Kg Of Milk Research Articles

BREEDING HERITAGE OF DAIRY CATTLE OF UKRAINE – UKRAINIAN WHITE-HEADED BREED

BREEDING HERITAGE OF DAIRY CATTLE OF UKRAINE – UKRAINIAN WHITE-HEADED BREED

THE PRODUCTIVITY OF THE FIRST CALVING COWS OF DIFFERENT CONDITIONS GROWING AND HOUSING

Introduction. The purpose of the work was to study the influence of different conditions of rearing and housing of the first calving cows on their productivity, reproductive capacity and stayability during lactation at the current stage of breeding. Materials and methods of research. The work was carried out based on the data of four breeding plants for the breeding of Ukrainian black and white dairy cows. The data of 3.610 first calving cows that calved during the last six years were analyzed. Statistical processing of the obtained data was carried out by the method of two-factor variance analysis using computer programs. During the analysis, the data were divided by the age of first fertilization and the average daily gain before fertilization. Only animals with a duration of lactation of more than 200 days were selected to determine productivity indicators for lactation. The stayability was determined for the first 10 months of lactation. In determining the probability of abortion and stillbirth, calvings with stillborn calves and abortions after which lactation began are taken into account. Research results. It was established that the live weight of first calving cows, regardless of the housing, increased proportionally to the intensity of their growing. In stall housing, the live weight of first servis that were fertilized at different ages had no significant differences, while in free stall housing, the first calving cows that were inseminated before the age of 470 days had an advantage of 12–19 kg. In terms of milk yield for 305 days of lactation, the first calving cow that were kept tethered and were fertilized at an earlier age exceeded the animals of other groups by 29–148 kg of milk, and those kept without tethering by 564–989 kg. Intensively reared animals produced 244–539 kg of milk more when tethered, and when tethered, this difference was significantly greater and amounted to 530–1081 kg, compared to first calving cow with an increase of less than 800 g. A reading has been established for the trend of increasing the milk yields from the changes in the first fertilization. The intensity of the growth of the heifers before the flooding also has a positive impact on their day milk yield. The probability of unsuccessful calving does not depend on the age of the first insemination in stall housing, but in free housing, animals that were inseminated before 470 days of age had 36–46% more unfavorable results with calving than those that were inseminated in older age The probability of abortion and the birth of a dead calf during stall housing heifers with different intensities of growing before fertilization also had no significant differences, and during free housing heifers with an average daily gain of more than 800 g had 7–9 more cases of unsuccessful calving, calculated on 100 animal compared to heifers with a lower intensity of growing. Conclusions. Increasing the intensity of raising heifers and reducing the age of first insemination contribute to increasing their productivity. It is necessary to carry out constant monitoring of repair youngsters for fatness and to prevent obesity. It leads to a decrease in reproductive capacity, unfavorable calving and, as a result, an increase in the probability of culling in the first lactation, especially in in free housing.

STATE OF LIVESTOCK IN UKRAINE: MONITORING FOR 2021

STATE OF LIVESTOCK IN UKRAINE: MONITORING FOR 2021

MILK PRODUCTIVITY OF BLACK-AND-WHITE COWS AND HER CROSSBREEDS WITH HOLSTEINS

The article presents the results of milk productivity of purebred heifers of the black-and-white breed and its crossbreeds with holsteins. It was found that for 305 days of lactation, black-and-white cows produce an average of 7910 kg in the herd with a mass fraction of fat in milk of 3.76%. From the first heifers in the first lactation, 7003 ± 158.1 kg are milked with a live weight of 638 ± 18.2 kg. From fullaged cows of the 3rd and subsequent lactation, 8178 ± 125.9 kg are milked with a live weight of 697 ± 18.4 kg. The fat content in milk varies from 3.80% to 3.82%. Cows of the breeding core produce 9341 ± 184.2 kg of milk, of the breeding group 8921±97.7. It has been established that the Holstein breed of black–and–white color has a positive effect on increasing milk yields, milk fat and protein yield during lactation, improving the technological and morpho functional properties of the udder, as well as on the lactation curve, which is more balanced and smooth than that of domestic dairy cows. The results of the research showed that in the herds of JSC APK "Adal" in black-and white and Holstein cows, the duration of the service period varied from 149 to 158 days. The intercalving period ranged from 432.6 to 439.4 days, the age of the first calving in black-and-white was 843 days and holsteins were 794 days, the coefficient of reproductive ability was 0.84 and 0.83 units, which meets the requirements of highly productive dairy cattle breeding.

Production performance of Holstein crossbred cows under the existing farming system in a certain area of Bangladesh

This study aimed to assess the effect of existing feeding system on milk yield and nutritional status and profitability of 75.0% and 87.5% Holstein crossbreed cows under existing farming system in an area of Bangladesh. In a milk pocket area (Keraniganj, Dhaka), three dairy farms termed F1, F2 and F3 were randomly selected having 34, 55 and 19 lactating cows, which 75% and 87.5% Holstein blood were 48 and 60, respectively. Using pretest questionnaire information like body weight, daily milk production, parity number, days in milking, blood percentage and feeding system of each animal were noted throughout a year. All data of three farms were subjected to analyze in one-way ANOVA in terms of 75% and 87.5% Holstein cows, separately. The body weight (kg) of 75% Holstein were F1 (296), F2 (497) and F3 (496) cows (p<0.05), while daily milk yield (kg) did not differ markedly among F1 (9.1), F2 (10.5) and F3 (13.9) (p>0.05), respectively. 75% Holstein of F1 offered almost, metabolizable energy (ME) and digestible crude protein (DCP), while cows of F2 and F3 fed daily insufficient DCP (-0.14kg) and over DCP (+0.47kg), respectively thus resulting in 37.2% less milk yield in F3 compared to F2 (p<0.05). Besides, 87.5% cows of F1, F2 and F3 had 365, 528 and 566kg body weight (p<0.05) and daily produced 10.5, 10.8 and 19.4kg milk (p>0.05), respectively. However, 87.5% cows of F1 daily offered almost balance ME and DCP, while the cows of F2 fed lower DCP (-0.2kg). Then, cows of F3 daily fed excessive DCP (+0.14kg) thus resulting in produced 8.6kg higher milk than cows of F2. Net return except depreciation cost from 75% cows of F1, F2 and F3 were 118, 170 and 145BDT, while 87.5% cows of F1, F2 and F3 were 189, 196, and 413BDT (p>0.05), respectively. It may be concluded that under existing feeding system and farming practices, cows from the F1, F2, and F3 of 75% and 87.5% Holstein blood daily produced 9.8, 10.7 and 16.7kg of milk per day with 330, 512, and 531kg body weight on average, generating 154, 183, and 279BDT in profit, respectively. Feeding lower nutrient to dairy cows resulted better milk yield and return at the sacrifice of cow fitness, while excessive feeding lead to higher milk yield but lower return, whereas optimum nutrition resulted in better milk yield and return.

Effects of corn silage supplementation strategy and grazing intensity on herbage intake, milk production, and behavior of dairy cows

Effects of corn silage supplementation on milk production of grazing dairy cows depend in part on the substitution rate between the 2 forages, which may be influenced by grazing management. The aim of this study was to compare 2 grazing management strategies for measuring substitution rate between herbage and corn silage, in interaction with grazing intensity. Six treatments were compared, with 2 grazing intensities and 3 supplementation strategies investigated at both grazing intensities. The 2 grazing intensities were severe and light grazing, defined by either (1) herbage allowance (HA) of 15 (severe) or 30 (light) kg dry matter (DM)/cow per d at 3 cm above ground level or (2) postgrazing sward height, depending on the supplementation strategy. The 3 supplementation strategies were as follows: (U) an unsupplemented treatment, (A) 5 kg DM/d of corn silage offered at a similar HA as in U, and (H) 5 kg DM/d of corn silage offered at a similar postgrazing sward height as in U. Thirty-six multiparous Holstein cows were used in a randomized complete block design and divided in 2 groups for the entire experiment, one for each grazing intensity. Within each grazing intensity group, the corn silage supplementation strategy was studied using a 3 × 3 Greco-Latin square design, with 3 periods of 14 d. Supplementing cows with corn silage increased total DM intake only for severe grazing by 1.7 kg DM/d. The substitution rate between corn silage and grazed herbage was lower for severe than for light grazing, averaging 0.63 and 1.23, respectively. Herbage dry matter intake was lower by 1.2 kg/d for strategy H than A, leading to lower substitution rates (0.81 vs. 0.99, respectively), irrespective of grazing intensity. Milk production increased with silage supplementation for severe grazing (+1.0 kg/d milk) and was unaffected by silage supplementation for light grazing (-0.4 kg/d milk). The milk production response to corn silage supplementation averaged +0.23 and -0.08 kg of milk per kg DM of silage for severe and light grazing, respectively. Fat-corrected milk production tended to be lower by 0.4 kg/d for strategy H than A, leading to lower milk production response (+0.00 vs. +0.12 kg of milk per kg DM of silage, respectively). Milk protein concentration increased with silage supplementation for severe grazing (+1.0 g/kg) but decreased with silage supplementation for light grazing (-0.6 g/kg). Milk fat concentration did not differ among treatments. On average, daily grazing time (-47 min/d, i.e., -9%) and herbage intake rate (-4.9 g of DM/min, i.e., -14%) decreased when cows were supplemented, with greater grazing time reduction at severe than light grazing, and greater herbage intake rate reduction at light than severe grazing. In conclusion, the greater substitution rate and the lower 4% fat-corrected milk production when corn silage was provided at a similar postgrazing sward height rather than at a similar HA to those of unsupplemented cows explain why supplementing grazing dairy cows with conserved forages has no strong effect in practice from a production point of view.

Exploring milk loss and variability during environmental perturbations across lactation stages as resilience indicators in Holstein cattle.

Genetic selection for resilience is essential to improve the long-term sustainability of the dairy cattle industry, especially the ability of cows to maintain their level of production when exposed to environmental disturbances. Recording of daily milk yield provides an opportunity to develop resilience indicators based on milk losses and fluctuations in daily milk yield caused by environmental disturbances. In this context, our study aimed to explore milk loss traits and measures of variability in daily milk yield, including log-transformed standard deviation of milk deviations (Lnsd), lag-1 autocorrelation (Ra), and skewness of the deviations (Ske), as indicators of general resilience in dairy cows. The unperturbed dynamics of milk yield as well as milk loss were predicted using an iterative procedure of lactation curve modeling. Milk fluctuations were defined as a period of at least 10 successive days of negative deviations in which milk yield dropped at least once below 90% of the expected values. Genetic parameters of these indicators and their genetic correlation with economically important traits were estimated using single-trait and bivariate animal models and 8,935 lactations (after quality control) from 6,816 Chinese Holstein cows. In general, cows experienced an average of 3.73 environmental disturbances with a milk loss of 267kg of milk per lactation. Each fluctuation lasted for 19.80 ± 11.46days. Milk loss traits are heritable with heritability estimates ranging from 0.004 to 0.061. The heritabilities differed between Lnsd (0.135-0.250), Ra (0.008-0.058), and Ske (0.001-0.075), with the highest heritability estimate of 0.250 ± 0.020 for Lnsd when removing the first and last 10days in milk in a lactation (Lnsd2). Based on moderate to high genetic correlations, lower Lnsd2 is associated with less milk losses, better reproductive performance, and lower disease incidence. These findings indicate that among the variables evaluated, Lnsd2 is the most promising indicator for breeding for improved resilience in Holstein cattle.

Effects of a combination of Capsicum oleoresin and clove essential oil on metabolic status, lactational performance, and enteric methane emissions in dairy cows.

Botanical extracts have a potential to modify ruminal fermentation while enhancing metabolism and immunity in dairy cows. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of a combination of Capsicum oleoresin and clove essential oil (botanicals; BTC) on lactational performance, nutrient utilization, enteric methane (CH4) emissions, and blood parameters in dairy cows. Twenty Holstein cows (12 multiparous and 8 primiparous) averaging (±SD) 77 ± 28 d in milk in the beginning of the study were used in a replicated 4 × 4 Latin square design experiment with 4 periods of 28 d each. Cows were grouped into squares based on parity, milk yield and days in milk, and assigned to 1 of 4 treatments: control (CON), 150, 300, or 600 mg/cow per day of BTC. Cows received the same basal diet and BTC were top-dressed on the total mixed ration once daily. Dry matter intake, milk production, and milk composition were not affected by BTC supplementation, except for milk fat content that tended to be increased in BTC, compared with CON. Daily CH4 emission (measured using the GreenFeed system) was linearly decreased by up to 7.5% with increasing doses of BTC. Treatment decreased CH4 yield (kg of CH4 ÷ kg of DMI) and tended to decrease CH4 intensity (kg of CH4 ÷ kg of milk or energy-corrected milk yields) by 5% in BTC, compared with CON. Supplementation of BTC resulted in a quadratic decrease of serum β-hydroxybutyrate in all cows, and a linear decrease of serum insulin concentration in primiparous but not in multiparous cows. Nutrient utilization and other blood parameters (e.g., blood cells count) were not affected by BTC in the current study. The reduction of enteric CH4 emission demonstrates a moderate mitigation effect on carbon footprint of milk by BTC supplementation. These results must be further investigated and confirmed in longer-term experiments.

PENILAIAN DAUR HIDUP PRODUK SUSU SAPI SEGAR: STUDI KASUS DI KPBS PANGALENGAN

Milk is food from livestock (animal) from dairy cows which contains protein, fat, vitamins, and minerals that can affect nutritional levels, especially in children during their growth period. The high interest in milk consumption in Indonesia affects the milk processing industry to increase every year. Starting from smallholder farms, milk can be processed into dairy products that are suitable for consumption by the community. The process of processing whole milk into dairy products that are ready to be consumed through a process that produces emissions, so that it has the potential to have an impact on the environment. The purpose of this study is to identify and quantify the materials and energy used, the amount of emissions produced from the milk production process, and estimate the magnitude of the impact on the environment and provide recommendations for alternative process improvements to minimize these impacts. The method used is a life cycle assessment (LCA) with a cradle to gate scope, starting from activities in livestock, animal feed, transportation, and process activities in cooperatives. The emission impacts studied in this study are greenhouse gases (GHG), acidification, and eutrophication. The case study was conducted at the South Bandung Dairy Cooperative (KPBS) Pangalengan. This cooperative consists of thousands of small-scale dairy farmers who contribute to the milk processing industry in Indonesia. Based on the results of the study, the impact values ​​of GHG, acidification, and eutrophication per 1 kg of milk were 10,1 kg CO2 eq, 0.03 kg SO2 eq, and 0.03 kg PO43-eq, respectively. Transportation and activities on livestock are the highest hotspots in these emissions. Efforts to reduce environmental impacts that can be done are by implementing an integrated livestock system for the utilization of nutrients from cow dung waste. Keywords: acidification, eutrophication, fresh milk, greenhouse gases, LCA

Understanding variability in carbon footprint of smallholder dairy farms in the central highlands of Ethiopia.

Smallholder dairy farms face enormous challenges in increasing milk production while mitigating greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, thereby enhancing climate resilience. The carbon footprint (CF) of smallholder milk production is expected to increase with increasing demand for dairy products under the business-as-usual scenario. This study estimates the carbon footprint of smallholder milk production and examines variation across farms using data from 480 households to identify viable options for mitigating GHG emissions. We applied a cradle to farm-gate life cycle assessment (LCA) approach to examine the effects of farming systems on GHG emission intensities across intensification gradients of smallholder farms (SHF) from four potential dairy districts in the central highlands of Ethiopia. According to our findings, enteric fermentation was the primary source of GHG emissions, and methane(CH4) emissions from enteric fermentation and manure management accounted for the majority of total emissions across farms. The estimated average CF varies depending on farming systems, global warming potential (GWP), and allocation methods used. When GHG emissions were allocated to multiple products using economic allocation and based on IPCC (2007)and IPCC (2014)GWPs, the overall average CF of milk production was 1.91 and 2.35kg CO2e/kg fat and protein-corrected milk (FPCM), respectively. On average, milk accounted for 72% of total greenhouse gas emissions. In terms of farm typology, rural SHF systems produced significantly more CF per kg of milk than urban and peri-urban SHF systems. Variations in milk yield explained more than half of the variation in GHG emissions intensity at the farm level. Feed digestibility and feed efficiency had a negative and significant (P < 0.01) association with CF of SHF. Our findings suggested that improving feed digestibility and feed efficiency by increasing the proportion of concentrate and improved forage as well as chemically upgrading straw and crop residue could provide an opportunity to both increase milk yield and reduce the CF of milk production of SHF in the study area. Supporting SHF to realize strategies contributing to climate-resilient dairy development require interventions at several levels in the dairy value chain.

Influence of the age of the first calving on some indicators of productive qualities of brown swiss cows in the conditions of the industrial complex

Presented the results of the research of the influence of different ages of the first insemination and the first calving of Brown Swiss cows on the realization of productive potential and reproductive qualities in a large industrial complex. Researches during 2019–2021 were conducted on the first-heifers of cows (n=242 cows) on the dairy industrial complex "Ekaterinoslavsky" of Dnipropetrovsk region. According to the age of the first calving, were formed five groups of first-heifers: group I (n=27) first calved at the age of 22.7 months, and fertilized – at the age of 13.4 months; group II (n=80) were first fertilized and calved at the age of 16.3 and 25.5 months, respectively; group III (n=56) – 18.9 and 28.1 months, respectively; IV group (n=38) – respectively 22,1 and 31.3 months; V group n=41 – respectively 26.5 and 35.8 months. The age of the first calving of experimental cows of all five groups differed at the level of P&lt;0.001.&#x0D; It was found that the level of average daily milk yield of Swiss first-heifers of different ages at the first calving has a significant intergroup difference. Cows of II and III groups are characterized by high and almost identical indicators, in which they are 30.0 and 30.3 kg, respectively. Slightly lower average daily milk yield is observed in Swiss animals of IV group, in which it does not exceed 29.0 kg, which was inferior to the first-heifers of II group by 3.45 %, and animals of III group – by 4.29 %. Relatively the lowest average daily milk yield is characterized by the first-heifers of I group, in which it does not exceed 28.8 kg, which practically was equal to the milk yield of IV group of Swiss animals and was less than cows of II and III group by 4.17 and 5.21 %, respectively. The highest level of average daily milk yield in first-heifers of I group, in which it did not fall below 32.2 kg. This figure exceeds the animals of II and III groups by 6.83 % (P&lt;0.05) and 5.90 % (P&lt;0.05), respectively. In comparison with the first-heifers of IV and V groups, animals of I group have higher milk yields per day by 9.94 % (P&lt;0.01) and 10.56 % (P&lt;0.01), respectively.&#x0D; It was found that in the researches, the mass fraction of milk fat of all groups of first-heifers was close and ranged from normal to 3.93 % to 4.07 %, and protein – an average of 3.31–3.53 %. The ratio of fat and protein averaged 1.16-1.20, which is normal.&#x0D; It was found that the highest rate of milk yield during 305 days of lactation have first-heifers of the first group, who calved at the age of 22.7 months and have a milk yield of 9810.4 kg. At the same time, the milk productivity cows of II group, which calved at the age of 25.5 months, averaged 9140.0 kg, which is 7.33 % less than I group cows (P&lt;0.05). In the first-heifers of III group, which calved for the first time at the age of 28.1 months, the level of milk productivity averages 9251.8 kg of milk, which is inferior to the first-heifers of I group by 6.04 % (P&lt;0.05). Swiss first-heifers of IV group, in which the first calving was at the age of 31.3 months, have a milk yield of 8832.2 kg of milk, which is 11.08 % less than the rate cows of I group (P&lt;0.01). Relatively the lowest level of milk productivity during 305 days of lactation is characterized by first-heifers of V group, in which the age of the first calving averaged 35.8 months. Only 8789.8 kg of milk was obtained from these animals, which is 12.32 % less than the first-heifers of I group (P&lt;0.01). The total production of milk fat and protein in the first-heifers of I group is the highest and averages 711.3 kg, which is 7.0 % more than animals of II group (P&lt;0.05).&#x0D; It is investigated that Swiss first-heifers of different ages of the first calving are characterized by satisfactory indicators of reproductive function, which are associated with a high level of milk productivity and do not depend on the age of the first calving. Compared to the biological norm in these cows, the service period is 1.76–2.24 times longer, the lactation period is 1.28–1.42 times longer, and the period between calving is 1,19–1,30 times. The adaptation index in all groups of first-heifers has a small negative value, which ranged from ˗5.89 to ˗8.23 units, which indicates satisfactory adaptive qualities in the conditions of intensive technology.

INFLUENCE OF GENETIC FACTORS ON INDICATORS LIFETIME PRODUCTIVITY OF DAIRY CATTLE

Researches results of cows of the Ukrainian Red-and-White lifetime productivity dairy breed on traits of duration of economic use within the limits of an estimation of crossbred genotypes and genealogical formations are resulted. Reliable influence of the conditional share of Holstein breed heredity on the economic use duration and lifetime milk productivity of cows has been established. For the longest time in the herd, crossbred cows with Holstein bloodline of 25.0 % and crossbreeds with heredity of the parent breed up to 50.0 % were used. At the final stage of crossing in animals with blood ratio of 62.5-87.5 %, a noticeable reduction in the duration of economic use was observed. Animals with Holstein bloodlines of 75.0 and 87.5% were inferior to groups of crossbred cows with heredity of 25.0 and 50.0% with reliable difference of 590 and 633 (P&lt;0.001), 432 and 475 (P&lt;0.001) days, respectively.&#x0D; At the same time, from cows with a share of Holstein blood of 87.5 %, the highest lifetime milk yield was obtained with an excess of cows groups of other genotypes by 1250-3260 kg of milk with reliable difference compared to crossbred genotypes with bloodness - 25.0 % (P&lt;0.001), 37.5 (P&lt;0.001), 50.0 (P&lt;0.01) and 62.5 % (P&lt;0.05). The hereditary influence of lines on the indicators of lifetime productivity in intralinear selection and in some variants of interlinear combinations was proved. The influence of genealogical formations on longevity indicators in in-line selection was evidenced by reliable difference between the extreme variants of the assessed lines on the basis of economic use (651 days; P &lt;0.001) and liftime milk yield (14267 kg; P &lt;0.001). According to the results of interline selection in different variants of paternal and maternal lines combinations, significant variability of the offspring obtained from these variants was established, according to the estimated traits of duration of use and lifetume milk production. Cows obtained in all variants of interlinear selection of parental lines Enhancer, Hannover and Valiant with sires of maternal line S. Cavalier have always had high indicators of duration of economic use and lifetime milk productivity.

Тechnological solutions at a dairy complex in the wilderness

Recently, the creation of large livestock complexes has been observed on all continents of the earth. High-yielding cattle herds of dairy cows exist in Holland and Israel, meat breeds - in Argentina and Brazil, pigs - in Denmark and the USA, sheep - in Australia and New Zealand, poultry - everywhere.&#x0D; In Saudi Arabia, the government has taken a decisive course on progressive policies in agriculture. The Al-Safi company produces 75,000 tons of milk per year (7000 kg per cow). It has its own processing plant (300 tons per day). The company employs more than 1,100 people in 137 different positions on a competitive basis. The farm has more than 25000 head of cattle, 225 people work, which is 89 heads per person and 125 cows per milker. Many cows give 10000 kg of milk per lactation (more than 30 kg per day). There are 17 milking parlors and 370 milking machines. The technology of keeping animals includes 5 subdivisions - newborn calves, workshops for raising young animals (heifers, steers for fattening), and an inseminated non-calf workshop.&#x0D; The load per worker is 260 heads. People work from 5 a.m. to 10 a.m. and from 3 a.m. to 6 p.m., they are provided with showers, wall lockers, a washing machine, overalls and shoes, and personal hygiene products.&#x0D; To improve the gene pool of a closed population, artificial insemination is used. Every day, more than 30 calves are born at the farm, which are placed in cages (100 Ч 200 Ч 80 cm) of a calf house without walls. At the age of three months, they are transferred to a group up to a year, then heifers - to a group for fertilization, steers - for fattening. Netels are formed into a separate group. The program of uniform feeding of livestock is based on the use of silage and hay forage with a two-year supply, which ensured the stability and quality of forage, as well as crop rotation. For this purpose, there are silo facilities for 35,000 tons. Hay is harvested in bales or rolls. Organization of breeding and selection of animals is carried out according to a computer program.&#x0D; There are also similar high-tech enterprises in Israel, the USA, Holland and Canada. The talented people of Ukraine are not far behind the Arabs in terms of intelligence, the country's leaders are no stupider than princes and sheikhs, Ukrainian businessmen are no poorer than Arabs, although the sources of income are different.&#x0D; It is necessary to improve the management structure and the quality of the state apparatus, to increase punishment for inaction and fraud. The production and consumption of food determines the well-being of the people, which is so eagerly talked about "above", but there are few effective measures. Everyone must fight for the best together, using both domestic and foreign experience.

The influence of breed characteristics and the level of milk productivity on the quality of colostrum of cows

At the “Pchany-Denkovych” farm of the Stryi district of the Lviv region, the content of immunoglobulins in the colostrum of experimental cows was studied during the entire lactation period, according to lactations, depending on the level of productivity. We also studied the biochemical indicators of colostrum of cows of the Ukrainian black-spotted dairy, Simmental, and Ukrainian red-spotted dairy breeds. The dynamics of the content of immunoglobulins in the colostrum of the cows of the experimental groups and their content depending on the age and level of productivity were established. On the first day, the colostrum of experimental cows of the first, second, and third groups contained 67.4; 86.8; 69.5 g/l of immunoglobulins. On the third, fifth, eighth, and tenth days, its content in the colostrum of cows decreased in the experimental groups, respectively – on the third day, it was 3.6; 4.0; 3.7 times, the fifth – 6.3; 3.4; 5.7; 5.8 times, the eighth – 10.5; 7.9; 8.4 times and the tenth – 25.0; 24.1; 21.7 times. It has been proven that the colostrum of firstborns does not meet the physiological norm. In the dynamics of the content of immunoglobulins by lactation in all cows of the experimental breeds, there is an increase in their content by lactation. At the same time, its maximum rate in different breeds is manifested in different lactations. In cows of the Ukrainian black-spotted dairy breed of the first group and the Ukrainian red-spotted dairy breed of the third group, the entire content was found in the fourth lactation (68.4; 98.9 g/l), and in the Simmental breed of the second – in the fifth lactation (112.5 g/l). According to the maximum index of immunoglobulins, the advantage belongs to cows of the Simmental breed of the second group, which is 44.1 g/l (Р &lt; 0.001) and 13.6 g/l (Р &lt; 0.001) more than the index of cows of the Ukrainian black and red-spotted dairy breeds of the first and the third group. Among cows of different productivity levels, the highest content of immunoglobulins was in the colostrum of Simmental cows (87.83 g/l), with a productivity of up to 4,000 kg of milk per lactation. It was correspondingly low in animals of the Ukrainian black-spotted dairy breed (53.91 g/l) with a productivity of 5001–6000 kg of milk. In the colostrum of Simmental cows belonging to the second group, the maximum absolute content of fat (5.89 %), protein (7.25 %), and dry skimmed milk residue (10.70 %) were determined, and the minimum indicators were found (respectively – 5.42; 6.81 and 10.24 %) in analogs of the Ukrainian black and spotted dairy breed from the first group.

Main economic traits of cows of the factory lines Bukem 66636657 and Blitz 17013604 of the Holstein breed of dairy cattle of domestic selection

The Holstein breed of dairy cattle is the most widespread due to its high productivity (7000–11000 kg of milk with 3.6–3.8 % of fat and 3.0–3.2 % of protein), good adaptability to a variety of climatic, feed and technological conditions, as well as a high feed conversion ratio. In this regard, the breeding of animals of this breed, including the pedigree breeding and the creation of optimal conditions for directional rearing of young animals, is of great importance for the economy of the Republic of Belarus. Any breed is characterized by a distinctive quality, a certain structure, and specific morphological and economically useful traits. The goal of our work was to analyze the main economically useful traits of two new factory lines Bukem 66636657 and Blitz 17013604 of the Holstein breed of dairy cattle of domestic selection. To achieve this goal, we used the UE “GIVC Minselhozproda” information database of pedigree dairy cattle bred at basic farms. It has been established that cows of new factory lines are characterized by high milk productivity rates, good reproductive performance and sufficient development regardless of breed line. The effective use of animals of new factory lines will increase the genetic potential of milk productivity of herds, allowing for obtaining high-value young pedigree cattle of domestic origin.

Influence of management and farm characteristics on microbiological quality and physico-chemical features of sheep milk produced in Tuscany farms (Italy)

Tuscany belongs to the Mediterranean area which has unique characteristics related to its climate and cultural conditions; in this geographical area, sheep are primarily bred in semi-extensive or extensive systems. The present study aimed to survey the raw sheep milk produced in sheep farms of Tuscany and to explore the role of different managements in the physico-chemical and microbiological quality of milk. During a farm visit, a questionnaire was used to collect information about handling practices, flock, and management characteristics. A milk sample from the bulk tank was collected. Milk samples were analyzed for fat and protein content and microbiological parameters. Dairy sheep farms (DSFs) with less than 200 sheep showed less quantity of coagulase-positive staphylococci (CPS), coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS), and a higher quantity of protein. DSFs that produced more than 50.000 Kg of milk per year had lower total bacteria counts, and fat and protein content than the others. The number of somatic cells and staphylococci in the milk appears to be reduced by the higher cleanliness of the fleece and the milking parlor, respectively. Our study showed that the microbiological and physico-chemical quality of sheep milk can be influenced by flock dimension, animal production, and cleanliness of fleece and milking parlor.

The production of the innovative craft cheese "Anchan"

The analysis of regional raw materials for producing craft cheese "Anchan" and studies of raw milk for its physical and chemical properties and technological indicators. Milk samples were pasteurized in the laboratory at a temperature of 80 °C for 10 seconds. Anchan was added to the milk for colour. Next, the milk before coagulation was heated in a pasteurization boiler by heating with saturated steam 36 – 38 °C. The enzyme 4 mL per 100 kg of milk and 4 mL of black cornflower extract was added to the prepared milk to improve milk coagulation and the formation of a dense cheese clot. Strains of probiotic cultures were selected for Anchan. The composition of the main complex yeast of mesophilic lactococci acid and aroma-forming cultures, namely Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis, Lactococcus lactis subsp. Lactococcus lactis subsp. diacetilactis, Leuconostoc lactis. As an additional leaven used thermophilic lactic acid sticks of the species Lactobacillus acidophilus (incoherent race to obtain a new taste of craft cheese. Using these ingredients reduced fermentation time by 8 – 10 minutes. Closing the skin of the cheese by watering the cheese heats with hot water (50 – 55 °C). Marking, packaging, transportation and storage were carried out per the craft product's specifications for the craft producer. The following criteria were used for optimizing the technological process of Anchan cheese production: temperature treatment of milk, amount of added water for whey deoxidation and amount of salt in cheese. as a result of previous research.

Hormonal regulation of the concentration of glucose and its derivatives in the blood of dairy cows during the transit period

In dairy cows, metabolic disorders are mainly found in the last weeks of the dry period and the first weeks after calving (transit period). Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the hormonal regulation of the concentration of glucose and its derivatives in the blood of dairy cows during the transit period. The study was conducted on cows of 2-4 lactations, with a capacity of 7.8-8.2 thousand kg of milk for previous lactation. Blood for research was taken from cows 7-10 days before calving and Days 2-4, Days 10-14, and Days 30-40 after calving. The concentration of glucose in blood plasma was determined by the glucose oxidase method, pyruvate − by the modified Umbright method, lactate – by reaction with paraoxydyphenyl, and hormone content – by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. It was established that high-performance dairy cows during the transit period experience substantial changes in carbohydrate metabolism and the functional state of organs and systems, which are aimed at ensuring high productivity. Thus, hypoglycaemia is found in cows within two weeks after calving. At the same time, with a decrease in the concentration of glucose in the blood plasma of cows, the content of pyruvate and lactate increases, as well as the lactate/pyruvate ratio, which indicates an increase in gluconeogenesis. Negative energy balance and increased gluconeogenesis lead to a decrease in the synthesis of insulin and insulin-like growth factor. Compared to the final dry period, on Days 2-4 of lactation, the concentration of leptin in the blood plasma of cows decreased threefold and stayed at a low level until Day 40 of lactation. Plasma cortisol levels were highest on Days 2-4 and 10-14 of lactation. Intensive cortisol synthesis during the period of energy deficiency increases gluconeogenesis, which is possible due to lipolysis and proteolysis. In the first days after calving, the content of thyroxine and triiodothyronine in the blood plasma of cows decreased. Inhibition of thyroid hormone production is a consequence of the physiological regulatory features of this period. Thus, in highly productive cows during the transit period, attention should be paid to maintaining vital body functions and their well-coordinated endocrine regulation, which will ensure a physiologically balanced metabolic rate, successful calving, high milk productivity, and animal health

Efficiency of selection of highly productive dairy cows

In breeding work, a special role is given to the production, cultivation and use of highly productive animals, which provide the maximum economic income in the dairy cattle industry. The task of the research was to study the biological and economic characteristics, the characteristics of the lactation activity of highly productive holshtinized dairy cows.The studied animal population with an average maximum lactation impact of 10,511 kg was divided by productivity level into 3 groups. As a result of the studies, it was established that for 5 years the productivity of herd cows is at a level exceeding 10 thousand kg of milk. There was also a significant advantage of group 3 animals over group 1 peers from 8 kg at the age of 10 months increased to 13 kg at the age of 12 months, earlier insemination and longer productive longevity. An analysis of the lactation activity of cows showed that already 1 lactation of cows of the 3rd group significantly exceeded the peers of the other two groups in terms of yield by 504 and 3023 kg. The inter-group differences in yield per 1 lactation were1.6 and 6.8%, according to the average yield, they increased to 6.6 and 16.6%, and at the maximum to 15.7 and 34.6%.Comparing the ratio of productivity of female ancestors of animals of three groups (the superiority of the maximum impact of the mother of the father over the maximum impact of the mother), it can be seen that animals of the 3rd group are obtained as a result of more homogeneous, and animals of the 1st group as a result of heterogeneous selection: the percentage of superiority is lower in them than in animals of the 1st group (38.8% and 57.3%).

Prediction of first test day milk yield using historical records in dairy cows

The transition between two lactations remains one of the most critical periods during the productive life of dairy cows. In this study, we aimed to develop a model that predicts the milk yield of dairy cows from test day milk yield data collected in the previous lactation. In the past, data routinely collected in the context of herd improvement programmes on dairy farms have been used to provide insights in the health status of animals or for genetic evaluations. Typically, only data from the current lactation is used, comparing expected (i.e., unperturbed) with realised milk yields. This approach cannot be used to monitor the transition period due to the lack of unperturbed milk yields at the start of a lactation. For multiparous cows, an opportunity lies in the use of data from the previous lactation to predict the expected production of the next one. We developed a methodology to predict the first test day milk yield after calving using information from the previous lactation. To this end, three random forest models (nextMILKFULL, nextMILKPH, and nextMILKP) were trained with three different feature sets to forecast the milk yield on the first test day of the next lactation. To evaluate the added value of using a machine-learning approach against simple models based on contemporary animals or production in the previous lactation, we compared the nextMILK models with four benchmark models. The nextMILK models had an RMSE ranging from 6.08 to 6.24 kg of milk. In conclusion, the nextMILK models had a better prediction performance compared to the benchmark models. Application-wise, the proposed methodology could be part of a monitoring tool tailored towards the transition period. Future research should focus on validation of the developed methodology within such tool.