Housing of Norwegian goat herds and associations with milk yield and milk quality |
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| Authors: | E Simensen F Hardeng T Lunder |
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| Institution: | 1. Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences , Norwegian School of Veterinary Science , Oslo, Norway egil.simensen@fjellnett.no;3. Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences , Norwegian School of Veterinary Science , Oslo, Norway;4. Tine BA Norwegian Dairies , ?s, Norway |
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| Abstract: | Abstract Data from a questionnaire regarding housing factors were merged with data from the milk recording databases (herd mean annual milk yield per goat, somatic cell count (SCC) and bulk milk bacterial count), and the material included 235 herds. Associations with housing factors were tested at herd level and at individual goat level. Housing in insulated buildings with no access to outdoor areas during the winter season, expanded metal grating and no use of bedding predominated. None of the housing factors evaluated were significantly associated with milk yield. In herds using water nipples, SCC was lower compared to herds using water bowls. SCC was also lower in herds with milking facilities in separate milking stalls as compared with combined feeding milking stalls in common pens. No significant associations were found between housing factors and bacterial counts, but the counts were lower in herds with high average milk yields per goat. |
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| Keywords: | Goat housing goat milk somatic cell count bacterial count |
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