Origin and generation influence on the fractal dimension values of the milk production in dairy cows

Abstract

The main aim of our research was to determine the effect of origin and generation on the fractal dimension values of the milk production peculiarities in dairy cows. This study analyses data from cattle milk production at the LLC “Promin”, Mykolaiv region. We formed four experimental groups of first-calf Holstein heifers of different origins and generations. The animals of the first group were imported from Germany; the second group was their offspring; the third group was Ukrainian breed cows, and the fourth group was their offspring. We assessed 305-day milk yield, total milk yield, milk fat percentage, milk fat yield, milk protein percentage, milk protein yield and lactation length for each cow. The information fractal dimension (FD1) values were calculated for each trait within each group. The fractal dimension values in all groups for 305-days milk yield, milk fat and milk protein yields were close to 1 (excluding the fourth group); thus, it can be argued that the random mechanism of their regulation and, accordingly, the lack of fractal properties. The estimated FD1 values for total milk yield were slightly lower; they fluctuated within very narrow limits in all groups and did not depend on either origin or generation. In addition, the calculated FD1 values for total milk yield were significantly lower than the corresponding estimates for 305-day milk yield in all cow groups. The use of fractal analysis revealed significant differences, which are based on different regulation mechanisms of the milk fat percentage in cows of the daughter generations. On the other hand, the fractal dimension values FD1 for milk protein percentage did not differ significantly between mothers and daughters, regardless of their origin. It was also found that the control for lactation length in the daughter generation was lower than the maternal one. Thus, using fractal analysis to study the regulatory mechanisms of milk production traits in dairy cows allowed us to determine the influence of the origin and generation (mother or daughter).

Keywords

• cattle
• milk productivity
• lactation
• daily milk yield
• milk fat percentage