The average temperature of the Earth surface keeps increasing and the hot summer 2003 may have a bearing on global warming. The majority of farmers were not ready to cope with such situation, so it could bring about significant economic losses. The number of days with extremely high temperatures which substantially influence the performance of animals is increasing, and this tendency will continue according to predictions. The above assumption will influence the management of dairy husbandry. We will have to consider housing and technological systems that will reduce this negative effect of climatic extremes when designing an optimum farm environment.It is apparent that performance, welfare and health of the animal are influenced by biometeorological factors. The most important climatological factors are high temperatures and relative humidity during the hot season and the wind-chilling factor during the cold season of the year (Gregoriadesová and Doležal, 2000). In the majority of barns for cows and heifers, the limits of air relative humidity were exceeded (Šoch et al., 2000).Summer climates cause the stress of dairy cows resulting in milk production depression. Heat stress occurs when the ambient temperature is higher than that of the animal's thermal neutral zone. The heat load is greater than their ability to lose heat (Šoch et al., 1997;Dolejš et al., 2000a). The potential for heat stress exists when the air temperature rises above the comfort zone, particularly if humidity is also high. When the tem- Effects of high air temperatures on milk efficiency in dairy cowsJ. BROUČEK, Š. MIHINA, Š. RYBA, P. TONGEĽ, P. KIŠAC, M. UHRINČAŤ, A. HANUS Research Institute of Animal Production, Nitra, Slovak Republic ABSTRACT: 26 herds with 71 586 individual records were used. We tested a hypothesis that milk efficiency was influenced by the elevation of the farm, housing system, breed, area of altitude, and by the cooling of dairy cows. There were 20 herds from lowlands and 6 herds from mountains, 20 herds from free-stall housing, 6 herds from tie-stall housing. 8 herds consisted of Slovakian Pied cattle, 4 herds of Red Holstein cattle, 11 herds of Black-Pied Lowland cattle and 3 herds of Slovakian Pinzgau cattle. The herds were divided into 4 groups according to the nearest meteorological station, and they were distributed according to the type of cooling. 10 herds were cooled by misting, 16 herds by fans. We recorded from 96 to 117 summer days and from 49 to 63 tropical days in lowlands for this summer period. Ninety days with temperature-humidity index (THI) above 72.0 were found in the lowest-elevation area. During 55 days we recorded the values higher than 78.0. Production of milk was higher in lowlands than in mountains (8 761.4 kg vs. 6 372.0 kg; P < 0.01). Differences were also recorded in the evaluation of fat and protein production (346.0 kg vs. 275.9 kg; P < 0.01; 282.6 kg vs. 205.9 kg; P < 0.001). Milk and protein production was higher in free-stall housing than in tie-stall housing (8 656.3 kg vs. 6 722.1 kg...
ABSTRACT:The aim of this study was to determine the impact of the length of calf sucking milk from its own mother on calf growth at the age of 3 months and milk yield of mothers. We tested a hypothesis that the nursing of calves by their own mothers increases the body weight of calves and decreases the milk production. 50 Holstein primiparous cows and their calves were divided into three groups according to the sucking length of calves: 7 days (A), 14 days (B) and 21 days (C). All calves suckled mother's colostrum and milk while mothers were milked twice per day. After weaning from mother calves were kept in individual hutches until 56 days of life, and then in group housing pens. In the period from birth to weaning the calves of group A reached the lowest and the calves of group C the highest daily gains (0.35 kg, 0.46 kg, 0.54 kg; P < 0.01). The lowest gain was recorded in animals of group A (0.55 kg) and the highest gain was reached by calves of group C (0.74 kg) for the period from birth to three months of age. For the first 305 days of lactation cows of group A produced insignificantly more milk than group C (7356.5 kg, 6779.2 kg, 6663.9 kg). A significant difference in milk production was recorded only during the first seven months of lactation (5494.5 kg, 5041.9 kg, and 4872.3 kg; P < 0.05). The long stay of calves with their mothers influences the growth of calves positively, but the milk production of mothers may decrease. Therefore, the stay of calves with the dam within 21 days after birth is not recommended for high-yielding dairy cows.
Simple SummaryThe purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of moving cows from the barn with stanchion-stall housing to free-stall housing on their behaviour and production. Cows lay down up to ten hours after removing. The cows in their second lactation and open cows tended to lie sooner after removing than cows in their first lactation and pregnant cows. The times of total lying and rumination were increasing from the first day to the tenth day after removing. Cows produced 23.3% less milk at the first day following the transfer than at the last day prior to moving (23.76 ± 7.20 kg vs. 30.97 ± 7.26 kg, p < 0.001). Loss of milk was gradually reduced and on the 14th day, cows achieved maximum production. The difference was found in milk losses due to the shift between cows in first and second lactation.AbstractTransfer of cattle to an unknown barn may result in a reduction in its welfare. Housing and management practices can result in signs of stress that include a long-term suppression of milk efficiency. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of moving cows from the stanchion-stall housing to free-stall housing on their behaviour and production. The Holstein cows were moved into the new facility with free-stall housing from the old barn with stanchion-stall housing. Cows lay down up to ten hours (596.3 ± 282.7 min) after removing. The cows in their second lactation and open cows tended to lie sooner after removing than cows in their first lactation and pregnant cows. The times of total lying and rumination were increasing from the first day to the tenth day after removing (23.76 ± 7.20 kg vs. 30.97 ± 7.26 kg, p < 0.001). Cows produced 23.3% less milk at the first day following the transfer than at the last day prior to moving (p < 0.001). Loss of milk was gradually reduced and maximum production was achieved on the 14th day. The difference was found in milk losses due to the shift between cows on the first and second lactation (p < 0.01). The results of this study suggest that removing from the tie-stall barn with a pipeline milking system into the barn with free-stall housing and a milking parlour caused a decline in the cows’ milk production. However, when the cows are moved to a better environment, they rapidly adapt to the change.
The objective of this study was to test the hypotheses that milk yield and behaviour at milking after relocation are impacted by gestation and lactation stages. Forty-one Holstein cows were relocated from the tie-stall barn with pipeline milking system into the barn with free-stall housing and herringbone milking parlour. Milk yield and order at the milking were recorded electronically. A significant decrease in daily milk yield was detected immediately after relocation (the first day) compared with the last day before treatment (23.76±7.21 kg vs 30.97±7.26 kg; P<0.001). However, the performance drop did not last long; after fourteen days milk production exceeded the mean original level (32.16±8.87 kg). No significant differences were found in the comparison of cows according to gestation stages. Cows in the second and first stages of lactation showed the highest declines in milk yield on the first day (36.77±6.34 kg and 33.76±7.44 kg vs 28.14±7.00 kg and 25.50±8.20 kg; P<0.05). Cows in the late lactation stage came into the parlour later than the other cows, equally during morning and evening milkings (P<0.05). Relationships between the lactation stage and milking orders were positive and significant (0.3730 * , 0.3946 * , 0.4822 ** ). We found that milk yield and behaviour at milking after relocation were influenced by the stage of lactation of the cows; however, the gestation stage had little longterm effect on the variables measured.
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