Machine milk yield and composition of non-dairy Corriedale sheep in Uruguay

Abstract

Milk production after total weaning was 71.05 1 per lactation of 100 days. Total milk yield obtained by machine, including once a day milking during partial weaning and twice a day milking after total weaning to a level of 0.4 1 per day (120 days), was 90 1 per ewe. Average milk composition was: fat, 7.16%; protein, 6.32%; lactose, 5.27%; solid non-fat, 12.68%. Fat content during partial weaning ranged from 1.77 to 3.13%. Correlation between one recording during partial weaning and total milk yield was 0.64 and between first recording after weaning and total milk yield was 0.79. It was concluded that the Corriedale breed adapted well to milk production and the animals appeared to be producing close to their genetic potential. Lamb growth was not a good indicator of dairy milk production; however, a single milking record taken early during lactation had a high correlation with total milk yield.