium ◽  
Cell Loss ◽  
Once Daily ◽  
Secretion Efficiency ◽  
Milking Frequency ◽  
Positive Correlations ◽  
Milk Storage ◽  
Friesian Cows

Twelve multiparous British Friesian cows in early (40±23 d in milk; n=6) or late (216±17 d in milk; n=6) lactation were used to study the effects of milking frequency on yield, udder volume and milk storage within the udder. After a 2 week control period of twice daily milking, diagonally opposed udder halves within a cow were milked once or twice daily for 3 weeks. Milk yield was 28–38% lower from the halves that were milked once daily than from halves that were milked twice daily. The loss of milk yield, expressed as a decrease in the relative milk yield quotient (an index that accounts for pretreatment differences), was greater for cows in early than in late lactation (0·59 v. 0·68). Empty udder-half volume was not decreased by once daily milking, suggesting that no cell loss occurred. Instead, once daily milking reduced the secretion efficiency (units of milk per unit of empty udder-half volume) by 46 and 27% respectively in early and late lactation; thus, at least part of the loss was due to reduced metabolic activity of the mammary epithelium. There were positive correlations between the relative milk yield quotient and the proportion (r=0·804) or volume (r=0·644) of cisternal milk in the glands that were milked once daily. These results confirm that, during extended milking intervals, milk loss was smallest for cows that stored a larger proportion of milk in the gland cistern.

The response to thrice-daily milking and its relationship to cisternal storage capacity in dairy cows

1992 ◽  
Vol 1992 ◽  
pp. 37-37
Author(s):  
R.J. Dewhurst ◽  
C.H. Knight
Keyword(s):  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Milk Yield ◽  
Storage Capacity ◽  
Farm Management ◽  
Once Daily ◽  
Alveolar Tissue ◽  
Secretory Tissue ◽  
Milking Frequency ◽  
Yield Responses ◽  
Management Services

Recently there has been increased interest in the effects of changing the milking frequency of dairy cows because of the possibilities of either increased milking frequency, through the use of robot-milkers or of once-daily milking as a part of a programme of extensification. Archer (1983), reviewing the literature and data from herds monitored by Farm Management Services, found milk yield responses on changing from twice- to thrice-daily milking from -0.14 to +0.49. These differences represent large between-animal differences in responses to thrice-daily milking and there is a need to identify sources of this variation.Milk is stored in the udder in both the cistern and the secretory alveolar tissue itself. Since milk contains a protein which is inhibitory to secretion, storage within the secretory tissue is disadvantageous and reduces the efficiency of secretory tissue. Work at the Hannah Research Institute has shown that the effect of the inhibitor can be overcome by milking more frequently and that the response to thrice-daily milking of goats was greater with animals having smaller cisterns.

Milk yield and mammary function in dairy cows milked four times daily

1990 ◽  
Vol 57 (3) ◽  
pp. 285-294 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Eric Hillerton ◽  
Christopher H. Knight ◽  
Alan Turvey ◽  
Stephen D. Wheatley ◽  
Colin J. Wilde
Keyword(s):  
Milk Yield ◽  
Enzyme Activities ◽  
Milk Protein ◽  
Lactating Cows ◽  
Milk Protein Content ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Milking Frequency ◽  
Rate Of Decline

SummaryGroups of lactating cows and heifers were milked four times daily in two diagonally opposed glands for 4 weeks, and the effects on milk yield studied relative to twice-daily milked glands as controls. Mammary enzyme activities, in vitro synthesis rates of milk constituents and histological scoring were determined in mammary biopsy samples obtained at the end of this period. These were used for assessment of mammary function. Frequent milking increased milk yield only in the treated glands, the contralateral control glands continuing to decline in yield at ~ 2%/week. There was no significant difference in response between cows and heifers; the mean increase in yield was 10·4%. The rate of decline in milk yield tended to decrease with frequent milking, to ~ 1%/week. Consequently the yield of the treated glands continued to be elevated above that of the controls for some time after reversion to overall twice daily milking. Milk protein content was increased slightly by frequent milking. Mammary enzyme activities were ~ 18% higher in the treated glands than in the controls. Synthesis rates of lactose, casein and total protein were unaffected by milking frequency, but were all lower in the gland selected for the second biopsy, reflecting the reduction in milk yield caused by the first biopsy. DNA synthesis was increased by milking frequency, as were the size and number of epithelial cells in histological sections.

Studies on milk yield and calf suckling behaviour in Kenyan camels (Camelus dromedarius)

1996 ◽  
Vol 1996 ◽  
pp. 105-105 ◽  
Author(s):  
S.P. Simpkin ◽  
P. Rowlinson
Keyword(s):  
Milk Yield ◽  
Literature Survey ◽  
Camel Milk ◽  
Human Consumption ◽  
Milk Secretion ◽  
Experimental Conditions ◽  
Short Period ◽  
The World ◽  
Total Milk ◽  
Milking Frequency

Estimates of camel lactation yields in the literature vary from less than 1000kg to more than 12000 kg, with mean daily yields from 0.1 to 35kg (Simpkin 1985). Suckling or milking frequency and strength of the milk letdown reflex are just two of many factors that affect milk secretion rate in camels. Most of the 18 million camels in the world are kept in nomadic pastoral herds where estimation of milk yield is particularly difficult and the large variation in reported camel milk yields could be attributed to the methodology used to estimate yields. A literature survey shows most articles are based on infrequent observations on small numbers of animals over a short period of lactation and fail to state the experimental conditions or whether figures represent milk offtake for human consumption or total milk yield.

Changes in the sites of milk storage over the lactation cycle of primiparous and multiparous dairy cows.

1993 ◽  
Vol 1993 ◽  
pp. 38-38
Author(s):  
R.J. Dewhurst ◽  
C.H. Knight
Keyword(s):  
Management Practices ◽  
Regulatory Mechanism ◽  
Milk Secretion ◽  
Site Of Action ◽  
Sources Of Variation ◽  
Secretory Tissue ◽  
Milking Frequency ◽  
Lactation Cycle ◽  
Milk Storage ◽  
Storage Characteristics

Work at The Hannah Research Institute has demonstrated the effects of an inhibitory (autocrine) protein, within the whey fraction of milk, on the efficiency of milk secretion and responses to changes in milking frequency. The regulatory mechanism involves both the concentration of the inhibitor and the site of milk storage (relative to its site of action, the secretory tissue). Milk storage characteristics influence responses to a number of management practices, most notably changes in milking frequency (Dewhurst and Knight, 1992; Knight and Dewhurst, 1992). There is, therefore, a need to understand phenotypic sources of variation in the sites of milk storage in order to define standard conditions and procedures for making cistern measurements.

An investigation of the changes in sites of milk storage in the bovine udder over two lactation cycles

1993 ◽  
Vol 57 (03) ◽  
pp. 379-384
Author(s):  
R. J. Dewhurst ◽  
C. H. Knight
Keyword(s):  
Milk Yield ◽  
Total Yield ◽  
Significant Interaction Effect ◽  
Stage Of Lactation ◽  
Lactation Curve ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Total Milk ◽  
Sources Of Variation ◽  
Rate Of Decline ◽  
Daily Milk Yield

AbstractThe objective of this work was to investigate phenotypic sources of variation in the sites of storage of milk within the udder. Ten primiparous and 10 multiparous dairy cows were studied over two successive lactations in order to investigate the effects of age, parity and stage of lactation. Cistern and alveolar milk volumes were estimated at a standard 8 h after a normal morning milking by catheter drainage and machine milking with oxytocin respectively. Measurements were made at approximately 9, 20, 30 and 42 weeks of the initial lactation and weeks 1, 4, 7, 10, 20 and 34 of the subsequent lactation. In the initial lactation, there was a significant difference between primiparous and multiparous animals in the rate of decline of total daily milk yield (P&lt; 0·001). Cistern milk yield (kg/8 h) from multiparous animals declined over the lactation whilst that for primiparous animals was maintained. The effect was shown as a significant interaction effect (P&lt; 0·05). For both multiparous and primiparous animals cistern proportion (cistern yield divided by total milk yield at 8h after a normal milking), increased over the lactation (P&lt; 0·001). This was largely a consequence of the reduced total milk yield. Eleven animals were studied through the subsequent lactation. Cistern yield followed a lactation curve of similar form to that for total yield. The decline in cistern yield over this lactation was much greater than the decline with multiparous animals in the previous year. This may, in part, reflect a faster decline in total daily yield. Stage of lactation and parity must be taken into account if a standardized evaluation of cistern characteristics is to be obtained.

Effect of level of concentrate fed once or twice daily on the milk production of cows grazing tropical pasture

1994 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
pp. 301 ◽  
Author(s):  
BP McLachlan ◽  
WK Ehrlich ◽  
RT Cowan ◽  
TM Davison ◽  
BA Silver ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Milk Yield ◽  
Experimental Period ◽  
Protein Concentrate ◽  
Tropical Pasture ◽  
Tropical Pastures ◽  
Once Daily ◽  
Total Milk ◽  
Fat Yield ◽  
Total Fat ◽  
Concentrate Level

A group of 40 Holstein-Fresian cows grazing tropical pastures were supplemented from 14 days after calving with a grain-based concentrate containing 15% protein. Concentrate was given at nil, 2, 4, 6, and 8 kg/cow. day fed once daily after morning milking, and 4, 6, and 8 kg/cow.day in 2 equal feeds, after morning milking and before evening milking. The experimental period was 250 days for cows fed once daily and 150 days for those fed twice daily. Over 250 days of lactation, the milk yield of cows fed once daily was significantly increased with increasing grain feeding, from 12.8 kg/day for the nil group t o 20 kg/day for the 8 kg group. Milkfat percentage was lower (P<0.05) for cows given 8 kg grain concentrate daily than for those given 2-4 kg, and total fat yield increased (P<0.1) with up to 4kg/cow.day. Protein percentages were similar across treatments, and protein yield increased (P<0.05) with grain level. Lactose percentage was increased (P<0.05) with concentrate feeding, and lactose yield increased (P<0.05) with increasing concentrate level. Fat-corrected milk (FCM) increased (P<0.05) from 3046 kg at nil concentrate to 4465 kg at 8 kg/cow. day. Over the first 150 days of lactation, milk yield increased from 19.5 kg/day for cows fed once daily to 21.7kg/day for those fed twice daily. Milkfat and protein percentages were similar. Greatest responses to twice-daily feeding occurred at 6 kg concentrate/cow.day. It was concluded that total milk yield increased linearly to 8 kg concentrate/cow.day, but FCM yield was at a maximum at 6 kg concentrate1cow.day. There were advantages in feeding 6 kg concentrate twice daily.

Effect of frequency of milking on yield, composition and processing quality of milk

2002 ◽  
Vol 69 (3) ◽  
pp. 367-374 ◽  
Author(s):  
BERNADETTE O'BRIEN ◽  
GERARD RYAN ◽  
WILLIAM J. MEANEY ◽  
DAVID McDONAGH ◽  
ALAN KELLY
Keyword(s):  
Milk Yield ◽  
Milk Fat ◽  
Milk Composition ◽  
Plasmin Activity ◽  
Coagulation Time ◽  
Once Daily ◽  
Rennet Coagulation ◽  
Milking Frequency ◽  
Quality Of Milk

The objective was to determine the effect of once-daily milking (ODM) and omitting one evening milking each week (13TWM), in late lactation on milk production, composition and processability. Seventy-two cows were assigned to three treatments (ODM, 13TWM and twice-daily milking [TDM]) from 4 October to 12 December. Cows were on average 218 d into lactation at the start of the trial, and all cows were managed similarly throughout the trial. Milk yields and gross milk composition of cows on all treatments were measured, and milk samples for detailed compositional and processability analysis were collected from TDM and ODM treatments at two consecutive milkings and at one milking each week, respectively. Milk yield was significantly reduced (P<0.001) and milk fat and protein concentrations were increased (P<0·01) with ODM compared with TDM. Milk yield and fat and protein concentrations of milk from TDM and 13TWM herds were similar. Casein concentrations in ODM and TDM milks were similar, but ODM milk had a higher (P<0·05) whey protein content. Somatic cell count of ODM and TDM milks was similar. Rennet coagulation time (RCT) and curd firmness (A60) of milk were not affected by milking frequency. However, rate of curd aggregation (K20) of ODM milk was reduced (P<0·05) compared with that of TDM milk. Plasmin activity in ODM milk was numerically higher than in TDM milk, but the effect was not significant. ODM milk had higher NAGase activity than TDM milk (P<0·01). In conclusion, once daily milking reduced milk yield by 29% and did not adversely affect the processability of milk. Moreover, one evening milking per week could be eliminated without adverse effects on milk yield or composition.

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