The first observation of milkability of the sheep breeds Tsigai, Improved Valachian and their crosses with Lacaune

L. Mačuhová, M. Uhrinčať, J. Mačuhová, M. Margetín and V. Tančin
Additional contact information
L. Mačuhová: Slovak Centre of Agricultural Research, RIAP Nitra, Nitra, Slovak Republic
M. Uhrinčať: Slovak Centre of Agricultural Research, RIAP Nitra, Nitra, Slovak Republic
J. Mačuhová: Institute for Agricultural Engineering and Animal Husbandry, Poing, Germany
M. Margetín: Slovak Centre of Agricultural Research, RIAP Nitra, Nitra, Slovak Republic
V. Tančin: Slovak Centre of Agricultural Research, RIAP Nitra, Nitra, Slovak Republic

Czech Journal of Animal Science, 2008, vol. 53, issue 12, 528-536

Abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate the milkability of two purebred breeds Tsigai (TS, n = 14) and Improved Valachian (IV, n = 15), their crosses with Lacaune 50% TS × 50% LC (n = 13), 50% IV × 50% LC (n = 9) and purebred Lacaune (LC, n = 19). The measurements of the milk flow were performed on day 90 ± 10 of lactation during evening machine milking. The recording of milk flow was carried out by the equipment for graduated electronic recording of milk level in a jar in one-second intervals. The milk flow curves were classified into four types: 1 peak (1P), 2 peaks (2P), plateau I (maximal milk flow over 0.4 l/min (PLI)), plateau II (maximal milk flow less than 0.4 l/min (PLII)). The last two types refer to ewes with steady milk flow during milking. Udder morphology traits were measured (cisternal depth, teat angle) and subjectively assessed by the use of linear scores (cistern depth, teat position). The average total milk yield was 0.335 ± 0.043, 0.392 ± 0.042, 0.407 ± 0.042 l in purebred TS, IV, LC resp. and 0.397 ± 0.046, 0.434 ± 0.056 l in crosses TS × LC and IV × LC, resp. The frequency of occurrence of different types of milk flow /1P:2P:PLI:PLII/ was 27, 47, 22, 4%, resp. The highest milk yield was observed in ewes with PLI (0.481 ± 0.045 l), followed by 2P (0.401 ± 0.029 l) and 1P (0.293 ± 0.036 l) type of milk flow curve (P = 0.0112). An opposite effect was observed in the percentage of machine stripping yield where 1P had 41.94 ± 3.83%, 2P 21.29 ± 3.04% and PLI 15.90 ± 4.70% (P < 0.0001). LC and TS × LC, IV × LC had the more horizontal teat position than TS and IV. It can be supposed that at least during around 69% milkings the sheep released oxytocin in response to machine milking and that TS, IV and their crosses with LC also have a suitable potential for machine milking.

Keywords: dairy sheep; milk flow curves; udder morphology; machine milking (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2008
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Downloads: (external link)
http://cjas.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/369-CJAS.html (text/html)
http://cjas.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/369-CJAS.pdf (application/pdf)
free of charge

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:caa:jnlcjs:v:53:y:2008:i:12:id:369-cjas

DOI: 10.17221/369-CJAS

Access Statistics for this article

Czech Journal of Animal Science is currently edited by Bc. Michaela Polcarová

More articles in Czech Journal of Animal Science from Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Ivo Andrle ().