scholarly journals The effect of milking frequency on milk yield and milk composition in ewes

2020 ◽  
Vol 65 (No. 2) ◽  
pp. 41-50
Author(s):  
Lucia Mačuhová ◽  
Vladimír Tančin ◽  
Juliana Mačuhová

Milking frequency is the main factor regulating milk yield and milk quality if feeding, welfare, health, and environmental conditions are adequate. Milk yield and composition are substantially influenced by breed, and consequently the breed has an impact on both factors at a different frequency of milking. Further, the size of cisternal compartment plays an important role in accommodating secreted milk between milkings. Thus, ewes with large cisterns (i.e. large cisternal area, high cisternal milk percentage, and delayed tight junction opening during milk stasis) adapt themselves better to longer milking intervals than ewes with a small cistern. The increase of milking frequency from two to three times a day can lead to an increase of milk yield in the range of 3 to 36%. On the other hand, the reduction of milking frequency from twice to once a day can decrease milk yield from 9 to 67%. Two milkings per week could be omitted with no negative effects on milk yield, milk composition, and somatic cell count in ewes with large cisterns. However, besides the breed and cistern storage capacity, the results in literature show that the effects of milking frequency on milk yield and milk composition can vary according to the stage of lactation, individual animal, production level, practice of stripping, and duration of changed frequency. The right use of different milking frequency strategies can result in increased milk yield or in significant savings in labour and time spent in the milking parlour with negligible or no negative effects on milk yield and composition.

2014 ◽  
Vol 81 (3) ◽  
pp. 275-279 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandr Torres ◽  
Lorenzo-Enrique Hernández-Castellano ◽  
Antonio Morales-delaNuez ◽  
Davinia Sánchez-Macías ◽  
Isabel Moreno-Indias ◽  
...  

Goats in Canary Islands are milked once a day by tradition, but in most countries with high technology on farms, goats are milked twice a day, which is known to improve milk yield. Therefore it is important to know whether the increase of milking frequency can improve the production without impairing milk quality. The objective of this study was to investigate the short term effects of three milking frequencies on milk yield, milk composition, somatic cell count (SCC) and milk protein profile in dairy goats traditionally milked once a day. Twelve Majorera goats in early lactation (48±4 d in milk) were used. During a 5-week period, goats were milked once a day (X1) in weeks 1 and 5, twice a day (X2) in weeks 2 and 4, and three times a day (X3) in week 3. Milk recording and sampling were done on the last day of each experimental week. Milk yield increased by 26% from X1 to X2. No differences were obtained when goats were switched from X2 to X3, and from X3 to X2. The goats recovered the production level when they returned to X1. Different patterns of changes in the milk constituents due to the milking frequency effect were observed. Fat percentage increased when switched from X1 to X2, then decreased from X2 to X3, and from X3 to X2, whereas it did not show significant differences from X2 to X1. Milking frequency did not affect the protein and lactose percentages. SCC values were unaffected when goats were milked X1, X2 and X3, but then they increased slightly when milking frequency was returned to X2 and X1. Finally, quantitative analysis showed an increase in intensities of milk protein bands from X1 to X2, but the intensities of casein bands (αS1-CN, αS2-CN, β-CN, κ-CN) and major whey proteins (α-La, β-Lg) decreased from X2 to X3.


Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 309
Author(s):  
Deise Aline Knob ◽  
André Thaler Neto ◽  
Helen Schweizer ◽  
Anna C. Weigand ◽  
Roberto Kappes ◽  
...  

Crossbreeding in dairy cattle has been used to improve functional traits, milk composition, and efficiency of Holstein herds. The objective of the study was to compare indicators of the metabolic energy balance, nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA), beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHBA), glucose, body condition score (BCS) back fat thickness (BFT), as well as milk yield and milk composition of Holstein and Simmental cows, and their crosses from the prepartum period until the 100th day of lactation at the Livestock Center of the Ludwig Maximilians University (Munich, Germany). In total, 164 cows formed five genetic groups according to their theoretic proportion of Holstein and Simmental genes as follows: Holstein (100% Holstein; n = 9), R1-Hol (51–99% Holstein; n = 30), first generation (F1) crossbreds (50% Holstein, 50% Simmental; n = 17), R1-Sim (1–49% Holstein; n = 81) and Simmental (100% Simmental; n = 27). The study took place between April 2018 and August 2019. BCS, BFT blood parameters, such as BHBA, glucose, and NEFA were recorded weekly. A mixed model analysis with fixed effects breed, week (relative to calving), the interaction of breed and week, parity, calving year, calving season, milking season, and the repeated measure effect of cow was used. BCS increased with the Simmental proportion. All genetic groups lost BCS and BFT after calving. Simmental cows showed lower NEFA values. BHBA and glucose did not differ among genetic groups, but they differed depending on the week relative to calving. Simmental and R1-Sim cows showed a smaller effect than the other genetic groups regarding changes in body weight, BCS, or back fat thickness after a period of a negative energy balance after calving. There was no significant difference for milk yield among genetic groups, although Simmental cows showed a lower milk yield after the third week after calving. Generally, Simmental and R1-Simmental cows seemed to deal better with a negative energy balance after calving than purebred Holstein and the other crossbred lines. Based on a positive heterosis effect of 10.06% for energy corrected milk (ECM), the F1, however, was the most efficient crossbred line.


2017 ◽  
Vol 62 (No. 9) ◽  
pp. 392-402 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Mačuhová ◽  
V. Tančin ◽  
J. Mačuhová ◽  
M. Uhrinčať ◽  
L. Hasoňová ◽  
...  

The aim of the present investigation was to evaluate how the order in which the ewes in a milking group enter the milking parlour affects their milkability and milk composition. Therefore, the order of entry into the milking parlour was evaluated in ewes of one flock (n = 353) during six evening milkings. In all, the sheep were milked in 15 milking groups. The sheep entering the milking parlour in the first milking group achieved 15 points and the sheep of each next milking group one point less, i.e. the sheep of the last group achieved 1 point. In the analysis, only the ewes with the highest and the lowest average number of points were included and assigned to the first (FG, n = 19) and the last group (LG, n = 29), respectively. After the last milking, the individual milk samples were collected from the jar to analyze the composition and somatic cell count. Machine milk yield in 30 s (0.15 ± 0.09 and 0.11 ± 0.05 l) and 60 s (0.26 ± 0.16 and 0.19 ± 0.10 l), peak flow rate (1.04 ± 0.39 and 0.77 ± 0.29 l/min), and latency time (14 ± 3 and 20 ± 13 s) significantly differed (P < 0.05) between FG and LG, respectively. Total milk yield (0.41 ± 0.17 and 0.35 ± 0.14 l) and machine milk yield (0.27 ± 0.15 and 0.22 ± 0.10 l) tended to be higher (P = 0.05 and P = 0.09) in FG than in LG, respectively. No significant differences were observed in milk composition between FG and LG. It seems that ewes which enter the milking parlour in early milking groups have better parameters of milkability than those milked in later groups.


2008 ◽  
Vol 53 (No. 2) ◽  
pp. 55-63 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Kuchtík ◽  
K. Šustová ◽  
T. Urban ◽  
D. Zapletal

The evaluation of the effect of the stage of lactation on milk composition, its properties and the quality of rennet curdling was carried out over the period of three successive years using milk samples (<I>n</I> = 162) obtained from a total of 27 ewes of the East Friesian (EF) breed, reared on a small sheep farm in Juřinka in the region of Wallachia. The stage of lactation had a highly significant effect on the contents of all milk components. However, only the contents of total solids (TS), solids non-fat (SNF), fat (F), protein (P) and casein (CN) gradually increased with the advancement of lactation. The stage of lactation also had a highly significant effect both on all the properties of milk and the rennet curdling quality (RCQ). All phenotypic correlations between the particular contents of TS, SNF, F, P, CN and urea nitrogen (UN) were positive and high (<I>P</I> ≤ 0.001). On the other hand, all phenotypic correlations between milk yield and particular contents of TS, SNF, F, P, CN and UN were negative and high (<I>P</I> ≤ 0.001). The majority of phenotypic correlations between rennet clotting time (RCT) and the other particular parameters was insignificant. However, the phenotypic correlations between lactose (L) and RCT and between pH and RCT were positive and high (<I>P</I> ≤ 0.001) whereas the phenotypic correlation between titratable acidity (TA) and RCT was negative and high (<I>P</I> ≤ 0.001). The majority of phenotypic correlations between the rennet curdling quality (RCQ) and the other particular parameters was insignificant. Nevertheless, the phenotypic correlations between pH and RCQ and between RCT and RCQ were positive and high (<I>P</I> ≤ 0.001) whereas the phenotypic correlation between TA and RCQ was negative and high (<I>P</I> ≤ 0.001).


1992 ◽  
Vol 54 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-21 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. A. Okantah

AbstractDaily partial milk yield of Sanga cows in 13 smallholder agropastoralist herds at two locations on the Accra Plains was recorded through monthly sampling. Estimates of mean daily partial milk yield and milk composition were computed from 1266 observations. The unadjusted mean daily partial milk yield was 875 (s.e. 11) g. The composition of milk: total solids (TS), fat (F) and solid-not-fat (SNF) were 131 (s.e. 14), 41 (s.e. 11) and 90 (s.e. 7) g/kg respectively. Least squares estimate of mean daily partial milk yield were 808·2 and 462·4 g with average s.e. of 41·8 for wet and dry season respectively. The wet and dry season differences in daily partial milk yield, TS and F were highly significant (P < 0·01). Seasonal difference in SNF was not significant.Herd difference in partial milk yield, TS, F and SNF were highly significant (P < 0·02). There were no significant effects of location on daily partial milk yield and SNF, although location effects on F and TS were significant (P < 0·05). The highest milk yield was observed in cows in third lactation and the lowest in cows in seventh lactation (P < 0·01). Daily partial milk yield peaked in the 3rd month of lactation. On average, lactation length was 210 to 240 days. Both linear and quadratic effects of stage of lactation were highly significant (P < 0·01). Lactation curve parameters for partially milked cows were also estimated. The implications of the results for milk production in sub-Saharan Africa were discussed.


2016 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 9-15
Author(s):  
Sylwia Bielińska-Nowak ◽  
Grażyna Czyżak-Runowska

The aim of the study was to determine the influence of the stage of lactation on the yield and quality of sheep milk. The material for the investigation was milk from morning milking of 30 East Friesian sheep in their third to fifth lactation. Milking began after the lambs were weaned and continued for about 120 days. Milk samples were collected individually from the sheep in three stages of lactation: at its peak, during the stabilized stage and at the end (late) lactation. Daily milk yield, total bacterial count, somatic cell count and the basic composition of the milk were determined. The microbiological quality of the milk was very high and the somatic cell count was favourable. As lactation progressed the somatic cell count increased while microbiological quality remained stable. At the end of lactation a significant increase was noted in the concentration of dry matter, protein and fat, accompanied by a decrease in lactose concentration, in comparison with the peak of lactation. Yield was shown to be negatively correlated with fat (–0.63; p≤0.01) and dry matter (–0.53; p≤0.01) and positively correlated with lactose (0.61; p≤0.01).


1958 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 373-382 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. H. Broster ◽  
B. Ridler ◽  
A. S. Foot

1. Two levels of steaming-up and two levels of concentrates feeding during the first 84 days of lactation have been compared in a 2 x 2 factorial experiment over three winter seasons, using fifty-two Shorthorn and thirty-six Friesian heifers. The levels of steaming up were 2 cwt. and ½ cwt. of concentrates fed over the last 21 and 14 days of pregnancy, respectively. The levels of concentrates during lactation were 5 and 3 lb. per 10 lb. milk per day. Roughages were fed for maintenance. After the 84th day of lactation all animals were given the same treatment for the remainder of the lactation. Milk yield, milk composition and live weight were measured throughout the lactation.2. The treatments were annotated as HH, HL, LH and LL, the first letter indicating level of steaming-up and the second the level of concentrates feeding in the first 12 weeks of lactation.3. Mean milk yields were as follows:4. The LH treatment reqiuird 3 cwt. more concentrates than HL to produce the same amount of milk.5. The response to additioal concentrates on the LH treatment after calving was l lb. additional milk per l lb. additional starch equivalent.6. Butterfat percentages were higher (3·69%) in both groups on low-lactation feeding than in the two groups on high-lactation feeding (3·43%). The HL group (i.e. the group that received high steaming-up and low-lactation feeding) combined high milk yield with a higher butterfat percentage, and at current milk and feedingstuff prices and under the conditions of the trials, this group showed a greater cash return than the groups on the other three treatments.


1963 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 403-409 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. S. Foot ◽  
C. Line ◽  
S. J. Rowland

SummaryThe effect of the level of pre-partum feeding of Friesian heifers on the yields and composition of the milk in the subsequent lactation has been investigated using 23 heifers on each of 2 treatments. For 1 treatment, over a period of 6 weeks before calving, generous grazing on good pasture was supplemented with 8 lb/cow daily of concentrates, and for the other only restricted grazing of an already sparse sward was allowed.For the period 3—8 weeks from calving the heifers fed at the high plane pre-partum produced significantly more milk than those fed at the low plane (36·8 compared with 31·9 lb/cow daily). The solids-not-fat (S.N.F.) and fat contents of their milk were also significantly higher (8·71 compared with 8·47%, and 3·72 compared with 3·38%, respectively). For the period 3—14 weeks from calving the effect of milk yield was slightly greater but the effect on composition was less. For the period 3—30 weeks from calving the difference in milk yield remained significant (31·3 compared with 26·1 lb/cow daily), but the average differences in S.N.F. and fat contents over this period (8·63 compared with 8·51%, and 3·75 compared with 3·59%, respectively) were not significant.The heifers fed at the higher plane increased in liveweight before calving at a rate which was highly significantly greater than that of the heifers fed at the low plane. After calving, the heifers which had been on the higher plane remained almost constant in weight during the first 12 weeks whilst the others regained some of their losses, a difference which was highly significant. This recovery was apparently made at the expense of milk yield and composition.


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