Ensuring calves stay healthy
Rearing facilities should be set-up and maintained well to ensure calves stay healthy.
Once-a-day milking (OAD) can increase or lower the amounts of proteins in milk, according to a new study published in the journal Dairy.
The study was conducted by Riddet Institute PhD student Marit van der Zeijden as part of her PhD looking at the comparison between OAD milking and twice-a-day (TAD) milking.
The study found significant differences in the proportion of some proteins, depending on the milking system used.
"Milk from a OAD milking system contained higher proportions of as2 casein and k-casein and lower proportions of a-lactal-bumin," says van der Zeijden.
She says this could have implications for milk processing and quality, as gelation and heating properties are impacted by these proteins.
Van der Zeijden says this was the first study to look at protein composition across the whole milking season, rather than a single sample. Most similar studies also examined outputs of cows temporarily switched to once-a-day rather than cows best suited to the regime.
Bovine milk from cows at two Massey University research farms in Palmerston North were compared in the study, one on OAD milking and one TAD. Both farms were pasture-based feeding systems, with higher dry matter supplementation on the TAD farm.
The cows were also as homogenous as possible, with nine cows from each system selected comprising the same make up of Holstein-Friesian (3), Holstein-Friesian x Jersey cross (3), and Jersey (3). Van der Zeijden took full-milkings samples at nine pivotal stages of the milking season - three at the beginning of the season, three in the middle, and three towards the end. Samples were also categorised by the day in the lactation stage the cow was in on the day of sampling (early, mid, and late). The TAD cows had milk from the two milkings combined.
She says many factors can affect protein composition, including the time in the season and the lactation stage of the cow, from calving to drying off time when protein and fat increase as milk yields decrease.
The real winner of this year’s FMG Young Farmer Region-off have been the regional communities.
As calving approaches, farmers need to get their teams ready for what lies ahead in the coming months.
Feeling sluggish this winter? Then try some seasonal fruit, renowned for lifting mood, energy and immunity levels just when we need it most.
The missing link in getting maximum weight gain in your calves may be as simple as keeping them warm, says the Christchurch manufacturer of a range of woollen covers for young livestock.
Rural Women New Zealand (RWNZ) and Massey University are joining forces to help raise awareness and funds to combat leptospirosis.
Auckland-based supplement and nutritional company New Image International is celebrating 40 years of business in their home country.
OPINION: Several days after securing shareholder approval for a $130 million loan from Bright Dairy, Synlait has delivered more bad…
OPINION: Recently several Labour MPs, including leader Chris Hipkins and deputy leader Carmel Sepuloni spent two days in Waikato with…