Effect Of Drying- Off Period And Teat Dipping On Productivity Of Dairy Cows

Abstract

This study was conducted to investigate effect of period of drying off and teat dipping on dairy cow production. This study was carried out at Sami Asaad Dairy Farm at Abo-Hamad city in SharkiaProvince in the period from first of December, 2010 till end of November, 2011. The data were obtained from farm book record and were collected from one hundred dairy cows (Holstein Friesian) to assess the effect of length of dry off period, age and lactation season on dairy cow production. The obtained results showed that the cows with a dry period of 45, 46 and 59 days, had the highest milk yield at 305-day. So, increasing the dry period lead to an increase in milk yield of subsequent lactation. Furthermore, the total milk production was increased gradually from 3 to 7 years, after that it decreased. Also to evaluate the effect of teat dipping on dairy cow’s milk production in the period from first of July till end of September, 2011; the data obtained from sixteen dairy cows (Holstein Frisian), divided into 2 groups, group A (n= 8) wherethe udder washed, dried with a clean toilet tissues and the teats dipped in 70% ethyl alcohol solution, while group B (n=8) without teat dipping. The results revealed that the teat dipping after milking decrease the incidence of mastitis and increase milk yield. In conclusion, length of dry off period, age, lactation season and teat dipping have significantly effect on milk yield in dairy cows.