Manipulating milk production in early lactation through photoperiod changes and milking frequency

2004 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 675-685 ◽  
Author(s):  
Geoffrey E. Dahl ◽  
Tera L. Auchtung ◽  
Eric D. Reid
2010 ◽  
Vol 50 (10) ◽  
pp. 939 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. H. Donohue ◽  
K. L. Kerrisk ◽  
S. C. Garcia ◽  
D. A. Dickeson ◽  
P. C. Thomson

The adaptation success of inexperienced heifers to a pasture-based automated milking system (AMS) is likely to influence the viability and feasibility of the system. This study evaluated two heifer training programs designed to improve adaptation success to determine their impact on early lactation performance within a pasture-based AMS. The two training programs involved heifers calving in spring 2007 (S07) and autumn 2008 (A08) being managed as members of the milking herd for 2 weeks, starting 2 months before their expected calving date. In each calving season, heifers were randomised into two treatment groups with one being fed and teat sprayed (FTS) while visiting the milking stations, while the other group passed through (PT) the milking stations. Milk yield, milking frequency and waiting time were selected as indicators of early lactation performance within an AMS and were reported as values relative to those measured by their experienced herdmates (within calving season). Longer relative waiting times (hours spent in pre-milking area where experienced herdmates = 1.0; FTS: 1.36 vs PT: 1.95; P = 0.006) may have been one cause of the low relative milk production levels reported (range 0.49 S07PT–0.78 A08PT). The milking frequencies of the heifers were in line with their experienced herdmates (range 0.83 S07PT–1.10 A08PT). There were no significant differences between the two training programs, indicating that farmers could adopt either program and expect similar early lactation heifer performance. The choice of program would more likely be affected by AMS utilisation levels, costs of consumables (teat spray and concentrate feed) and any existing desire to feed concentrate to heifers during the training period.


2013 ◽  
Vol 91 (1) ◽  
pp. 446-454 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Prieto ◽  
R. Bodas ◽  
Ó. López-Campos ◽  
S. Andrés ◽  
S. López ◽  
...  

1982 ◽  
Vol 22 (115) ◽  
pp. 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
C Grainger ◽  
GD Wilhelms ◽  
AA McGowan

Two experiments were carried out to measure effects of body condition at calving and different levels of feeding after calving on milk and subsequent reproduction.In experiment 1, which was conducted in two consecutive years, 162 cows (77 in year 1 and 85 in year 2) were group feed so as to reach a target body condition (condition scores ranging from 3-6) four weeks before calving. During the last four weeks before calving, all cows were managed so as to maintain their individual condition scores. At calving, cows in similar condition of similar breed and with similar previous milk production were allocated to high and low levels of feeding at pasture for the first five weeks of lactation. Mean pasture intakes were 13.0 and 7.0kg dry matter (DM)/cow.d in year 1 and 15.0 and 8.5 kg DM/cow.d in year 2In experiment 2, 40 cows were offered pasture and hay from 20 weeks before calving to achieve a body condition score of either 4 or 6 by two weeks before calving. During the first five weeks of lactation, cows were individually fed in stalls on freshly cut pasture at one of three levels of intake, 7 or 10 kg DM/cow.d or .In both experiments cows were grazed as one group from week 6 to 20 of lactation.Improved body condition at calving resulted in an extra 4.0, 11.0 and 7.4 kg milk fat per unit condition score over 20 weeks of lactation, for year 1 and 2 of experiment 1, and experiment 2, respectively. Cows in poorer condition partitioned a higher proportion of feed energy to liveweight at the expense of milk production than did the cows in better condition. However, increasing the plane of nutrition in early lactation resulted in higher levels of milk production and reduced the need for cows to mobilize bodyreserves. Improved body condition at calving had a positive effect on milk fat percentage, particularly in early lactation, but did not affect milk protein percentage. Input-output relations calculated from the experimental data showed that the benefit sf to improve body condition before calving was less than that of additional feeding after calvin changes in the condition of the cows were taken into consideration (25.8 vs 1 4.6 kg DM to yi kilogram of milkfat). Improvements in condition and feeding in early lactation reduced the anoestrus interval after calving by 5.7 d for each additional condition score at calving and 1. d for each additional kgDM/cow.d fed over weeks 1-5 of lactation. The input-output relations resented will enable farmers to assess the likely consequenes of changes in their feeding management in the crucial peripartum period with a greater degree of confidence than in the past.


animal ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 7 (9) ◽  
pp. 1479-1485 ◽  
Author(s):  
A.Werner Omazic ◽  
M. Tråvén ◽  
J. Bertilsson ◽  
K. Holtenius

1997 ◽  
Vol 1997 ◽  
pp. 130-130
Author(s):  
M.G. Goodwill ◽  
N.S. Jessop ◽  
J.D. Oldham

Milk production depends on both the number and activity of secretory cells within the mammary gland. Our earlier work showed the sensitivity of lactational performance to changes in diet during lactation (Goodwill et al, 1996). This study investigated the influence of protein undernutrition and re-alimentation on secretory cell proliferation and death in the mammary gland of rats during early lactation.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document