Search

Regenerative agriculture aims to utilise more diverse pasture species and enhance animal performance through sustainable soil management and pasture quality. This study evaluated the influence of regenerative and conventional farming on dairy cow performance and milk production under different pasture mixes and management strategies. Monthly herd test records were used to model individual lactation curves for daily milk, fat, and protein yield for the 2022–2023 season using random regression with third-order orthogonal polynomials. Total yields were calculated from predicted daily yield. Treatments were SPCM: Standard pasture under conventional management, DPCM: Diverse pasture mix under conventional management, and DPRM: Diverse pasture mix under regenerative management. Total milk yield was similar across treatments, averaging 3370 kg (SPCM), 3649 kg (DPCM), and 3626 kg (DPRM) for the 2022–2023 season. No significant differences were observed in fat, protein, milk solids yield, or milk composition. Cows on diverse pastures, regardless of management approach, showed heavier liveweights than those on standard pastures. DPCM and DPRM cows averaged 474 kg, significantly greater than SPCM cows at 464 kg (P < 0.0001), likely due to longer grazing rotation and higher post-graze mass. These findings suggest that pasture species diversity, regardless the management, enhances liveweight without affecting milk composition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study presents a comprehensive investigation into the genetic determinants of 100-day milk yield (100DMY), 305-day milk yield (305DMY), total milk yield (TMY), and persistency using first lactation records of 374 Holstein heifers reared in a private farm at Çanakkale province of Türkiye, employing a genome-wide association study (GWAS) approach. The research underscores the substantial genetic component underlying these economically important traits through detailed descriptive statistics and heritability estimations. The estimated moderate to high heritabilities (0.32–0.54) for milk production traits suggest the feasibility of targeted genetic improvement strategies. By leveraging GWAS, the study identifies many significant and suggestively significant single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) associated with studied traits. Noteworthy genes have identified in this analysis include BCAS3, MALRD1, CTNND2, DOCK1, TMEM132C, NRP1, CNTNAP2, GPRIN2, PLEKHA5, GLRA1, SCN7A, HHEX, KTM2C, RAB40C, RAB11FIP3, and FXYD6. These findings provide valuable understandings of the genetic background of milk production and persistency in Holstein cattle, shedding light on specific genomic regions and candidate genes playing pivotal roles in these traits. This research contributes valuable knowledge to the field of dairy cattle genetics and informs future breeding efforts to improve milk production sustainability and efficiency in Holstein cattle populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objectives of this study were to identify factors associated with the relative change in prepartum DMI (RCDMI) of 273 cows fed individually, evaluate the performance of linear models to estimate RCDMI using different classes of predictors, and characterize the implications of RCDMI to transition metabolism, health, and subsequent milk production. Two periods of interest were established. Period 1 comprised d −21 to −12 relative to calving, when DMI was stable. Period 2 comprised d −4 to −1, when average DMI was distinctly declined. The RCDMI from period 1 to 2 was calculated as a percentage value, which ranged from −75% to 15% and averaged −18.1% (± 15.0%). Season, parity, body fatness, body weight, milk production in the previous lactation and at dry-off, and length of dry period were associated with RCDMI and explained 11% of the variation in all cows, and 19% when only parous cows were considered. Performance of linear models to predict RCDMI was improved when data on rumination and physical activities and target blood metabolites were added. The adjusted R2 increased to values between 0.45 and 0.55, and selected models performed consistently in cross-validation analyses. To evaluate the implications of RCDMI, cows were ranked within parity according to RCDMI and classified into terciles as large decline (LDec), moderate decline (MDec), or small decline (SDec). By design, DMI did not differ between tercile groups in period 1 (13.3 ± 0.2 kg/d), but differed substantially in period 2 (LDec = 8.8; MDec = 11.2; SDec = 12.7 ± 0.2 kg/d), creating important differences in RCDMI among groups (LDec = −33.8; MDec = −16.2; SDec = −3.4% ± 0.8%). At enrollment, cows in the LDec and MDec groups were heavier (LDec = 788; MDec = 775; SDec = 750 ± 7 kg), and the proportion of cows with BCS >3.5 was higher in LDec (LDec = 63%; MDec = 47%; SDec = 38%). An interaction between group and time was observed for postpartum DMI, which started lower in LDec than in SDec cows, equaled by the end of transition, and inverted at wk 13 and 14 after calving. Yields of ECM were greater in LDec than in SDec cows, and both groups did not differ from MDec (LDec = 41.0; MDec = 40.3; SDec = 39.0 ± 0.5 kg/d). The LDec cows had decreased energy balance and greater concentrations of nonesterified fatty acids, β-hydroxybutyrate, and aspartate aminotransferase in serum, and greater glutathione peroxidase activity in plasma than SDec cows. Larger declines in prepartum DMI were also associated with increased risk for postpartum disease, although the associations were only weak to moderate. In conclusion, a large decline in prepartum DMI of cows fed ad libitum was associated with important adjustments in the energy metabolism and antioxidants activities, and greater milk production in the subsequent lactation. These findings indicate that feed intake decline close to parturition is likely a normal response to physiological adaptations at the onset of lactation when cows are fed ad libitum. The list of standard abbreviations for JDS is available at adsa.org/jds-abbreviations-24. Nonstandard abbreviations are available in the Notes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditionally the lactation cycle of a dairy cow is based around a 12-month calving interval, allowing for 10 months of lactation, followed by a 2-month dry period. This means that the cow has to conceive within 2-3 months after calving, when she is also at peak lactation and metabolically is in a negative energy balance. Such challenging physiological conditions make it challenging for the cow to conceive at this time and many modern high-producing cows fail to get pregnant within the constraints of a 12-month calving interval. In addition, many cows still produce at a high level at drying-off time, increasing the risk of intramammary infections. Therefore, delaying conception past peak production and, as a result, extending the lactation beyond 10 months may increasingly be necessary. Additionally, extended lactation (EL) may offer other advantages such as fewer calves being born and thus fewer 'surplus' calves needing to be culled at a young age, fewer health and welfare issues and improved environmental outcomes (i.e. less greenhouse-gas emission; less antibiotic usage) during the lifetime of the animal. Extending lactation is a straight forward management practice in high-input dairy systems where a consistent supply of feed supplements is readily available, but may be more challenging to implement in low(er)-input pasture-based systems. The latter are much more seasonal, with a 12-month calving interval allowing pasture growth and quality to match the cow's nutritional demands; cows calve in spring when high-quality pasture is abundant and are dried-off during winter when pasture growth is more limited. In this review, we explored the impact of EL in both high-input systems and pasture-based systems. It covers the effects of EL on milk production, composition and processing, as well as on reproductive performance, health and welfare, and environmental and economic outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Australian dairy industry contributes significantly to the rural economy, but must reduce its greenhouse-gas emissions to remain competitive in a global market that is starting to prioritise a low carbon footprint. Demand for improved environmental, social and governance performance from supply chains creates an imperative for research to deliver options for farmers to make reductions in their environmental footprint. Given the rapidly evolving nature of greenhouse-gas abatement research, this critical review provides an update on the state of the research relevant to Australian dairy systems and identifies research gaps that must be addressed if there is to be widespread on-farm adoption. Current research suggests that Australian dairy farms could theoretically abate enteric methane by 40-50%, with about another 5-10% reduction in wholefarm greenhouse-gas emissions being possible by flocculating or covering stored effluent. Fertiliserand urine-patch management strategies could substantially reduce direct and indirect nitrous oxide emissions, but by variable amounts subject to local conditions. However, few abatement options are currently cost-effective for farmers. Significantly more research investment is required to facilitate the on-farm adoption of strategies, particularly to reduce enteric methane and improve the efficiency of nitrogen cycling. Improved understanding is required of the influences on each strategy's abatement potential and interactions with economically important traits in grazing systems, the effect of combining abatement strategies, and systems by which strategies can be implemented cost-effectively on farms. The challenge for research is to consider how the implementation of cost-effective abatement options can be refined for grazing dairy systems to maintain the position of Australian dairy in the global market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Milk production is a key component of the agriculture sector in the tropics and subtropics, contributing 47.32% to global milk production. This study aimed to quantify milk production and composition (fat and protein) in warm-climate regions located between 30 degrees north and south of the equator. A meta-analysis was conducted using the standardized mean (SM) for milk production, fat percentage, and protein percentage, all adjusted for dry matter intake (DMI), focusing on lactating ruminants. A total of 42, 11, 15, and 16 research papers were selected for cows, buffalo, sheep, and goats, respectively, encompassing 2421 animal records from experiments published between 1992 and 2024. The SM for milk production was 10.38, 9.77, 0.79, and 1.13 kg/day/animal for cows, buffalo, sheep, and goats, respectively. Due to the significant variance between different cow breeds, the study divided the cows into three main groups based on breed type crossbreds, foreign, and local breeds. The SM for milk production per animal was 11.49 kg/day for crossbreds, 22.95 kg/day for foreign breeds, and 7.13 kg/day for local breeds. The effect of DMI on the SM of milk production for cows, sheep, and goats was highly significant. For milk fat, the SM was 3.95, 6.64, 4.70, and 3.56% for cows, buffalo, sheep, and goats, respectively. Regarding milk protein, the SM was 3.36, 3.91, 4.34, and 3.45% for cows, buffalo, sheep, and goats, respectively. The results of this meta-analysis highlight that warm-climate regions are significant contributors to global dairy production. Furthermore, improving ruminant milk production and quality in hot climates need further efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Milk production in tropical regions plays a crucial role both economically and socially. Typically, animals are utilized for dual purposes and are genetically obtained by an intense crossbreeding between Zebu and/or locally adapted breeds, alongside specialized breeds for dairy production. However, uncontrolled mating and crossbreeding may affect the establishment of an effective animal breeding program. The objective of this study was to evaluate Genomic diversity of highly crossbred cattle population in a Low and Middle Tropical environment. All sampled animals were genotyped using the Genessek GGP Bovine 100 chip (n = 859) and public genomic information from eight breeds were employed as reference. The genetic structure of the population was estimated using a Principal Component, Bayesian clustering and a linkage disequilibrium analysis. PCA results revealed that PC1 explained 44.39% of the variation, associated with the indicus/taurus differentiation, and PC2 explained 14.6% of the variation, attributed to the differentiation of Creole and European components. This analysis underscored a low population structure, attributed to the absence of genealogical tracking and the implementation of non-directed crossbreeding. The clustering shows an average contribution of Zebu, Creole, and European Taurine components in the population was 53.26%, 27.60%, and 19.13%, respectively. While an average LD of 0.096 was obtained for a maximum distance of 400 kb. The LD value was low in this population, probably due to the almost no selection applied and the recombination events that occurred during its development. These findings underscore the value of crossbreeding in tropical dairy production but emphasize the importance of directing the mattings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The use of dairy x dairy crossbreeding has increased in Sweden. This study aimed to compare crosses between Swedish Red (R), Holstein (H), Jersey (J), and Montbé liarde (M) to purebred R, H, and J for fertility, calving, production, and survival traits. The focus was on F1 crosses between either H or R on the one hand and J or M on the other hand, but three-breed crosses were also studied. Material and methods: There were 2,154,241 observations collected from the official cattle recording database for cows that calved between 2005 and 2020 in 7,390 herds. The dataset was separated into first and second parity and analyzed using a mixed linear model including fixed effects of breed group, herd, and yearseason and a random effect of herd-year. Results and discussion: Fertility traits were improved in the F1 crosses with J or M compared with R or H (i.e., JR and MR vs. R; JH andMH vs. H), especially in the first parity. In parity 2, the difference was often not significant. Crossing R or H with Jersey gave lower calving difficulty than in the pure breeds in the first parity. However, crossing with Montbé liarde rather tended to give slightly more calving difficulties, albeit not significantly so. Generally, there was no significant change in stillbirthswhen crossing purebred R orHwith J or M. Therewas a general tendency for better survival in the F1-crosses, however, only significantly so for Jersey crosses in parity 2 with respect to R or H. F1 between J and H (JH) had a higher 305-day fat yield than H, but lower milk and protein yields. MH had higher fat and protein yields than H and MR had higher 305-d milk and protein yields than R. In conclusion, crossing R or H with either Jersey or Montbé liarde can be expected to improve fertility and probably also survival. Depending on the current situation, one could choose to improve fat yield (crossing with J) or protein yield (crossing with M), however, depending on the breed, there could be a trade-off, e.g., inmilk yield. For other traits, one would not expect any deterioration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Genomic selection (GS) and genome‐wide association studies (GWAS) have not been investigated in Vietnamese dairy cattle, even for basic milk production traits, largely due to the scarcity of individual phenotype recording in smallholder dairy farms (SDFs). This study aimed to estimate heritability (h2) and test the applicability of GS and GWAS for milk production, body conformation and novel heat tolerance traits using single test day phenotypic data. Thirty‐two SDFs located in either the north (a lowland vs. a highland) or the south (a lowland vs. a highland) of Vietnam were each visited for an afternoon and the next morning to collect phenotype data of all lactating cows (n = 345). Tail hair from each cow was sampled for subsequent genotyping with a 50K SNP chip at that same visit. Milk production traits (single‐test day) were milk yield (MILK, kg/cow/day), energy corrected milk yield adjusted for body weight (ECMbw, kg/100 kg BW/day), fat (mFA, %), protein (mPR, %) and dry matter (mDM, %). Conformation traits were body weight (BW, kg) and body condition score (BCS, 1 = thin to 5 = obese). Heat tolerance traits were panting score (PS, 0 = normal to 4.5 = extremely heat‐stressed) and infrared temperatures (IRTs, °C) at 11 areas on the external body surface of the cow (inner vulval lip, outer vulval surface, inner tail base surface, ocular area, muzzle, armpit area, paralumbar fossa area, fore udder, rear udder, forehoof and hind hoof), assessed by an Infrared Camera. Univariate linear mixed models and a 10‐fold cross‐validation approach were applied for GS. Univariate single SNP mixed linear models were applied for the GWAS. Estimated h2 (using the genotype information to build relationships among animals) were moderate (0.20–0.37) for ECMbw, mFA, mPR, mRE, BW, BCS and IRT at rear udder; low (0.08–0.19) for PS and other IRTs; and very low (≤ 0.07) for MILK, ECM and mDM. Accuracy of genomic estimated breeding values (GEBVs) was low (≤ 0.12) for MILK, ECM, mDM and IRT at hind hoof; and moderate to high (0.32–0.46) for all other traits. The most significant regions on chromosomes (BTA) associated with milk production traits were 0.47–1.18 Mb on BTA14. Moderate to high h2 and moderate accuracies of GEBVs for mFA, mPR, ECMbw, BCS, BW, PS and IRTs at rear udder and outer vulval surface suggested that GS using single test day phenotypic data could be applied for these traits. However, a greater sample size is required to decrease the bias of GEBVs by GS and increase the power of detecting significant quantitative trait loci (QTLs) by GWAS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The use of dairy x dairy crossbreeding has increased in Sweden. This study aimed to compare crosses between Swedish Red (R), Holstein (H), Jersey (J), and Montbéliarde (M) to purebred R, H, and J for fertility, calving, production, and survival traits. The focus was on F1 crosses between either H or R on the one hand and J or M on the other hand, but three-breed crosses were also studied. Material and methods: There were 2,154,241 observations collected from the official cattle recording database for cows that calved between 2005 and 2020 in 7,390 herds. The dataset was separated into first and second parity and analyzed using a mixed linear model including fixed effects of breed group, herd, and year-season and a random effect of herd-year. Results and discussion: Fertility traits were improved in the F1 crosses with J or M compared with R or H (i.e., JR and MR vs. R; JH and MH vs. H), especially in the first parity. In parity 2, the difference was often not significant. Crossing R or H with Jersey gave lower calving difficulty than in the pure breeds in the first parity. However, crossing with Montbé liarde rather tended to give slightly more calving difficulties, albeit not significantly so. Generally, there was no significant change in stillbirths when crossing purebred R or H with J or M. There was a general tendency for better survival in the F1-crosses, however, only significantly so for Jersey crosses in parity 2 with respect to R or H. F1 between J and H (JH) had a higher 305-day fat yield than H, but lower milk and protein yields. MH had higher fat and protein yields than H and MR had higher 305-d milk and protein yields than R. In conclusion, crossing R or H with either Jersey or Montbeéliarde can be expected to improve fertility and probably also survival. Depending on the current situation, one could choose to improve fat yield (crossing with J) or protein yield (crossing with M), however, depending on the breed, there could be a trade-off, e.g., in milk yield. For other traits, one would not expect any deterioration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dairy sheep breed genetic improvement programs have responded to the increasing market demand and popularity, especially for cheeses made from sheep's milk. These milk derivatives are an important source of bioactive substances for human health. Therefore, it is very important to learn about milk production (MPROD) and the factors that influence its variation. The typical pattern of MPROD during the period when an ewe is lactating is known as the lactation curve (LC), and this can be typical (TLC) or atypical (ACL). TLCs are characterized by reaching a maximum MPROD (lactation peak, LP) within a few days after parturition, and then gradually decreasing until the end of lactation, or lactation drying, is reached. ALCs are those that show some deviation from the normal pattern. It is important to know the graphical representation of lactation behavior, as, in addition to predicting MPROD, it makes it possible to identify health and feeding issues, as well as to select females that will excel in MPROD. Persistence of lactation (PER) has been defined as the rate of decline in MPROD after the LP was reached, and it is highly desirable for ewes to have a high PER. Mathematical models have been developed for the study of LCs and PER. There are genetic and environmental factors that influence LCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study compared the effects of feeding a new strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae HSA2020 with a commercial strain on in vitro rumen fermentation and production performance of dairy cows. Permeate was used as a substrate for the laboratory production of the new strain of S. cerevisiae after the hydrolysis by β-galactosidase (5000 µ/mL at 37°C). Two experiments were conducted: in Experiment 1, the effects of three levels (1, 2 and 3 g/kg dry matter) of S. cerevisiae on in vitro ruminal fermentation kinetics were evaluated. In Experiment 2, for 60 days, sixty multiparous Holstein cows (639±24.8 kg BW, 3±1 parity, 7±1 days in milk, with a previous milk production of 23±2.0 kg/d) during the previous lactation, were randomly assigned to 3 treatments in a completely randomized design. Cows were fed without any additives (control treatment) or supplemented with 2 g/kg feed daily of laboratory produced (PY) or commercial (CY) S. cerevisiae. In Experiment 1, inclusion of PY and CY increased (P<0.05) gas production, propionate, and nutrient disappearance, while decreased (P<0.05) methane production and protozoal count. Moreover, in Experiment 2, PY followed by CY increased (P<0.01) nutrient digestibility, and serum concentrations of total protein, albumin, and glucose (P<0.05). Higher daily milk yield, and milk energy output were observed with PY and CY without affecting concentrations of milk components or milk fatty acid profile. Compared to control, increased feed efficiency was observed with PY and CY. Compared to PY, CY increased serum concentrations of urea-N and decreased triglycerides, while PY decreased serum aspartate transaminase and increased concentration of conjugated linoleic acids in milk. In early lactating cow diets, both strains of S. cerevisiae improved production performance at 2 g/kg, and minimal differences between strains were found. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to analyze the effects of compound additives on the milk production performance of high-yield dairy cows, a single-factor completely randomized experiment design was used in this experiment. A total of 100 Holstein lactating cows with parity of 1 parity, milk yield of (34.5±2.5) kg/d and lactation days of (75±5) d were randomly divided into a control group and an experimental group, with 50 cows in each group. In the experimental group, 100 g/(head·d) compound additive was added to the basic diet. During the 60 days of the experiment, the milk yield and milk composition were analyzed at 1st, 15th, 30th, 45th and 60th days. The results showed as follows: it was found that compared with the control group, the milk yield, milk fat percentage, lactose percentage, total solids and protein percentage of the experimental group were significantly increased (P<0.05). The milk somatic cell count of the experimental group was significantly lower than that of the control group (P<0.05). The results indicated that the addition of compound additives had a better effect on the lactation performance of high-yield lactating cattle, effectively improved the milk quality, improved the economic benefit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: This study evaluated the effects of heat stress on the productivity of dairy cows. During the experimental period, THI values ranged from 46.9 to 81.0, with the most severe heat stress occurring in August. A decrease in productivity was observed when the THI exceeded 72. It was found that milk production took about one month to recover after the high-temperature period ended. The THI ratio, calculated based on the daily THI distribution, showed a strong negative correlation with rumen temperature (− 0.744; p < 0.001). During periods of significant productivity decreases due to high-temperature stress, rumen temperatures were higher than 39.15 °C. Based on the rumen temperature and daily THI distribution, it is suggested that these findings could serve as foundational data for developing technologies to manage high-temperature environments for dairy cows. This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of high-temperature stress on dairy cow productivity and the correlation between rumen sensors. The data were collected on the temperature, humidity, milk productivity, milk components, blood components, and rumen sensor data from 125 dairy cows during the experimental period (1 May 2020 to 30 October 2020). High-temperature stress of dairy cows was evaluated based on the temperature–humidity index (THI). The correlations between the high-temperature stress, productivity, and sensor data were analyzed using SAS and R programs. The THI ranged from 46.9 to 81.0 during the experimental period, and a significant decrease was observed in the milk production of dairy cows during August (p < 0.05). Milk production was evaluated to decrease by 1.8% because of high-temperature stress during the experimental period. There was a significantly high negative correlation between the THI ratio of day and rumen temperature (r = 0.744; p < 0.001). The other rumen sensor data did not show a significant correlation with the productivity of dairy cows. The results can be utilized as a guideline for managing temperature and humidity to maintain dairy cow productivity on farms in high-temperature stress conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The list of standard abbreviations for JDS is available at adsa.org/jds-abbreviations-24. Nonstandard abbreviations are available in the Notes. A meta-analysis was performed to investigate the effects of capsaicin (CAP) on lactational performance and blood chemistry and cell counts in dairy cattle. The database comprised 11 peer-reviewed studies published between 2011 and 2024. The overall effect of CAP, challenge (e.g., ketosis, glucose tolerance, LPS), and dose were considered explanatory variables in the analysis. Lactation performance response variables included DMI, milk yield (MY), ECM yield, feed efficiency (FE), milk components, and BW. Hematological response variables included red and white blood cell counts and blood BHB, total fatty acids, insulin, and glucose concentrations. Data were analyzed using random- and mixed-effect models in the "robumeta" package in RStudio. Milk yield was increased by 2.9% by CAP when compared with control. Capsaicin supplementation increased FE by 3.4% compared with control. Milk fat concentration and yield were also increased by CAP compared with control by 2.6% and 4.0%, respectively. Blood glucose concentrations were decreased 2.5% by CAP supplementation, whereas insulin levels were unaffected. Cows fed CAP during a challenge had higher MY and FE and tended to have lower blood glucose than their control counterparts. Overall, this analysis suggests that CAP supplementation may be directly affecting host physiology by altering glucose metabolism, but further research to define the mechanism is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dairy farming is one of the most important sources of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the livestock sector. In order to identify the key emission links and the best emission-reduction strategies for combined dairy farms, this study selected a typical large-scale combined dairy farm in northeast China, constructed a carbon emission model based on the lifecycle assessment concept, and set up different emission reduction scenarios to explore the zero-carbon pathway for combined dairy farms. The results showed that: (1) enteric fermentation and manure management of cows are important sources of carbon emissions from the seeding-integrated dairy farms, accounting for 38.2% and 29.4% of the total, respectively; (2) the seeding-integrated system showed a 10.6% reduction in carbon footprint compared with the non-seeding-integrated system; and (3) scenarios 1–4 reduced carbon emissions by 9%, 20%, 42%, and 61% compared with the baseline scenario, respectively. Therefore, the integrated-farming model is important for the green development of animal husbandry, and as the "net-zero" goal cannot be achieved at present, integrated-farming dairy farms have the potential for further emission reduction. The results of this study provide a theoretical basis for low-carbon milk production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extending lactation length reduces the frequency of critical calving events for the cow and herewith reduces the frequency of periods with increased risk for health problems. Moreover, breeding is postponed until a moment later in lactation, which is associated with better conception rates and less days open after start of the breeding period in most studies. Potential risks of an extended lactation are that milk yield of cows at the end of the lactation may be too low which may lead to cows being overconditioned at the end of the extended lactation. Therefore, extending lactation length might not fit every cow. Individual cow characteristics like parity, milk yield level, or body condition determine the response of the cow to an extended lactation. These individual cow characteristics can be used in customized management strategies to optimize lactation length for individual cows. Customized lactation length for individual cows could limit the impact at herd level of disadvantages concerning milk losses and overconditioning and maintain benefits for improved cow health and fertility, reduced number of surplus calves and increased work satisfaction for the farmer. In conclusion, extending lactation length has interesting perspectives for health and fertility of high‐producing dairy cows, although questions remain concerning management approaches to support lactation persistency of cows with an extended lactation, and consequences for calf health and development. Moreover, ongoing studies aim to develop decision support tools to select individual cows for a specific lactation length. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The primary objectives include the development of the agro-industrial complex of the Republic of Moldova and ensuring the population has access to quality products. The assessment of qualitative and quantitative indicators of milk production and processing in the country, reflects the dynamics of the dairy industry’s development and highlights the main issues that need solutions; hence, research on this matter remains relevant. The aim of this study was to analyze both the quantitative and qualitative indicators of milk production, at the educational dairy farm of the Technical University in Moldova. Additionally, a review of research on the development of recipes based on feedstock and an examination of factors influencing the quality of dairy products were conducted. It was concluded that overall, the quality of milk at the educational dairy farm, in terms of fat and density content, and organoleptic properties, is good. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of health-food additives has gained significant attention within the dairy sector, with a focus on enhancing the nutritional intake of dairy cows to improve their productivity and reproductive performance. This study aims at examining the impact of rumen-protected methionine (Met) and lysine (Lys) supplementation on production and reproductive parameters in a sample of 100 dairy cows, comprising 32 primiparous and 68 multiparous cows with an average age of 5.24 ± 2.31 years. The cows' average milk production was determined to be 24.9 ± 7.40 kg/day. The cows were divided into two groups, one receiving Met/Lys supplementation and the other serving as a control group. The supplemented group demonstrated superior performance in various metrics: milk yield (25.61 kg/day vs. 24.16 kg/day, p < 0.0001), fat (979.02 g/day vs. 874.27 g/day, p = 0.08), protein (843.98 g/day vs. 761.50 g/day, p = 0.10), and lactose content (4.36% vs. 4.21%, p = 0.003). Supplementation also led to elevated levels of butyrate and protein. Notably, the supplemented cows exhibited higher body condition scores (BCS) at different stages of lactation, with BCS values of 3.01 at 35 days and 2.80 at 65 days, compared to 2.83 and 2.61 in the control group. Additionally, Met/Lys supplementation resulted in higher levels of albumin (33.22 g/L) and urea (0.20 g/L) in serum samples, with a tendency towards increased levels of aspartate aminotransferase (51.20 U/L). Reproductive performance showed improvements in the supplemented group with a lower number of services per conception (1.88 vs. 2.05), a higher conception rate (44.83% vs. 22.22%), and a higher total pregnancy rate (55% vs. 48%), although these differences were not statistically significant. Thus, the addition of rumen-protected Met and Lys to dairy cow rations shows potential for enhancing milk production and composition, as well as improving specific metabolic and reproductive characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Objectives] Cow mastitis is a common disease in the process of dairy farming. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of acoustic pulse therapy (APT) in treating cow mastitis. [Methods] Based on the results of pathogen and milk somatic cell detection, 100 cows with clinical mastitis and subclinical mastitis from a farm in Jiangsu Province were selected. Among them, there were 60 cows with clinical mastitis, including 20 in the APT treatment group, 20 in the antibiotic treatment group, and 20 in the combined APT and antibiotic treatment group. Twenty cows with subclinical mastitis (latent mastitis) were treated with APT. Twenty healthy cows were used as the negative control group. The effectiveness of APT in treating cow mastitis was explored through comparative experiments. [Results] After cows suffered from mastitis, productive performance indicators such as somatic cell count significantly increased (P<0.05), and daily milk production significantly decreased (P<0.05). The number of white blood cells in the blood significantly increased (P<0.05), with a significant increase in lymphocyte count and neutrophil count (P<0.01). The content of inflammatory factors IL-1β significantly increased (P<0.05), while the content of inflammatory factors IL-6 and IL-8 significantly increased (P<0.01), and the content of glucocorticoids significantly increased (P<0.05). After APT treatment, the somatic cell counts significantly decreased (P<0.05), and daily milk production significantly increased (P<0.05). There were no significant changes in milk fat, milk protein, lactose, non-fat solids, total solids, and urea nitrogen (P>0.05). The number of white blood cells, neutrophils, and lymphocytes significantly decreased (P<0.05), while the other health blood physiological indicators did not change significantly (P>0.05). In the subclinical group, the inflammatory factor IL-1β significantly decreased (P<0.05), and the inflammatory factors IL-6 and IL-8 significantly decreased (P<0.05), while glucocorticoids in the subclinical group significantly decreased (P<0.05). [Conclusions] APT as a new kind of dairy cow mastitis treatment technology, can effectively cure the cow mastitis with no loss of production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Despite the widespread adoption of TMR or PMR and the formulas designed to sufficiently cover the cows' requirements, individual dairy cows' milk production varies significantly. The liver is one of the most important organs in cow lactation metabolism and plays an essential role in the initiation of lactation. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the potential key genes in the liver contributing to the different milk production. Methods: We enrolled 64 cows and assigned them to high or low milk yield (MY) groups according to their first 3 weeks of milk production. We performed RNAseq for 35 liver samples with 18 from prepartum and 17 from postpartum cows. Results: The continuous milk yield observation showed a persistently higher milk yield in high MY cows than low MY cows in the first 3 weeks. High MY cows showed better feed conversion efficiency. We identified 795 differentially expressed genes (DGEs) in the liver of high MY cows compared with low MY cows, with up-regulated genes linked to morphogenesis and development pathways. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) revealed four gene modules positively correlating with milk yield, and protein and lactose yield (p < 0.05). Using the intersected genes between the four gene modules and DEGs, we constructed the linear mixed-effects models and identified six hub genes positively associated and two hub genes negatively associated with milk yield (Coefficients > 0.25, p < 0.05). Random forest machine learning model training based on these eight hub genes could efficiently predict the milk yield (p < 0.001, R2 = 0.946). Interestingly, the expression patterns of these eight hub genes remained remarkably similar before and after parturition. Conclusions: The present study indicated the critical role of liver in milk production. Activated processes involved in morphogenesis and development in liver may contribute to the higher milk production. Eight hub genes identified in this study may provide genetic research materials for dairy cow breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Heat stress detrimentally affects dairy cows, resulting in economic losses during dairy production. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of an automatic spraying method on alleviating heat stress in cows and identifying potential mechanisms. Our findings showed that the automated sprinkler cooling system treatment effectively reduced body temperatures, improved milk yield and quality, enhanced rumen fermentability, modulated rumen microbial communities, and significantly proliferated carbohydrate-degrading bacteria. Moreover, our study demonstrated that the automatic spraying cooling system had modulatory effects on rumen microbiota composition and fermentation function, and causatively ameliorated the side effects of heat stress in dairy cows. (1) Background: Heat stress detrimentally restricted economic growth in dairy production. In particular, the cooling mechanism of the spraying system effectively reduced both environmental and shell temperatures. This study was designed to investigate the underlying modulatory mechanism of an automatic cooling system in alleviating heat-stressed dairy cows. (2) Methods: A total of 1208 multiparous dairy cows was randomly allocated into six barns, three of which were equipped with automatic sprinklers (SPs), while the other three were considered the controls (CONs). Each barn was considered a replicate. (3) Results: Body temperatures and milk somatic cell counts significantly decreased, while DMI, milk yield, and milk fat content significantly increased under SP treatment. Rumen fermentability was enhanced, embodied by the increased levels of total VFA, acetate, propionate, and butyrate after SP treatment. The rumen microbiota results showed the relative abundances of fiber-degrading bacteria, including the Fibrobacters, Saccharofermentans, Lachnospira, Pseudobutyrivibrio, Selenomonas, and Succinivibrio, which significantly increased after receiving the SP treatment. (4) Conclusions: This study demonstrated that SP effectively alleviated heat stress and improved production performances and milk quality through modulating the rumen microbiota composition and fermentation function of dairy cows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ruminant milk has been the main source of milk produced and consumed worldwide. But with the promotion of functional foods, people began to shift their attention to niche dairy products. The composition of mare's milk is similar to that of human milk and has unique healthcare effects and is hypoallergenic, so it has received widespread attention. The increase in demand for mare milk has also made dairy horses a research hotspot. This paper systematically summarized the contents from tissues and organs to molecular breeding, including the structure of horse udders, lactation rules, mare milk components and characteristics, factors affecting milk production and the molecular regulatory mechanism of lactation. It was hoped to provide a reference for theoretical and practical research ondairy horses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated the effect of tannin extract from Acacia mearnsii on intravaginal temperature, production and milk composition of Holstein cows in a subtropical environment. The study period was 29 days and 20 multiparous Holstein cows were selected with an average milk production of 50 ± 6 kg/day and 147 ± 83 days in milk. The cows were separated into two treatments: Control (n = 10) did not receive dietary supplementation. Tannin (n = 10) received Condensed Tannin (Tanac S.A., Montenegro, RS, Brazil) at a dose of 0.19% dry matter (40 g/cow/day). Animals were monitored for milk production and composition as well as intravaginal temperature. The environmental temperature and humidity index (THI) were monitored. The mean THI was 72.39 ± 0.69. The mean intravaginal temperature was 39.17 ± 0.14 °C in the Tannin treatment and 39.03 ± 0.14°C in the Control treatment (P > 0.05). The animals in the Tannin treatment exhibited an intravaginal temperature of 39.2 °C at THI 69.38, and the Control treatment exhibited the same temperature at THI 70.16 (receiver operating characteristic (ROC); P < 0.01). Milk production was higher in the Tannin treatment than in the Control treatment (51.38 ± 0.90 kg/day and 49.94 ± 1.05 kg/day, respectively; P < 0.01). The protein content in milk was higher in the Tannin treatment than in the Control treatment (3.20 ± 0.01% and 3.04 ± 0.01%; respectively; P < 0.01). The results of this study suggested that tannin extract from Acacia mearnsii can attenuate heat stress and its negative effects on animal production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research was carried out to examine the influence of non-genetic factors on the milk production characteristics of Gangatiri cows. The study was analyzed from 1254 Gangatiri cows across three tehsils (Pindra, Rajatalab, and Sadar) in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. The objective was to ascertain the effects of a number of variables on lactation duration, daily milk production, and lactation milk production including the area, calving season, farmer's economic background, parity, and age at first calving. The overall average means for lactation milk production, daily production of milk, and lactation period were discovered to be 794.6413 kg, 3.956 kg, and 203.8327 days, respectively. The comparison of different parameters indicated that non-genetic factors had a significant impact on milk production. These factors include the region where the survey was conducted, the calving season, the financial context of the farmer, parity or lactation, and first calving age. By analyzing the mean of these parameters, we could determine their impact on milk yield potentials. Given the influence of external variables and differences in the qualities under investigation, the study indicates that significant improvements in the population of Gangatiri cattle can be accomplished by improved management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the substitution of soybean meals by biodiesel co-products on the performance and nutrient balance of lactating cows on pasture. Twelve dairy cows (7/8 Holstein-Gir) in early lactation were included in this feeding trial. These animals had an average daily milk yield of 21.1 kg and were distributed in a 4 × 4 triple Latin square experimental design. Protein supplements fed to these lactating cows contained peanut meal, cotton and sunflower as a complete replacement for soybean meal. Nutrient intake and digestibility, milk production, microbial protein synthesis, energy and protein balance were the parameters assessed in this study. Supplements containing different biodiesel co-products did not influence (P > 0.05) the level of forage intake, supplementation and nutrient by lactating cows, except for the total digestible nutrients (TDN) intake which was higher (P ≤ 0.05) in cows supplemented with cottonseed meal. The cotton meal also promoted higher digestibility of TDN (P = 0.001) and total carbohydrates (TCHO; P = 0.001) of the diet and, as a result, higher energy consumption (P = 0.01) and lower negative energy balance (P = 0.01). Cottonseed meal is a co-product of the biodiesel industry that has the ability to replace soybean meal as a source of protein in the supplement without affecting performance and promoting greater energy availability, demonstrating its ability to reduce the effects of negative energy balance in cows at the beginning of lactation kept on tropical pastures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The socioeconomic factors influencing small-scale dairy producers in the border area between Ecuador and Colombia were meticulously identified. Employing a non-experimental design, the study leveraged multivariate statistical analysis to discern key determinants. Data processing was executed using the statistical software SPSS v27, facilitating comprehensive analysis. A random survey was administered to 532 small and medium-scale dairy producers in the Carchi province of Ecuador, employing a structured questionnaire supplemented with a Likert scale for nuanced insights. Based on 35 original variables, seven determining factors were identified in dairy farms: political representation, adequate housing, equipment, innovation, empathy, profitability, social welfare, which combined explain 60.95% of the system’s variability. Such factors affect production, the level of household income, as well as their effect on the standard of living of households. Three groups were formed, the first with a low perception of economic development (Traditionalists 33.3%); the second with a better expectation of economic development (Modernizers 27.6%); and the third, identified with greater economic development (Innovators 10.3%). Each group presents cases with a low to high standard of living perspective. The groups have peculiarities in terms of their performance that can be applied to the entire population. A significant relation was established between socioeconomic factors and standard of living. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Maternal breast volume is determined by the quantity of glandular and adipose tissue, and it undergoes significant changes during pregnancy. These changes are intricately linked to the development of glandular tissue, which most likely reflects lactation capacity. Evidence indicates that women with overweight or obesity exhibit larger breast volume compared to those with a normal body mass index (BMI), emphasizing the close relationship between breast volume and maternal adiposity. Hence, we aim to investigate breast volume growth and maternal BMI as potential risk factors for low milk production. Methods: Lactating women (n = 609) from the Perth metropolitan area in Western Australia between 2011 and 2023 were included in the analysis. Twenty-four-hour milk production measurements were conducted using the test weighing method, and milk removal frequencies were recorded. Mothers completed questionnaires regarding demographic, obstetric and infant details. Linear and logistic regression models were used to determine maternal and infant factors associated with milk production. Results: Here we show that increasing maternal age and BMI are associated with low milk production. Moreover, larger pre-pregnancy breast volume and breast growth are associated with both higher BMI and milk production. Conclusions: Women who are older, have an obese BMI and who have minimal pre-pregnancy breast volume and breast growth should be provided with antenatal screening and breastfeeding support as they are more likely to experience low milk production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: In this study artificial neural network (ANN) used to predict milk test day records at 4th, 5th, 10th months of lactation duration and 305-day milk yield in Holstein dairy cows. Materials and Methods: Primary data source was consisting of 274025 milk production records of 7201 primiparuse to fourth birth Holstein cows, from two herd. Final source of data obtained from milk production records was consist of 87980 monthly milk test day records in 8798 rows which each row contains number of animal, herd, age, lactation, month of production, first to tenth monthly milk production records and 305-day milk yield. From the total of data, 50% was considered for neural network training, 20% for validation and 30% for testing. A multilayer perceptron (MLP) network with back propagation of error learning mechanism (BP) was used through different artificial neural network (ANN) structures to predict milk production. In order to optimize artificial neural network (ANN) structure three activation functions (hyperbolic tangent axon, sigmoid axon or linear hyperbolic tangent axon) and three back propagation algorithms viz. momentum, conjugate gradient (CG) and Leven-berg– Marquardt (LM) Training algorithms used in the hidden layer as well as in the output layer. Coefficient of determination, root of mean square error and mean absolute error were used to compare algorithms. Results: In prediction of milk production of 4th and 5th monthly test day records, LM algorithm with sigmoid axon activation functions and LM Training algorithm, with hyperbolic tangent Axon functions had the best performance between network structures respectively. In these net work structures R² were highest (0.725 and 0.642 respectively), RMSEs were lowest (4.785 and 5.345 respectively) and MAEs were lowest (3.715and 4.057 respectively). In prediction of 10th monthly test day milk production through three or four monthly test day records, obtained from the same lactation period, none of the structures had ability to predict milk production successfully. In prediction of 305-day milk yield, LM algorithm and hyperbolic tangent activation function had the best prediction through 3 test day records and R², RMSE and MAE as performance criteria were 0.799, 984.14 and 790.21 respectively. Also the same structure of the network had the best performance to predict 305-day milk yield through four or five initial test day records and performance criteria, Coefficient of determination, root of mean square error and mean absolute error were 0.856, 850.98 and 653.33 respectively, in ANN with four test day record as input variables and 0.904, 706.59 and 548.69 respectively, in ANN with five test day record as input variables, respectively. Conclusion: The artificial neural network designed in this study was able to predict the milk production of animals in the fourth month of lactation with a correlation coefficient of 0.84. On the other hand, the designed neural network was able to predict the total milk production of the animal in a lactation period of 305 days with appropriate accuracy. So that the correlation coefficients in using the first three, four and five monthly records of livestock for prediction were 0.89, 0.92 and 0.95 respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emission-induced climate change, particularly occurring since the mid-20th century, has been considerably affecting short-term weather conditions, such as increasing weather variability and the incidence of extreme weather-related events. Milk production is sensitive to such changes. In this study, we use spatial panel econometric models, the spatial error model (SEM) and the spatial Durbin model (SDM), with a panel dataset at the state-level varying over seasons, to estimate the relationship between weather indicators and milk productivity, in an effort to reduce the bias of omitted climatic variables that can be time varying and spatially correlated and cannot be directly captured by conventional panel data models. We find an inverse U-shaped effect of summer heat stress on milk production per cow (MPC), indicating that milk production reacts positively to a low-level increase in summer heat stress, and then MPC declines as heat stress continues increasing beyond a threshold value of 72. Additionally, fall precipitation exhibits an inverse U-shaped effect on MPC, showing that milk yield increases at a decreasing rate until fall precipitation rises to 14 inches, and then over that threshold, milk yield declines at an increasing rate. We also find that, relative to conventional panel data models, spatial panel econometric models could improve prediction performance by leading to smaller in-sample and out-sample root mean squared errors. Our study contributes to the literature by exploring the feasibility of promising spatial panel models and resulting in estimating weather influences on milk productivity with high model predicting performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research articles about the effects of rumen-protected choline (RPC) supplementation on metabolic response, and reproductive and productive performances in transitional dairy cows were reviewed and presented. Analysis was conducted on 32 research papers that were published. The papers examined treatments without RPC supplementation and RPC supplementation levels varying from 10 to 100 gm/day. The feeding duration of RPC started from 40 to 140 days prepartum and continued until 20 to 140 days postpartum in multiparous dairy cows. Studies indicated that adding herbal choline (Cho) to the diet of transition dairy cows resulted in increased milk production and improved milk quality, leading to enhanced energy balance and reduced oxidative stress. The concentration and yield of IgG in colostrum provide passive immunity to dairy newborns and can be enhanced by dietary Cho supplementation. The inconsistent effects of RPC supplementation on reproduction may be due to several factors such as heat stress, genetics, and management. RPC supplementation improved the transition dairy cows' milk yield and quality, but dosage response was not observed as in the prior publication. Remarkably, the length of RPC supplementation had a positive correlation with an increase in milk yield. Based on this review, 45-50 gm/day dietary RPC supplementation between 3 weeks pre-calving to 8 weeks post-calving is suggested to increase at least 10% milk yield in dairy cows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the influence of different dietary protein levels on the productive performance of unselected rabbit does and their litters during their first two lactations. For this purpose, fifty-two nulliparous rabbit does, 4.5 months of age and live weight of 3115 ± 71 g, were divided into three groups (17 or 18 females per group), kept in individual cages and each group received only one of the three experimental diets. These diets were iso-energetic (10.8 MJ DE/kg), but with increasing levels of crude protein (CP): 15%, 17% and 19 % for the low (L), medium (M) or high (H) diets, respectively. Breeding was carried out by natural copulation using 6 males of 5-6 months of age and 2865±21 g initial weight, controlled semi-intensive lactation and weaning at 35 days after birth. Female body weight, feed intake, milk production, litter size and weight were monitored at birth and weekly after parturition during the first two lactations. The protein intake of the rabbits increased with the amount of protein in the diet (L vs. M: +12.2%; L vs. H: +18.8%; p < 0.001), without any effect on milk production and feed intake. Milk production was unaffected by parity. Throughout the pre-weaning period, litter size and weight and maternal mortality were unaffected by dietary protein level. Dietary protein level had no effect on live weight, birth to weaning weight gain, milk production or feed intake during the first two consecutive lactations of rabbit does. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The left displacement of the abomasum (LDA) is a common condition in dairy cows that can significantly impact their welfare, productivity, and fertility. This study was carried out in Greek dairy farms over a period of 3 years. To ensure early detection, the farmers were trained to accurately identify the disease. The reproductive performance and milk production of 306 cows was assessed by considering the time to the first estrus, the calving-to-conception interval, and the number of artificial inseminations required for the establishment of pregnancy. Uterine health status, the timing of disease diagnosis, and the season of the year were also evaluated. In a separate study, the outcomes of 26 cases where cows suffered LDA and underwent surgical treatment with a delay of at least one week from disease onset, were compared to those of cases promptly treated. The results indicate that even early identification and treatment of LDA affects fertility and milk yield; these impacts worsen with the co-existence of uterine infections of affected. However, in late-treated cases, all reproductive and production indices show significant deterioration. Our findings suggest that timely diagnosis of the disease, preferably by the farmer, ensures minimal losses in cows affected by LDA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT: A meta-analysis was performed to investigate the effects of capsaicin (CAP) on lactational performance and blood chemistry and cell counts in dairy cattle. The database comprised 11 peer-reviewed studies published between 2011 and 2024. The overall effect of CAP, challenge (e.g., ketosis, glucose tolerance, LPS), and dose were considered explanatory variables in the analysis. Lactation performance response variables included DMI, milk yield (MY), ECM yield, feed efficiency (FE), milk components, and BW. Hematological response variables included red and white blood cell counts and blood BHB, total fatty acids, insulin, and glucose concentrations. Data were analyzed using random- and mixed-effect models in the “robumeta” package in RStudio. Milk yield was increased by 2.9% by CAP when compared with control. Capsaicin supplementation increased FE by 3.4% compared with control. Milk fat concentration and yield were also increased by CAP compared with control by 2.6% and 4.0%, respectively. Blood glucose concentrations were decreased 2.5% by CAP supplementation, whereas insulin levels were unaffected. Cows fed CAP during a challenge had higher MY and FE and tended to have lower blood glucose than their control counterparts. Overall, this analysis suggests that CAP supplementation may be directly affecting host physiology by altering glucose metabolism, but further research to define the mechanism is warranted.

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emission-induced climate change, particularly occurring since the mid-20th century, has been considerably affecting short-term weather conditions, such as increasing weather variability and the incidence of extreme weather-related events. Milk production is sensitive to such changes. In this study, we use spatial panel econometric models, the spatial error model (SEM) and the spatial Durbin model (SDM), with a panel dataset at the state-level varying over seasons, to estimate the relationship between weather indicators and milk productivity, in an effort to reduce the bias of omitted climatic variables that can be time varying and spatially correlated and cannot be directly captured by conventional panel data models. We find an inverse U-shaped effect of summer heat stress on milk production per cow (MPC), indicating that milk production reacts positively to a low-level increase in summer heat stress, and then MPC declines as heat stress continues increasing beyond a threshold value of 72. Additionally, fall precipitation exhibits an inverse U-shaped effect on MPC, showing that milk yield increases at a decreasing rate until fall precipitation rises to 14 inches, and then over that threshold, milk yield declines at an increasing rate. We also find that, relative to conventional panel data models, spatial panel econometric models could improve prediction performance by leading to smaller in-sample and out-sample root mean squared errors. Our study contributes to the literature by exploring the feasibility of promising spatial panel models and resulting in estimating weather influences on milk productivity with high model predicting performance.

The consequences of climate change are becoming a relevant issue also for the livestock industry in temperate countries. Transgenerational studies outlined the effect of the ancestors’ calving season, considered as an indicator of the period during which pregnancy occurs, on their female progeny performance. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of great granddam (F0) calving month on their great granddaughters (F3) Test Day (TD) records for milk production. A total of 414,069 TD records of milk, fat, and protein yields from 27,224 Italian Simmental F3 cows was analysed with a mixed linear model with year of calving, parity, age at parity, F0 calving month, days in milk class, the interactions between DIM and F0 calving month and between parity and F0 calving month, F3 calving date and the random effects of herd-test date and animal. The F0 calving month significantly influenced F3 performance for the three considered traits; largest F3 TD records were obtained for F0 calvings occurring in October, smallest for February. The largest milk production of F3 cows were observed when their F1 conceptions occurred in winter. Results were confirmed by a further analysis considering the calving seasons of F0, F1 and F2. The effect of F0 calving month (associated with the conception of F1) on milk production decreased as F3 parity increased. Results of this study suggest that the period of ancestor pregnancy and conception affects milk production traits of further generations also in temperate climates.

India is the largest milk producer contributing 25 % to the global production. From a mere 17 million tons (MTs) in 1951, milk production increased to an inconceivable 230 MTs in 2023. Nondescript cows and buffaloes were the main milk animals. Since 1965, nationwide programs for cross breeding native cattle with exotic milk breeds such as Jersey, Holstein Friesian (HF) and Brown Swiss (BS) and upgradation of buffalo breeds along with disease eradication, feed and fodder development and provision of veterinary and extension services were implemented. Now 75 % of the milk in India is produced by the native, exotic and crossbred cows (43 %) and native breeds of buffaloes (32 %). National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) created dairy cooperatives, an Indian innovation to connect rural milk producers to urban and semi-urban consumers. These cooperatives transformed subsistence dairy farming into a profitable rural enterprise and created millions of jobs. Due to the success of the above activities, since 1998 India continues to produce the highest volumes of milk in the world. It is envisioned to increase (i) milk production to 450 million tons (MTs) (one-third of the global production) (ii) gain a share of 15 % in global milk and milk products exports and (iii) build sustainable green practices to match global standards during the next 25 years. India is increasingly deploying artificial insemination (AI) with sex sorted-frozen semen, embryo transfer and in vitro production of embryos using sex sorted semen, progeny testing and genomic selection to improve reproduction and productivity among dairy animals. Mitigation of disease burden is undertaken through nationwide vaccination against diseases such as Foot and Mouth, TB, Brucellosis etc. Nutritious fodder crops and feed additives that support higher productivity and reduce enteric methane emissions are promoted. Management and interventional practices such as better nutrition, amelioration of summer stress, oestrus synchronisation etc., are increasingly implemented. Use of internet enabled technology services (IETS) for extension activities, mobile veterinary and animal husbandry services are rapidly becoming commonplace. All these practices portend greater achievements in milk production in the fore-seeable future. Achievements, aspirations, accosts, approaches and appraisal are presented. • 1950–70: India was milk deficit country. • 1965–98: White revolution: crossbreeding and upgradation of native bovines to become world's top milk producer. • 1998–2023: Technology supported milk production: India remains the top milk producer in the world. • 2023-50: Intensification of technology adoption: India shall remain world's top milk producer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective The objective of the current study was to find out the independent and interactive effects of prilled fat supplementation with protein on the production performance of early lactating Nili Ravi buffaloes. Methods Sixteen early lactating buffaloes (36.75±5.79 d in milk; mean±standard error) received 4 treatments in 4×4 Latin-square design according to 2×2 factorial arrangements. The dietary treatments were: i) low protein low fat, ii) low protein high fat, iii) high protein low fat, and iv) high protein high fat. The dietary treatments contained 2 protein (8.7% and 11.7% crude protein) and fat levels (2.6% and 4.6% ether extract) on a dry matter basis. Results The yields of milk and fat increased with increasing protein and fat independently (p≤0.05). Energy-, protein-, and fat-corrected milk yields also increased with increasing protein and fat independently (p≤0.05). Increasing dietary protein increased the protein yield by 3.75% and lactose yield by 3.15% and increasing dietary fat supplies increased the fat contents by 3.93% (p≤0.05). Milk yield and fat-corrected milk to dry matter intake ratios were increased at high protein and high fat levels (p≤0.05). Milk nitrogen efficiency was unaffected by dietary fat (p>0.10), whereas it decreased with increasing protein supplies (p≤0.05). Plasma urea nitrogen and cholesterol were increased by increasing protein and fat levels, respectively (p≤0.05). The values of predicted methane production reduced with increasing dietary protein and fat. Conclusion It is concluded that prilled fat and protein supplies increased milk and fat yield along with increased ratios of milk yield and fat-corrected milk yields to dry matter intake. However, no interaction was observed between prilled fat and protein supplementation for production parameters, body weight, body condition score and blood metabolites. Predicted methane production decreased with increasing protein and fat levels.

ABSTRACT: Adequate energy supply is a crucial factor for maintaining the production performance in cows during the early lactation period. Adding fatty acids (FA) to diets can improve energy supply, and the effect could be related to the chain length and degree of saturation of those FA. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of different ratios of palmitic acid (C16:0) to oleic acid (cis-9 C18:1) on the production performance, nutrient digestibility, blood metabolites, and milk FA profile in early lactation dairy cows. Seventy-two multiparous Holstein cows (63.5 ± 2.61 days in milk) blocked by parity (2.39 ± 0.20), body weight (668.3 ± 20.1 kg), body condition score (3.29 ± 0.06), and milk yield (47.9 ± 1.63 kg) were used in a completely randomized design. Cows were divided into 3 groups with 24 cows in each group. Cows in the 3 treatment groups were provided iso-energy and iso-nitrogen diets, but the C16:0 to cis-9 C18:1 ratios were different: (1) 90.9% C16:0 + 9.1% cis-9 C18:1 (90.9:9.1); (2) 79.5% C16:0 + 20.5% cis-9 C18:1 (79.5:20.5); and (3) 72.7% C16:0 + 27.3% cis-9 C18:1 (72.7:27.3). Fatty acids were added at 1.3% on a dry matter basis. Although the dry matter intake fat-corrected milk yield and energy-corrected milk yield were not affected, the milk yield, milk protein yield, and feed efficiency increased linearly with increasing cis-9 C18:1 ratio. The milk protein percentage and milk fat yield did not differ among treatments, whereas the milk fat percentage tended to decrease linearly with the increasing cis-9 C18:1 ratio. The lactose yield increased linearly and lactose percentage tended to increase linearly with increasing cis-9 C18:1 ratio, but the percentage of milk total solids and somatic cell count decreased linearly. Although body condition scores were not affected by treatments, body weight loss decreased linearly with increasing cis-9 C18:1 ratio. The effect of treatment on nutrient digestibility was limited, except for a linear increase in ether extract and neutral detergent fiber digestibility with increasing cis-9 C18:1 ratio. There was a linear increase in the concentration of plasma glucose, but the triglyceride and nonesterified FA concentrations decreased linearly with increasing cis-9 C18:1 ratio. As the cis-9 C18:1 ratio increased, the concentration of de novo FA decreased quadratically, but the mixed and preformed fatty acids increased linearly. In conclusion, increasing cis-9 C18:1 ratio could increase production performance and decrease body weight loss by increasing nutrient digestibility, and the ratio that had the most powerful beneficial effect on early lactation cows was 72.7:27.3 (C16:0 to cis-9 C18:1).

ABSTRACT: The objective was to evaluate the effects of separate offering of feed ingredients (SF) and frequency of concentrate feeding versus offering a TMR, on lactational performance, ruminal fermentation, enteric CH4 emissions, nutrient digestibility, N use efficiency, milk fatty acid profile, and blood variables in mid-lactation dairy cows. Twenty-four Holstein cows (12 primi- and 12 multiparous) averaging (±SD) 141 ± 35 DIM and 43 ± 6 kg/d of milk yield (MY) at the beginning of the study were used in a replicated 3 × 3 Latin square design experiment with 3 periods of 28 d each, composed of 7 d for adaptation to the diets, 11 d for estimation of net energy and metabolizable protein requirements, and 10 d for data and samples collection. Cows were grouped based on parity, DIM, and MY into 4 Latin squares. Treatment allocation was balanced for carryover effects, and cows within square were assigned to (1) basal diet fed ad libitum as TMR; (2) basal diet fed as SF with forages fed ad libitum and concentrates fed 3×/d (SF×3); or (3) basal diet fed as SF with forages fed ad libitum and concentrates fed 6×/d (SF×6). Compared with TMR, SF decreased total DMI by 1.2 kg/d. Treatments did not affect MY, milk components, or ECM yield, except for a decrease in milk fat concentration and an increase in milk urea N by SF×3, compared with TMR. Feed efficiency (kg of MY/kg of DMI) was increased by 7% in SF, compared with TMR. Ruminal molar proportion of acetate and acetate-to-propionate ratio were decreased, whereas molar proportion of propionate was increased by SF×3, compared with TMR and SF×6. There was a 9% decrease in daily CH4 production by SF, compared with TMR. Enteric CH4 yield (per kg of DMI) was not affected by treatments in the current study. Methane intensity per kilogram of MY tended to be decreased by 10% in SF, compared with TMR. The sums of odd- and branched-chain, odd-chain, and anteiso milk fatty acids tended to be or were increased by SF, compared with TMR. Intake of nutrients tended to be or were decreased by SF, compared with TMR. The digestibility of amylase-treated NDF tended to be decreased and ADF digestibility was decreased by 3% in SF, compared with TMR. Urinary and fecal N excretions were not affected by treatments. As a percentage of total N intake, separate offering of feed ingredients increased milk N secretion, indicating an increased N use efficiency by SF, compared with TMR. Blood total fatty acid concentration was decreased by SF relative to TMR. Compared with both TMR and SF×6, SF×3 increased blood urea N concentration. Overall, feed and N use efficiencies were increased by separate offering of feed ingredients, and increasing the frequency of concentrate feeding promoted ruminal fermentation effects similar to those obtained by feeding a TMR.

Selenium (Se) is an essential micronutrient crucial in various metabolic processes. Dairy production is continually expanding and can supplement the population of regions with low Se. Adding live yeast concentrate (LYC) to cows’ diets can influence milk production, composition, and quality by modulating ruminal microbiota, resulting in increased milk yield and improved nutritional content. This study aimed to assess the enrichment of milk with selenite LYC for a subsequent increase in quality and production in supplemented lactating cows. Twenty-six cows were separated into three groups supplemented with different concentrations of Se for 15 days and different concentrations of LYC (Saccharomyces cerevisiae at 108 CFU g−1). The animals were divided into the following groups with the proposed treatments: Treatment 1 (T1) Control Group with just dry matter intake (DMI); Treatment 2 (T2) DMI + 0.3 mg kg−1 DMI of inorganic selenium + live yeast concentrate (LYC); Treatment 3 (T3) DMI + 0.6 mg kg−1 DMI of inorganic selenium + LYC. The milk was evaluated using physical–chemical, microbiologic, and toxicologic parameters according to Brazilian legislation. The addition of Se and yeast did not alter milk production; however, the application did lead to an increase in milk fat concentration compared with the control group, and no significant variations were observed in other physical–chemical parameters. Regarding the microbiological and toxicological analyses, all the samples presented satisfactory hygienic and sanitary conditions. The Somatic Cells Count from all treatments remained below 500,000 somatic cells mL−1, representing a positive effect of Se. The milk Se content was expected in residual form with the organic selenium being the more bioavailable form throughout the processing chain. The supplementation yielded results similar to those in the literature, highlighting the potential for customized technology and processes in dairy farming in ways that improve production, quality, and sanitation.

Background and Aim: The most intensive nutritional requirements occur during milk production’s peak. Ewe milk contains more protein and fat than cow milk. The nutritional factors significantly determine the composition. The liver undergoes high stress during lactation but is relieved by essential nutrients. Choline acts metabolically as a lipotrope. This compound functions in cell structure construction, maintenance, and acetylcholine synthesis. The animal nutrition industry provides choline from various sources, such as synthetic and natural kinds. This study evaluated the influence of two distinct choline sources on dairy ewes’ peripartum and postpartum milk production, composition, and offspring growth. Materials and Methods: Twenty-four Rambouillet ewes, each weighing around 63.7 ± 1.7 kg, aged three with two previous births, spent 30-day pre-partum and post-partum in individual pens (2 × 2 m). They were given different experimental treatments 30 days before and after birth according to a randomized design; no choline (a), 4 g/day rumen-protected choline (RPC) (b), or 4 g/day thiocholine (c). Milk samples for milk composition and long-chain fatty acid (FA) analysis were taken every 30 days during milk collection. Results: Significant differences (p < 0.05) in ewe body weight, lamb birth weight, and 30-day-old lamb body weight were observed at lambing and on day 30 of lactation due to choline treatment. Milk yield was significantly higher (1.57 kg/day) compared to the control (1.02 kg/day) and RPC (1.39 kg/day), due to the herbal choline source. There was no significant difference in the milk’s protein, lactose, fat, non-fat solids, and total milk solids content between the treatments. Herbal choline lowers (p < 0.05) the concentrations of caproic, caprylic, capric, lauric, and myristic acids while boosting (p < 0.05) those of oleic and cis-11-eicosenoic acid, the changes influencing long-chain FA levels (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Providing choline from both sources to ewes enhanced milk production and body weight at lambing and on 30-day post-lambing. The herbal choline supplement altered short-chain milk FAs, while representative concentration pathways affected medium-chain ones.

Objective This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of offering (OSF) or not (NSF) supplemental feed at milking on temperament (TS), udder hygiene (UHS) and body condition (BCS) scores, and milk yield per milking (MYM), milk quality traits, and profitability of primiparous Anatolian buffalo cows at 90 days of lactation confined in closed-tied (CB) or semi-open free-stall (OB) barns. Methods In Experiment I, 108 cows were selected to encompass four treatments (OB-OSF, OB-NSF, CB-OSF, and CB-NSF) of 27 cows, considering barn type (OB and CB) and supplementary feed (OSF and NSF) at milking. In Experiment II, 60 OB cows were selected to encompass one of five groups of 12 cows each: i) no supplemental feed (CON), ii) commercial concentrate (CC), iii) CC + corn silage (CCS), iv) CCS + alfalfa hay (CSA), or v) CC + ryegrass silage (CRS) at milking. Results The TS and UHS of the OB and OSF cows were lower (better) than those of the CB and NSF cows, respectively. The OSF increased milk protein, lactose, and solids-not-fat but decreased milk freezing point and electrical conductivity compared with the NSF. The MYM and milk fat of the OB-OSF cows were higher than those of the OB-NSF and CB-NSF cows. The TS and UHS of the cows negatively correlated with MYM and some milk chemicals (fat, protein, and solids-not-fat), but BCS correlated positively. The TS and milk electrical conductivity of the CCS, CSA, and CRS cows were lower than those of the CON and CC cows, but BCS, MYM, and milk fat were higher. Partial budget analysis identified a higher net profit for supplemental feed-offered groups (OB-OSF, CCS, CSA, and CRS). Conclusion Offering roughage with concentrates at milking for indoor primiparous buffalo cows is more conducive to well-being, milk yield, milk quality, and economy.

Objective: The objective of the current study was to find out the independent and interactive effects of prilled fat supplementation with protein on the production performance of early lactating Nili Ravi buffaloes. Methods: Sixteen early lactating buffaloes (36.75±5.79 d in milk; mean±standard error) received 4 treatments in 4x4 Latin-square design according to 2x2 factorial arrangements. The dietary treatments were: i) low protein low fat, ii) low protein high fat, iii) high protein low fat, and iv) high protein high fat. The dietary treatments contained 2 protein (8.7% and 11.7% crude protein) and fat levels (2.6% and 4.6% ether extract) on a dry matter basis. Results: The yields of milk and fat increased with increasing protein and fat independently (p≤0.05). Energy-, protein-, and fat-corrected milk yields also increased with increasing protein and fat independently (p≤0.05). Increasing dietary protein increased the protein yield by 3.75% and lactose yield by 3.15% and increasing dietary fat supplies increased the fat contents by 3.93% (p≤0.05). Milk yield and fat-corrected milk to dry matter intake ratios were increased at high protein and high fat levels (p≤0.05). Milk nitrogen efficiency was unaffected by dietary fat (p>0.10), whereas it decreased with increasing protein supplies (p≤0.05). Plasma urea nitrogen and cholesterol were increased by increasing protein and fat levels, respectively (p≤0.05). The values of predicted methane production reduced with increasing dietary protein and fat. Conclusion: It is concluded that prilled fat and protein supplies increased milk and fat yield along with increased ratios of milk yield and fat-corrected milk yields to dry matter intake. However, no interaction was observed between prilled fat and protein supplementation for production parameters, body weight, body condition score and blood metabolites. Predicted methane production decreased with increasing protein and fat levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unfavorable genetic correlations between milk production, fertility, and urea traits have been reported. However, knowledge of the genomic regions associated with these unfavorable correlations is limited. Here, we used the correlation scan method to identify and investigate the regions driving or antagonizing the genetic correlations between production vs. fertility, urea vs. fertility, and urea vs. production traits. Driving regions produce an estimate of correlation that is in the same direction as the global correlation. Antagonizing regions produce an estimate in the opposite direction of the global estimates. Our dataset comprised 6567, 4700, and 12,658 Holstein cattle with records of production traits (milk yield, fat yield, and protein yield), fertility (calving interval) and urea traits (milk urea nitrogen and blood urea nitrogen predicted using milk‐mid‐infrared spectroscopy), respectively. Several regions across the genome drive the correlations between production, fertility, and urea traits. Antagonizing regions were confined to certain parts of the genome and the genes within these regions were mostly involved in preventing metabolic dysregulation, liver reprogramming, metabolism remodeling, and lipid homeostasis. The driving regions were enriched for QTL related to puberty, milk, and health‐related traits. Antagonizing regions were mostly related to muscle development, metabolic body weight, and milk traits. In conclusion, we have identified genomic regions of potential importance for dairy cattle breeding. Future studies could investigate the antagonizing regions as potential genomic regions to break the unfavorable correlations and improve milk production as well as fertility and urea traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study investigated the effects of various inclusion levels of dietary Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) preparation on feed consumption, milk yield and milk composition, serum biochemistry, hematological profile, and reproductive efficiency of Holstein dairy cows. A total of 117 lactating Holstein cows were randomly divided into four groups as control (n = 27; without CHM supplementation) and treatment groups CHM-0.5 (n = 31), CHM-0.75 (n = 29), and CHM-1 (n = 30) fed diet supplemented with 0.5, 0.75, and 1 kg/cow/d for 30 days, respectively. The study began at d 20 postpartum (d 0 of the study). At d 50 postpartum, the cows in all groups were subjected to estrus synchronization using a modified Ovsynch protocol (GPGMH) and observed for reproductive variables. Feed intake, milk yield and milk composition, serum biochemistry and hematological profile, and reproductive efficiency were measured. A significantly higher milk yield with improved milk lactose, milk protein and milk fat were found in the CHM-0.75 group compared to the other groups (p < 0.05). Besides, the estrus response, ovulation rate, ovulatory follicle diameter, and pregnancy rate increased in CHM-0.75 compared to CHM-0 or CHM-0.5 group (p < 0.05). The serum metabolites (glucose, AST, arginine, BUN, and NO) showed variations among the treatment groups at different time points (synchronization, AI, or post-AI). In conclusion, CHM supplementation improves the milk yield, milk composition, and serum metabolites in dairy cows. Daily supplementation of 0.75 kg CHM before the GPGMH protocol application enhances the reproductive traits in dairy cows under summer conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Artificial intelligence has become essential for aiding in different knowledge domains by improving knowledge extraction from raw data and process automation. In dairy production, artificial intelligence offers promising applications in detecting and managing bovine mastitis, the most critical disease affecting the mammary gland in dairy cows, impacting milk production and profitability in dairy farms. This research evaluated the evolution of artificial intelligence applications in bovine mastitis between 2011 and 2021 using the Scopus database and the frequency of terms cited in titles, abstracts, and keywords. We selected the 62 papers that were the most relevant according to their citation index. Our results pointed out that the terms "machine learning" and "mastitis" were the most cited, with a significant increase between 2018 and 2021. There was an increase in artificial intelligence applications for bovine mastitis per country, showing applications primarily aimed at improving the current mastitis detection systems. The most cited model was artificial neural networks. We concluded that using artificial intelligence in bovine mastitis was related to mastitis detection as a vital tool to prevent this disease, considering its major impacts on dairy production and economic return. Mastitis, an important disease in dairy cows, causes significant losses in herd profitability. Accurate diagnosis is crucial for adequate control. Studies using artificial intelligence (AI) models to classify, identify, predict, and diagnose mastitis show promise in improving mastitis control. This bibliometric review aimed to evaluate AI and bovine mastitis terms in the most relevant Scopus-indexed papers from 2011 to 2021. Sixty-two documents were analyzed, revealing key terms, prominent researchers, relevant publications, main themes, and keyword clusters. "Mastitis" and "machine learning" were the most cited terms, with an increasing trend from 2018 to 2021. Other terms, such as "sensors" and "mastitis detection", also emerged. The United States was the most cited country and presented the largest collaboration network. Publications on mastitis and AI models notably increased from 2016 to 2021, indicating growing interest. However, few studies utilized AI for bovine mastitis detection, primarily employing artificial neural network models. This suggests a clear potential for further research in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the dairy sector in Slovenia, focusing on farm heterogeneity, efficiency in resource utilization, and policy implementations. Through a modeling approach, we explore the differences among dairy farms, considering factors such as herd size, farm management, natural conditions, and production potential. Based on 32 typical dairy farms, representing the entire dairy sector, composed of 6400 dairy farms, the analysis was performed using the farm model (SiTFarm). We emphasize the importance of accurate assessments, given the variability of policy impacts across farm types. While medium-to-large, specialized farms dominate milk production, smaller farms, particularly in less favored areas, hold social and environmental importance despite facing competitive challenges. Addressing environmental sustainability could involve promoting practices that improve milk yield and include grazing, as this tends to lower greenhouse gas emissions per kilogram of milk (−5%). Dairy farms contribute about one-third of the generated revenue in Slovene agriculture, of which a good half goes to farms located in less favored areas. They manage a good quarter of permanent grassland in Slovenia, and it is certainly the sector that can achieve the highest return on these areas. In 75% of the farms, the gross margin is higher than 1756 EUR/ha and using best practices they exceed 3400 EUR/ha. The model results indicate that the average hourly rate on dairy farms during the observed period falls within the range of EUR 7.3 to 17.4 of gross margin for most farms, with the top-performing ones exceeding 24 EUR/h. However, due to the significant reliance on budgetary payments (on average, 58% of the gross margin), the implementation of the common agricultural policy strategic plan generally leads to a deterioration in the economic indicators of dairy farms. This impact is particularly pronounced on medium-sized and larger farms, increasing the effect on income due to the substantial fixed costs involved. Our findings underscore the interplay between policy interventions, farm characteristics, and sectoral outcomes, offering valuable insights for policy-makers and stakeholders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aimed to estimate the heritability and genetic correlations for processability (milk coagulation properties, cheese yield, and heat stability), milk production, and milk composition of dairy sheep in a New Zealand flock. Test-day records from 169 ewes were obtained during the 2021–2022 season. Heritability estimates for yield traits (milk, fat, protein, and lactose yield) were moderate and ranged from 0.33 to 0.38. Whereas heritability estimates for processability traits were lower and ranged from 0.17 to 0.27. The genetic correlations indicated that poorer milk coagulation properties were associated with lower mammary health indicated by higher SCS, higher pH, and lower lactose content. Additionally, a higher ratio of casein to calcium i.e. lower availability of soluble calcium was associated with poorer milk coagulation properties. Higher yields of milk, fat, protein, and lactose were associated, but to a smaller degree, with better MCP. It is proposed that genetic improvement of dairy sheep for higher yields of fat and protein, and for lower SCS, could indirectly improve milk processability for cheese-making. However, it is recommended that larger studies involving more dairy sheep flocks are conducted to validate the present results before developing a selection index for this industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]