The aim of this review is to better understand the regulation of milk yield in response to once-daily milking and feed restriction. Glucose is the principal precursor for the synthesis of lactose (a major osmotic agent in milk), and participates in determining the milk volume produced. When applying these two breeding factors, reductions in milk yield are associated with a reduction in milk lac...

Colostrum formation and lactogenesis in the mammary gland and the timing of parturition are regulated by endocrine signals. Changes in progesterone (P4) and prolactin (PRL) are considered key events that inhibit colostrum formation, trigger parturition, and signal the onset of lactation. The goal of our study was to determine if colostrum yield and composition and immunoglobulin transfer are af...

BACKGROUND Animal-derived allergens include lipocalins which play an increasing role in occupational respiratory sensitizations. The prevention of sensitization in stock farming is often difficult due to intense exposure, with traditional milking still requiring close animal contact. Complete avoidance of allergen exposure is only possible if stock farming is abandoned. This is, however, often ...

Genetic parameters and relative breeding values were estimated for milking speed of US Brown Swiss dairy cattle. Owner-recorded milking-speed scores on a scale of 1 (slow) to 8 (fast) were collected by the Brown Swiss Association as part of its linear type appraisal program starting in 2004. Data were 7,366 records for 6,666 cows in 393 herds. The pedigree file included information for 21,458 a...

The aims of the present study were (1) to evaluate the influence of using mobile (n=47) or fixed (n=45) milking machines in Azorean herds on the apparent prevalence of several milk pathogens in bulk tank milk (BTM) and (2) to determine whether separated subclinical mastitic cows can serve, in real time, as predictors of milk pathogen prevalence for the remaining animals at the herd level. The u...

Transition of primiparous heifers to the milking herd is a period with multiple stressors. The objective of these studies was to determine effects of parlour experience and prepartum milking (pre-milking) on behavioural and physiological indicators of stress after calving. Two experiments were conducted, one was in a free-stall housing confinement system and the second was in a modified grazing...

Opinions are divided about the degree to which an udder should be empty after milking. While many farmers, based on their experience, try to empty the udder as completely as possible, their colleagues as well as some representatives of the milking industry and some milking consultants have a more relaxed attitude. They argue that it is completely normal that milk remains in the udder after milk...

Working conditions and the prevalence of perceived musculoskeletal symptoms (MSSs) among dairy farmers in 2013 were monitored by repeating a mail survey of dairy workers in Scania, southern Sweden, using the same method for collecting data on MSSs and working conditions employed in previous surveys conducted in 1988 and 2002. All dairy enterprises in Scania (total 419) were sent two copies of a...

Cereals and soybeans are the main food sources for the majority of Chinese. This study evaluated the effects of four common cooking methods including steaming, boiling, frying, and milking on selenium (Se) content and speciation in seven selenium bio-fortified cereals and soybeans samples. The Se concentrations in the selected samples ranged from 0.91 to 110.8 mg/kg and selenomethionine (SeMet)...