Translactational associations of dry off management, milking activity, and somatic cell count in herds with automated milking systems

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate associations of dry off management factors, milking activity and production data, and somatic cell count prior to dry off and early in the subsequent lactation of cows milked by automated systems. Data were collected for 342 cows from five farms, for two milk tests prior to dry off, and for the two milk tests post calving. The results suggest that the post-calving milking performance of cows milked by automated systems may be more associated with individual cow traits than with their dry off management.