Lifetime production of high-yielding dairy cows

Z Novakovic,N Popovic,R Beskorovajni,M Lazarevic,D Niksic,V Pantelic,D Ostojic-Andric

doi:10.2298/bah1403399n

Abstract

Lifetime milk production is a key success factor in fulfilling the production potential of high-yielding cows. Lifetime milk production traits are pronouncedly variable. The life expectancy and the length of productive life of dairy cows are repeatedly limiting factors for improving lifetime milk production. Lifetime milk production is greatly depended on age at first calving and the number of lactations during productive life. Previous researches have implied there are real chances for improving the lifetime milk production of high-yielding cows. The goal of this research was to investigate the significance of key systematic factors on the lifetime production of high-yielding Black-and-White cows. The animals included in the sample had different share of Holstein genes. The researchers determined systematic factors that caused some significant phenotypic variations of the investigated trait. The average lifetime milk production was 25,002.66?7,755.39 kg. When observed by cow genotypes, the mean values of the lifetime milk production varied from 27,061.37 kg (<58% HF) and 24,761.26 kg (58-73% HF) to 23,185.36 kg (>73% HF). The differences in lifetime milk production determined among the animals were due to a highly significant (p?0.01) impact of the bulls ? the sires of the cows and the year of culling; the impact of the class of HF genes was significant (p?0.05), whereas the impact of the reason for culling was non-significant (p>0.05).

Highlights

The key factor of milk production economic efficiency is the lifetime production of high-yielding cows
The goal of this research was to investigate the significance of key systematic factors on the lifetime production of high-yielding Black-and-White cows with different share of Holstein genes
The investigation and analysis of key systematic factors on achieving lifetime production was conducted on a herd of Black-and-White cows

Summary

Introduction

The key factor of milk production economic efficiency is the lifetime production of high-yielding cows. Higher lifetime milk production ensures better economic results per cow. Economic efficiency is mostly a result of achieved milk production and longevity (Heins et al, 2012; Martens and Bange, 2013). Milk production depends on age at first calving, the length of productive life and milk yield in certain lactations (De Vries, 2008). An important characteristic of lifetime production is a high variability. Many factors can affect the lifetime productivity of high-yielding cows, most important of which is a breed, breed selection, the environment, feeding and fertility (Petrović et al, 2007; Terawaki and Ducrocq, 2009). Milk yield per lactation has greatly increased in the last couple of decades, whereas in the same period productive life has shortened (Hare et al, 2006)

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