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Lactation curves for first lactation Egyptian buffalo
G H Metry1, K A Mourad, J C Wilk
1Animal Production Research Institute, Ministry of Agriculture, Giza, Egypt.
Journal of Dairy Science
|May 1, 1994
Summary
Lactation persistency in buffalo is highest for longer lactations (> or = 308 days) and influenced by herd-year-season. Calving season affects persistency, with spring and summer generally showing higher values for milk production.
Area of Science:
- Animal Science
- Dairy Production
- Reproductive Biology
Background:
- Understanding lactation curves and persistency is crucial for dairy animal management.
- Buffalo milk production is vital in many regions, yet detailed lactation dynamics require further study.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine lactation curves and persistency in buffalo based on varying lactation lengths.
- To analyze the impact of herd-year-season and calving season on buffalo milk yield and persistency.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of first lactation records from 1538 buffalo over 23 years.
- Grouping records by lactation length (>28 & <150 d, >149 d, >=308 d, all records).
- Calculating daily milk yields in 14-d intervals and assessing persistency.
Main Results:
- Milk yield peaked at different intervals depending on lactation length grouping.
- Buffalo with longer lactations (>=308 d) exhibited the highest persistency (1.02).
- Herd-year-season significantly impacted milk yield and persistency across all groups.
Conclusions:
- Lactation persistency is strongly linked to lactation length in buffalo.
- Calving season, particularly spring and summer, positively influences persistency for most lactation lengths.
- Management strategies should consider calving season and lactation length for optimizing buffalo milk production.