J. Anim Sci.
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

J. Anim Sci. 1979. 48:1-6.
© 1979 American Society of Animal Science
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Neidhardt, R.
Right arrow Articles by Benavides, A.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow Articles by Neidhardt, R.
Right arrow Articles by Benavides, A.

Milk Yield of Brahman Cows in a Tropical Beef Production System

R. Neidhardt1, D. Plasse2, J. H. Weniger3, O. Verde2, J. Beltran2 and A. Benavides2

Universidad Central, Maracay, Venezuela and Technische Universität, Berlin, Germany

Abstract

Milk yield of Brahman cows in a tropical beef production system in Venezuela was estimated during 2 years. In trial A, 2,054 valid observations were taken by the calf nursing (weigh-suckle-weigh) technique using 6-hr experimental intervals on 8 monthly test days during each of 285 lactations. The least squares model included the following effects on 6-hr milk yield: incidence of urination and/or defecation by calf (U, coded 0 or 1), incidence of rainfall beginning during the nursing period (R, coded 0 or 1), year and sire of calf; partial regressions of length of test period (T), age of calf, calf weight, cow weight loss from calving to the respective test day, mean maximum temperature and total amount of rainfall during 14 days preceding test day, and linear, quadratic and cubic effects of test day number. All effects were significant, except total rainfall and year. Mean estimated 6-hr milk yield corrected for U, R and T was 1.55 kg, resulting in 24-hr milk yield of 6.2 kg and total estimated production of 1,340 kg during a 216-day lactation. The lactation curve peaked in the second month.

In trial B, the milk yield of 19 cows previously included in trial A was estimated by hand milking after oxytocin injection and compared to that obtained by calf nursing with and without subsequent hand milking after oxytocin injection. Milk yield obtained by hand milking was 29% lower (P<.05) than estimated by the calf nursing method. Notable amounts of milk were extracted after nursing only when calves were 3 to 10 days old.

Footnotes

1 Present address: Mision Alemana, Proyecto Atiocoyo, Apartado Postal No. 2034, San Salvador, El Salvador, CA.

2 Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias.

3 Institut für Tierproduktion.






HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Copyright © 1979 by the American Society of Animal Science.