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.

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.

scholarly journals Factors affecting reproductive performance of dairy cows in a pasture-based, automatic milking system research farm: a retrospective, single-cohort study

2015 ◽  
Vol 55 (1) ◽  
pp. 31 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Talukder ◽  
P. Celi ◽  
K. L. Kerrisk ◽  
S. C. Garcia ◽  
N. K. Dhand
Keyword(s):  
Cohort Study ◽  
Milk Yield ◽  
Reproductive Performance ◽  
System Research ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Milking Frequency ◽  
Automatic Milking System ◽  
Automatic Milking ◽  
Herd Milk ◽  
Single Cohort

A retrospective, single-cohort study was conducted to identify production and health factors associated with reproductive performance in a pasture-based, automatic milking system research farm. The calving system of this herd shifted from split calving to year-round calving gradually during the study period. Data from 365 cows with 798 lactations were analysed. Reproductive outcome variables of interest were intervals from calving to first oestrus, to first insemination, and to conception, as well as number of inseminations per conception, probability of submission for insemination by 80 days in milk, probability of conception by 100 days in milk and probability of conception at first insemination. Production factors (milk yield and its composition, milking frequency), record of periparturient disease, parity and season of calving were considered as predictor variables. The associations between predictor and outcome variables were assessed by multivariable linear regression, logistic regression and survival analyses, for quantitative, binary and time-to-event outcomes, respectively. Average milk yield and milking frequency during 100 days in milk were not significantly associated with any of the reproductive measures. The likelihood of conception by 100 days in milk decreased gradually with year of automatic milking system commissioning. Cows calved in autumn were 43% (hazard ratio 1.43, P < 0.05) more likely to conceive than cows calved in summer. Multiparous cows were more likely (P < 0.05) to be recorded for oestrus than primiparous cows. Twinning was negatively associated with the reproductive outcomes measured in the automatic milking system research herd. Milk yield and milking frequency during 100 days in milk had no effect on reproductive measures in the pasture-based, automatic milking system research herd.

scholarly journals Genetic Parameters Estimation of Milking Traits in Polish Holstein-Friesians Based on Automatic Milking System Data

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 1943
Author(s):  
Joanna Aerts ◽  
Dariusz Piwczyński ◽  
Heydar Ghiasi ◽  
Beata Sitkowska ◽  
Magdalena Kolenda ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Correlation ◽  
Milk Yield ◽  
Genetic Correlations ◽  
Parameters Estimation ◽  
Random Regression ◽  
Effective Selection ◽  
Milking Frequency ◽  
Selection For ◽  
Automatic Milking System ◽  
Automatic Milking

The automatic milking system (AMS) provides a large amount of information characterizing the course of each milking cow, which is not available in the conventional system. The aim of our study was to estimate heritability and genetic correlations for milk yield (MY), milking frequency (MF), and speed (MS) for 1713 Polish Holstein-Friesian primiparous cows milked in barns with an AMS. Daily heritability indicators estimated using second-order Legendre polynomials and Random Regression Models showed high variation during lactation, ranging 0.131–0.345 for MY, 0.153–0.322 for MF, and 0.336–0.493 for MS. The rates of genetic correlation between traits ranged: 0.561–0.929 for MY-MF, (−0.255)−0.090 for MF-MS, (−0.174)−0.020 for MY-MS. It is possible to carry out effective selection for milking speed, which provides an opportunity to increase the number of cows per milking robot, and thus increase the profitability of production in the herd. The results proved that selection for milk yield and daily milking frequency is also feasible. The research showed a high, positive genetic correlation between milking frequency and milk yield, which allows us to conclude that preferring breeding cows with a natural tendency to frequent visits to the milking robot should indirectly improve the genetic basis of milking.

scholarly journals Features of concentrate feeding in an automatic milking system with free cow traffic

2020 ◽  
Vol 27 ◽  
pp. 00010
Author(s):  
Delyus Sharipov ◽  
Oleg Yakimov ◽  
Firaya Akhmetzyanova ◽  
Ildar Galimullin
Keyword(s):  
Milk Yield ◽  
Complete Characterization ◽  
Factors Influencing ◽  
Milking Frequency ◽  
Main Factors ◽  
Automatic Milking System ◽  
Automatic Milking ◽  
Daily Milk Yield ◽  
Daily Milk

The objective of this research was to study the main factors influencing the consumption of concentrate depending on the daily milk yield in an automatic milking system (AMS) with free cow traffic. The researchers obtained data by visiting AMS from 227 lactating Holstein dairy cows for 30 days. For a more complete characterization of milking activity and feeding concentrate during milking in the AMS, the cows were divided into 6 groups: with a milk yield less than 20.0 kg, 20.1–25.0, 25.1–30.0, 30.1–35.0, 35.1–40.0 and more than 40.1 kg per day. With an increase in milk production, the allocation of concentrate in the milking box increases (P<0.001). So, with a daily milk yield of 17.6 ± 0.5 kg, 4.93 ± 0.13 kg of concentrate was allocated, 23.0 ± 0.3 kg – 6.10±0.11 kg of, 27.9 ± 0.2 kg – 6.93 ± 0.09 kg, 32.7 ± 0.2 – 7.50 ± 0.15 kg, 37.3 ± 0.3 – 7.68 ± 0.29 kg and with a daily milk yield of 42.9 ± 0.4 kg allocated 8.00 ± 0.30 kg of concentrate. Wherein, the milking frequency between groups increases from 2.9 ± 0.1 to 3.1 ± 0.1 times a day. Box-visiting time has a significant impact on the consumption of concentrate. So, when visiting a milking box with a duration of 6.09 ± 0.42 min, cows consumed 4.53 kg of concentrate, with 6.96 ± 0.27 min (P<0.05) – 5.89 kg, 7.09 ± 0.22 min (P<0.05) – 6.51 kg, 7.25 ± 0.26 min (P<0.05) – 6.83 kg, 8.06 ± 0.40 min (P<0.01) – 7.08 kg and when the duration of the visit was 8.07 ± 0.31 min (P<0.01), animals consumed 7.39 kg of concentrate. Thus, we found that the cows of all productivity groups did not completely consume the concentrate allocated in AMS.

scholarly journals The effect of lactation number, stage, length, and milking frequency on milk yield in Korean Holstein dairy cows using automatic milking system

2017 ◽  
Vol 30 (8) ◽  
pp. 1093-1098 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mayakrishnan Vijayakumar ◽  
Ji Hoo Park ◽  
Kwang Seok Ki ◽  
Dong Hyun Lim ◽  
Sang Bum Kim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Milk Yield ◽  
Milking Frequency ◽  
Automatic Milking System ◽  
Automatic Milking ◽  
Holstein Dairy Cows

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.

scholarly journals Genetic parameters of total milk yield and factors describing the shape of lactation curve in dairy buffaloes

2011 ◽  
Vol 79 (1) ◽  
pp. 60-65 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rúsbel R Aspilcueta-Borquis ◽  
Fernando Baldi ◽  
Francisco R Araujo Neto ◽  
Lucia G Albuquerque ◽  
Milthon Muñoz-Berrocal ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Animal Model ◽  
Factor Analysis ◽  
Milk Yield ◽  
Genetic Parameters ◽  
Correlated Response ◽  
Early Lactation ◽  
Latent Factors ◽  
Latent Factor ◽  
Lactation Curve ◽  
Total Milk

The objective of this study was to apply factor analysis to describe lactation curves in dairy buffaloes in order to estimate the phenotypic and genetic association between common latent factors and cumulative milk yield. A total of 31 257 monthly test-day milk yield records from buffaloes belonging to herds located in the state of São Paulo were used to estimate two common latent factors, which were then analysed in a multi-trait animal model for estimating genetic parameters. Estimates of (co)variance components for the two common latent factors and cumulated 270-d milk yield were obtained by Bayesian inference using a multiple trait animal model. Contemporary group, number of milkings per day (two levels) and age of buffalo cow at calving (linear and quadratic) as covariate were included in the model as fixed effects. The additive genetic, permanent environmental and residual effects were included as random effects. The first common latent factor (F1) was associated with persistency of lactation and the second common latent factor (F2) with the level of production in early lactation. Heritability estimates for F1 and F2 were 0·12 and 0·07, respectively. Genetic correlation estimates between F1 and F2 with cumulative milk yield were positive and moderate (0·63 and 0·52). Multivariate statistics employing factor analysis allowed the extraction of two variables (latent factors) that described the shape of the lactation curve. It is expected that the response to selection to increase lactation persistency is higher than the response obtained from selecting animals to increase lactation peak. Selection for higher total milk yield would result in a favourable correlated response to increase the level of production in early lactation and the lactation persistency.

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