Effects of weather and other factors on milk production in the Churra dairy sheep breed

The objective of this study was to investigate the influence meteorological and other factors on quality quantity milk Spanish Churra sheep breed, based an analysis 359,808 controls from 9,904 ewes 15 farms in 8 years. Daily yield (DMY), fat, protein, lactose (%), somatic cell count (SCC) data were obtained monthly alternating controls. Mean, maximum, minimum temperatures (T) (°C), mean relative humidity (RH) wind speed (WS, m/s), solar radiation (SR, MJ/m2), total rainfall (RF, mm) day before each control documented. Year, farm, number lambing stage lactation, all had a significant (P < 0.0001) effect DMY quality. SCC differed among seasons 0.001), maximum occurred spring, autumn. Fat, content significantly 0.001) seasons, fat protein contents highest second ewe steadily declined subsequent lambings. increased first 10th ewe. DMY, SCC, In conclusion, conditions production season-dependent manner such that as temperature opposite hot cold seasons.