Lactose in blood plasma and the ability of dairy cows to tolerate once-daily milking in terms of milk loss and milk recovery

Abstract

This experiment described the variability among cows with the aim of studying the ability of dairy cows to tolerate once-daily milking (ODM) in terms of milk losses and milk recoveries observed when cows are switched from twice- to once-daily milking and then back to twice-daily milking (TDM). It also aimed to investigate whether or not lactose in blood plasma, which indicates the mammary epithelium permeability, is correlated with milk losses and recoveries and, consequently, a potential candidate assessor of dairy cow tolerance to ODM. The study used 86 crossbred dairy cows (Holstein × Normande) split into 5 groups over 2 yr. The trial consisted of 3 successive periods: a 1-wk control period of TDM, then 3 wk of ODM, followed by 2 wk of TDM. Blood samples were collected 1 to 1.5h before the morning milking and 5 to 6h after milking on d −3, 0, 1, 3, 7, 21, 23, and 28, where d 0 is the last d of the control period. Milk losses measured as kilograms per day were higher in cows with highest control-period milk yields (r=−0.66). When expressed in relative terms (%), milk losses were weakly correlated with the control-period milk yield (r=−0.22). When switched back to TDM, cows recovered only 47% of the milk lost. Milk recovery (kg/d) was weakly correlated with control milk yield (r=0.34) and not correlated with ODM milk yield. Milk recovery was correlated with milk yield losses: the higher the milk yield losses (kg/d or %), the higher the milk recovery (kg/d; r=−0.59 and −0.52, respectively). Rate of milk recovery expressed as the quantity of milk recovered per kilogram of milk lost, was not correlated with milk loss expressed as a percentage. This means that to be considered well-adapted to ODM scheduling, a cow must be well adapted to milk loss, and be well adapted to milk recovery. Blood plasma lactose concentration (log10-transformed data) was not correlated with milk production levels in either control, ODM, or back-to-TDM periods. It was poorly correlated with milk loss but was positively correlated with milk recovery (kg/d) and rate of milk recovery. We conclude that blood plasma lactose needs to be coupled with other indicators for evaluating dairy cow tolerance to ODM.