Effect of temperament of Jersey and Holstein Friesian cows on milk production traits and somatic cell count (Short Communication)

Abstract

The aim of present study was to investigate the relationships between temperament score and milk production, as well as somatic cell count in a herd of Jersey and Holstein Friesian breeds. The temperament of 283 Jersey and 69 Holstein Friesian cows were assessed (scored) by the temperament score test (behaviour of animals was assessed in a 5-score system (1: calm, 5: nervous) while spending 30 s on the scale during weighing). The daily milk yield, fat, protein content and somatic cell count were also investigated in this study. Our investigation did not reveal any correlation between daily milk yield and temperament score. But milk somatic cell count was showed positive moderate relation with the temperament scores of Jersey (r rank =0. ; P=0.0001, resp.).

Effect of temperament on milk production, somatic cell count, chemical composition and physical properties in Lacaune dairy sheep breed

“…However, in some published papers there was no available information about relationship between the temperament score and somatic cell count in milk. Some authors found relationship between these traits in cattle and buffalo, more temperamental animals have higher somatic cell counts (Orbán et al, 2011;Carvalhal et al, 2017). Hypothesis of this study was that the more temperamental animals have higher somatic cell count in milk during the whole lactation period compared to the calmer ones.…”

Genetics of cattle temperament and its impact on livestock production and breeding – a review

“…They discussed variations in the activation of the sympathetic nervous system as causal physiological mechanisms for disturbances in milk letdown by peripheral inhibition of oxytocin effects, as it is suggested by Van Reenen et al (2002). In a study of Orbán et al (2011), no correlation between milk yield and temperament could be detected, but calmer cattle had lower somatic cell counts.…”

Milking Temperament Influence on Production Performance and Plasma Hormones in Sahiwal Cows

“…Milk SCC was more in restless than the docile cows and was 88 to 312 vs. 110 to 332x10 3 cells/ml in hot-humid and 67 to 287 vs. 67 to 288 ×10 3 cells/ml in winter (Table 3). The significantly lower (P=0.01) SCC in calmer cows as compared to temperamental ones has been reported by Orban et al, (2011). Thus calmer cows with low SCC produced more hygienic milk then temperamental animals (Gergovska et al, 2014).…”