The effects of once daily milking as a management practice in late lactation

G.A. Lynch, M.E. Hunt, D.D.S. Mackenzie

Farms Administration Department, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand

Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production. 1991, 51: 191-196

244 cows managed as a single herd were divided into 4 balanced groups. Group A was milked once daily for the last 89 days of lactation, Group B 61 days and Group C 33 days. All cows including a control group milked twice daily, were dried off on the same date. After culling using commercial criteria the remaining 192 cows were milked twice daily in the subsequent lactation.

Within one week of imposing once daily milking, daily yield of milk, fat and protein fell by 14.6-11.4%, 10.6-8.5% and 8.8-4.0% respectively when compared to twice daily milked cows. Once daily milking increased protein concentration and somatic cell counts. The relative falls in production observed seven days after the imposition of treatment remained until drying off with consequential reductions in total yield over the period of treatment.

Once daily milking reduced the rate of liveweight loss in late lactation. Differences of up to 12.4kg liveweight remained between groups prior to calving in the subsequent lactation, but no differences could be detected after calving. Improve reproductive or productive performance was not observed in the subsequent lactation.

Keywords: NZSAPAB; Once daily milking; liveweight; milk production; milk equality

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Last Updated 25-01-1997