Effects of short period frequent milking on milk yield and udder health in Turkish Saanen goats

The major purpose of this study was to investigate whether increasing milking frequency for a short period (21 days) increases milk yield and milk components and improves udder health throughout lactation in Turkish Saanen goats. Two groups were formed (control, n = 14, treatment, n = 14); balanced by parity, bodyweight and birth type to make them homogenous. Feeding and management practices were the same for both groups. The treatment group was milked four times a day (4×) for 21 days after weaning whereas the control group was milked twice a day (2×). All the animals were milked twice daily thereafter. The pyronin methyl green stain method was used to estimate the somatic cell count (SCC), which is an indication of udder health. This method provided a count that excluded RNA and background noise while including cells with DNA. Repeated measures analyses indicated that overall differences between the 2× and 4× groups were significant for the morning, evening and total test day milk yields, in that values for the 4× group were increased 14.7, 8.8 and 12.1%, respectively. Differences between the groups for SCC were not significant. The results of this study indicate that increasing milking frequency to 4×, even for a short time (21 days), increases overall milk yield throughout lactation in dairy goats.     

Lactation curve and effects of milking regimen on milk yield and quality, and udder health in Martina Franca jennies (Equus asinus)

Three experiments were conducted on Martina Franca jennies. Experiment 1 tested Wood's model for evaluating the lactation curve. Data from the entire lactation period of 12 jennies were used. The results showed that Wood's model was able to recognize the shape of the lactation curve from pooled data (r(2) = 0.11; P < 0.01), with the lactation peak occurring at 48 d. Individual curves showed wide variability. Experiment 2 aimed to evaluate the effects of the daily number of milkings (1, 3, or 6) and the interval between the separation of foals from dams and milking (2 or 3 h) on milk yield and udder health. Four groups of jennies (n = 5) were considered: 1 × 3H, milked once per day (1×) with a 3-h interval from the time of foal removal (3H) from the dams to mechanical milking (3-h interval); 3 × 3H, milked 3 times per day with 3-h intervals; 3 × 2H, milked 3 times per day with 2-h intervals; and 6 × 2H, milked 6 times per day with 2-h intervals. The milk somatic cell count (SCC) was monitored. Better efficiency was observed for 3 vs. 1 milking per day and for 3-h vs. 2-h intervals. The regimen of 6 daily milkings at 2-h intervals did not increase milk yield and was related to an increase in the SCC compared with 3 daily milkings. In Exp. 3, the effects of the interval from foal removal to milking (3, 5, or 8 h) on yield, gross chemical composition, organoleptic characteristics of the milk, and udder health of the jennies were evaluated. The effects of milking time were also evaluated. Twenty jennies milked twice daily (2×) were subdivided into 4 groups (n = 5): 2 × 3H, with milkings at 1200 h and 1900 h and an interval of 3 h; 2 × 5H, milked at 1200 h and 1900 h with a 5-h interval; 2 × 8H(1), milked at 1200 h and 2200 h with an 8-h interval; and 2 × 8H(2), milked at 0700 h and 1900 h with an 8-h interval. Milk yield was greater by 28.4% when an 8-h interval was used compared with a 3-h interval and at the morning vs. the evening milking. The milk yield per milking was greatest at 0700 h, indicating the existence of a circadian rhythm in milk secretion processes. Intervals of 5 and 8 h caused significant decreases in the fat and lactose content and organoleptic characteristics of the milk, whereas an 8-h interval led to an increase in the SCC. In conclusion, a milking regimen of twice-daily milking at 0700 h and 1900 h with an 8-h interval provided the maximum yield per day. In terms of milk quality, a 3-h interval yielded the best results.     

The effect of teat dipping with jodophores on udder health and the iodine content of the milk (author's transl)]

The effect of teat-dipping with iodophore preparations on the incidence of mastitis was investigated for a period of 13 months in (i) 7 herds averaging 52 cows with an iodophore solution (JO-BAC? Superdip, 0.5 % active iodine) and in (ii) 9 herds averaging 47 cows with an iodophore solution (F 1042, 0.33 % active iodine). Teat-dipping was performed after each milking. The udder health of 8 herds averaging 28 cows was followed as a control (iii). Udder health was studied by CMT and bacterial examination of udder quarter samples every 10th week and by electronic cell counts of bulk milk every month. The mean incidence of infection at the beginning and end of the trial, the incidence of newly infected cows and quarters during the trial for each group was (i) 13.0 leads to 8.8 % of cows, 9.3 % of cows, 2.7 % of quarters; (ii) 17.4 % leads to 8.6 % of cows, 10.2 % of cows, 3.9 % of quarters; and (iii) 9.1 % leads to 15.6 % of cows, 13.7 % of cows and 4.5 % of quarters, respectively. Mean cell content of the three first and last cell counts were (i) 380.000 leads to 260.000 (ii) 310.000 leads to 280.000 and (iii) 250.000 leads to 260.000 cells/ml, respectively. The effect of teat-dipping with iodophore solution on the iodine content of bulk milk was investigated simultaneously in the above herds at monthly intervals. A further 26 herds (iiii) which did not employ iodine-containing teat-dips, were also studied. The mean iodine contents for the groups were (i) 127 mug/l, (ii) 152 mug/l; (iii) 94 mug/l and (iiii) 89 mug/l. The effect of teat-dipping with iodophore solution on the iodine content of bulk milk was also investigated in 13 herds where all delivered milk was examined for iodine content during 3 successive 14-day periods, namely (a) a control period without teat-dipping, (aa) a period using a weak iodine solution (0.1 % active iodine), and (aaa) a period using the recommended concentration. The mean iodine content in the 13 herds during period (a) varied from 14 to 266 mug/l and the mean for all herds was 65 mug/l. Corresponding figures for period (aa) were 30--291 and 88 mug/l and for period (aaa) 66--404 and 146 mug/l.     

Effect of milking interval on milk yield and quality and rate of recovery during subsequent frequent milking

Forty mid-lactation, pasture-fed dairy cows were used to study the effects of milking interval on milk yield and quality and whether effects could be reversed during a short period of subsequent frequent milking. Following a 2-day pre-experimental period of normal twice-daily milking (TDM), cows were milked again after 6, 12, 18, 24 or 30 h, with each milking interval followed by 24 h of frequent milking (i.e., every 6 h). Milk yield increased linearly until 18 h and then started to plateau. Similarly, milk quality (serum albumin and proteolytic enzyme activity) became adversely affected after 18 h. These changes coincided with increased permeability of mammary tight junctions (TJ), starting after a milking interval of 18 h. A brief period of frequent milking helped restore milk yields to pre-experiment levels, even after the longest milking interval.     

Epidemiological Analyses of the Associations between bovine udder health and milking machine and milking management

This paper presents data from 158 dairy herds in northern Norway. The influence of the milking machine and milking management on the prevalence of subclinical mastitis and herd cell counts was calculated from a least squares model by a backward elimination procedure. It was shown that 16–45% of the herd udder health variation found at the start of the programme could be associated with milking machine and milking management variables. The following variables were found to be of significance: number of clusters in the herd, vaccum, function and vaccum regulator, undulation of pipeline, limping of pulsator, rate of pulsator, type of claw-piece, hygienic/-technical condition of liner, preparation time, air admission during application of teat cups, overmilking and machine-on time.     

Effect of setting a maximum milking time,from peak lactation,on production,milking time and udder health

Abstract

AIM: To examine the effect of setting a maximum milking time, from peak lactation until drying-off, on production, duration of milking, and udder health of dairy cows.

METHODS: Forty cows were assigned in twin-pairs to be either milked until cups were removed at a milk flow-rate threshold of 0.35 kg/minute (Control), or until cups were removed at a milk flow-rate threshold of 0.35 kg/minute, or maximum time, whichever came first (MaxT). The maximum time was set by determining the milking time of the 70th percentile cow when ranked from fastest to slowest, irrespective of yield. The milking routine was typical of that practised on dairy farms in New Zealand, and involved no pre-milking preparation. The study began at peak lactation (68 (SD 7) days in milk; DIM) and continued for 26 weeks. Duration of milking and milk yield were measured for each milking. Composition of milk was determined from weekly herd tests, and milk quality from fortnightly somatic cell counts (SCC). Completeness of milking and teat condition were assessed during the study. The bacterial status of quarter milk samples was determined at the beginning and end of the study, and all treated cases of clinical mastitis recorded. ANOVA was used to examine the effect of treatment group on variables of interest.

RESULTS: Total milk, fat and protein yields during the study period did not differ between treatments. On average, 30.3% of the morning and 27.6% of the afternoon milkings of MaxT cows reached the maximum time at which cups were removed, and were therefore shortened. While the average milking time of the slowest-milking cow was longer for the Control compared with MaxT group in Weeks 1–18, the average milking time did not differ between treatments. There was no difference in overall SCC, and the incidence of clinical mastitis, or the percentage of infected quarters at drying-off, was similar for the MaxT and Control cows.

CONCLUSION: The results show that setting a maximum milking time can reduce the milking time of slower-milking cows in a herd without compromising overall herd production and udder health.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Although the numbers of cows in the study were small there was no evidence of a major increase in SCC, or subclinical or clinical mastitis when a maximum milking time was set for slower-milking cows.     

Duovac 300--udder health and milking routines. A field experiment (author's transl)]

The effect on udder health and milking routine of two Alfa Laval milking units, the Duovac 300 with a normal (380 mm Hg) and a low (250 mm Hg) vacuum phase and the standard HP 100 unit with only the normal (380 mm Hg) vacuum phase, was investigated on six dairy farms. A total of 197 cows were involved in the study. Each herd was divided into two groups which were as similar as possible in terms of age, stage of parturition and milk yield. One group was milked with the Duovac unit, while the other was milked with the HP 100 units for a test period of 100 days. No differences in cell counts from the cow samples, the presence of subclinical mastitis or clinical condition of the teats were observed between the two test groups. The total milking machine time for the Duovac units was longer than for the HP 100 units. However, the time spent in the normal vacuum phase (380 mm Hg) for the Duovac units was shorter than the total milking machine time for the HP 100 units (380 mm Hg). The Duovac units had the shortest machine stripping time, but the "waiting time" for the milkers (the time between the various operations) was longer. These time studies showed that the number of cows milked per hour by one man using four or five Duovac units was equal to or greater than the number of cows milked per hour by one man using three HP 100 units. It was recommended that no more than three HP 100 units be managed by one man.     

The influence of breed and parity on milk yield, and milk yield acceleration curves

This study had two aims. Firstly, we wanted to quantify the effects of breed and parity on lactation curves. A parametric model for describing milk yield for cows [Friggens, N., Emmans, G., Veerkamp, R., 1999. On the use of simple ratios between lactation curve coefficients to describe parity effects on milk production. Livest. Prod. Sci. 62, 1–13] was used. The data contained 155,051 daily records of milk yield from 318 cows of three different breeds; Danish Red, Danish Holstein and Jersey. There were 276, 230, and 98 lactation curves for parities 1, 2 and 3 respectively. For every cow lactation, the parameters of the model were estimated using a least squares procedure for non-linear models. The resulting parameters were analysed in a mixed linear model. Significant effects of parity were observed on the same two parameters as in Friggens et al. [Friggens, N., Emmans, G., Veerkamp, R., 1999. On the use of simple ratios between lactation curve coefficients to describe parity effects on milk production. Livest. Prod. Sci. 62, 1–13]. Breed was also found to have a significant effect on some of the parameters. However, there was no significant interaction between breed and parity. The second aim of the study was to evaluate the properties of acceleration in milk yield in the context of providing an indicator for physiological stress and subsequent health problems. Milk yield acceleration was highest around calving and also reflected trends for higher stress/risk for higher yielding cows.     

Effect of staphylococcal contamination of the bovine udder on milk yield

Zinc sulphate was added to the drinking water of Angus cows and calves grazing an area considered marginal for copper nutrition of cattle. Mean daily intakes of approximately 12–15 mg Zn/kg live-weight further depressed already low plasma copper concentrations to levels considered to indicate copper deficiency. The plasma copper concentrations in untreated animals increased during the trial indicating adequate copper intakes during this period, but the high zinc intakes of treated animals prevented this seasonal rise. Injection of copper glycinate (0.24 g/animal) alleviated the depression of plasma copper associated with the high zinc intakes. The zinc supplements had little effect on plasma zinc concentrations.     

Effect of restricted suckling on milk yield,composition and flow,udder health,and postpartum anoestrus in grazing Holstein cows

The effect of restricted suckling on milk yield and composition, udder health, and postpartum anoestrus in dairy cows in pasture-based systems, was studied in 32 Holstein multiparous cows and their calves. At calving, each cow–calf pair was randomly assigned to one of two treatments: restricted suckling (RS) of the cows by her own or another calf, twice daily for 30 min or artificial rearing (AR) of the calves with milk obtained from the bulk tank, offered twice a day in buckets. Treatments were applied until week 8 after calving. The diet of the cows consisted of direct grazing in improved pastures, corn silage and a commercial concentrate which was offered at milking. Milk production and composition, udder health, body condition score of the cows, body weight and milk intake of the calves were measured weekly, and the first postpartum ovulation was determined three times a week by ovarian ultrasonography. Cows with RS management had a lower machine-milked milk yield (17.9 vs. 24.8 kg/d), a lower fat percentage (3.21 vs. 4.11%) and 4% fat-corrected milk yield (16.2 vs. 25.7 kg/d), and also a lower average milk flow (1.35 vs. 1.76 kg/min) than cows in the AR treatment. There was no effect of treatment on milk protein percentage or udder health as measured by milk electrical conductivity. The interval from calving to first postpartum ovulation was shorter in the AR cows than in the RS cows (18.5 vs. 21.8 days). The RS calves consumed more milk (7.2 vs. 5.4 kg/d), gained more body weight (0.813 vs. 0.656 kg/d), and had a higher body weight at weaning (84.3 vs. 73.3 kg) than AR calves. Restricted suckling of grazing dairy cows had a negative effect on machine-milked milk yield, fat percentage and 4% fat-corrected milk yield, but had no effect on udder health or on improved weight gain and body weight at weaning of the calves.     

影响奶牛产奶量的主要因素浅析

品质优良的奶牛是在优质饲料的供应下、在科学的饲养管理条件下、在健康无疾病和舒适的生活环境中实现的。各国对于高产奶牛的定义有所差异,以饲养和营养水平较高的美国为例,高产奶牛是指305d产奶量超过11000kg的奶牛。根据我国目前的饲养水平,由于饲养管理及饲料组成的影响,年产奶量超过8000kg即可算高产奶牛。1遗传因素不同品种、个体和体重均影响奶牛产奶量。每头奶牛的产奶量若年递增大约2%￣3%,那其中来自于遗传因素为33%￣40%,其余的60%￣67%来自于饲养和管理。同一品种内的不同个体,其产奶量和乳脂率也有差异。体重大的个体其产奶量…     

Elimination of erythromycin in milk after intramammary administration in cows with specific mastitis: relation to dose,milking frequency and udder health

Elimination of erythromycin in milk following intramammary therapy of specific mastitis in cows was studied. Five cows received therapy in one quarter (G1), and eight in two quarters with five milked twice (G2) and three thrice a day (G3). Dose infused was 300 mg/quarter 12 h × 5 times. The drug concentrations in milk were determined using microbial assay technique with Micrococcus luteus as the test organism. Considerable variations occurred in the excretion of drug; levels for treated quarters being 8.25 to 37.61 μg/ml at first milking that declined rapidly at 24 h and no drug activity was observed beyond 36 h post treatment. In total, about 6–25% of the last infused dose appeared in the milk. Drug crossed to 1/15 quarter (G1), 6/10 quarters (G2) and all the six untreated quarters (G3). Crossover levels were significantly higher in mastitic quarters and for G3 cows, but duration of excretion remained same in all cases. It seems that crossover of erythromycin to untreated quarters is related to the udder health and dose infused.     

半胱胺对奶牛产奶量、乳脂率和饲料转化率的影响

半胱胺又名 β -巯基乙胺 (Cysteamine ,Cs) ,是动物体内辅酶A(CoA)的组成部分 ,为一种非激素类生理活性物质 ,在动物体细胞中可检测到其存在 (Millard ,1 985 )。经多种动物试验研究表明 ,饲料中添加半胱胺能耗竭动物体内的生长抑制激素(SS) ,同时促进机体内源性生长激素 (GH)的合成释放增加 ,随着生长抑制激素浓度的降低 ,消化液分泌增多 ,促进了消化和吸收 ,整体代谢水平提高(王燕玲等 ,1 999)。为探讨饲料中添加半胱胺对奶牛产奶量的影响 ,进行本次试验。1　材料与方法1 1　试验药品　半胱胺 (Cs87)由上海华广达生化实业有限公司…