Modelling extended lactation curves for milk production traits in Italian Holsteins

Abstract

- Test day records of milk production traits (milk yield, fat and protein percentage, and somatic cell score) of 45,132 Italian Holstein cows were analyzed with seven mathematical models in order to assess the main features of lactations of different length. Lactations curves were grouped according to parity (1, 2, and 3) and lactation length (1650d, peak yield was about 31, 37, and 39 kg for first, second, and third parity respectively; peak was predicted at around 60 and 40 days for younger and older animals respectively. The asymptotic level of production was below 10 kg.

Keywords

• Dairy cattle, Extended lactations, Mathematical models.