Hostname: page-component-745bb68f8f-5r2nc Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-01-12T13:11:24.310Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

An analysis of the time change in milk production in individual lactations1

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

Marjorie Gooch
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Extract

This study treats of the progress in the milk production of a cow during a single lactation, and the relation of this trend to various factors associated with the particular lactation. The analysis is based on the monthly milk production records of all cows having six or more lactations, in a single large herd of pure-bred Jerseys. The herd provided records on ninety-nine such cows having a total of 679 lactations. Since the trend in the amount of milk produced in a lactation may be described by a simple exponential curve, this equation was fitted to the first 8-months’ production records for each of the 679 lactations. From these curves, constants were obtained which measure for each lactation: the theoretical initial yield; the decline of milk yield with time, or in other words the persistency rate; and the scatter of the observed monthly yields about the smooth curve. It is these constants which were studied relative to certain general and biological factors.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 25 , Issue 1 , January 1935 , pp. 71 - 102
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1935

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

(1)Brody, S., Ragsdale, A. C. and Turner, C. W.The rate of decline of milk secretion with the advance of the period of lactation. J. gen. Physiol. (1923), 5, 441–9.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
(2)Brody, S., Ragsdale, A. C. and Turner, C. W.The effect of gestation on the rate of decline of milk secretion with the advance of the period of lactation. J. gen. Physiol. (1923), 5, 777–82.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
(3)Eckles, C. H.The nutrients required to develop the bovine fetus. Res. Bull. Mo. agric. Exp. Sta. (1916), No. 26, pp. 3–36.Google Scholar
(4)Eckles, C. H.Dairy Cattle and Milk Production (1931). Rev. ed. Macmillan Co., New York, xx+591 pp.Google Scholar
(5)Ellinger, Tage.The variation and inheritance of milk characters. Proc. nat. Acad. Sci., Wash. (1923), 9, 111–16.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
(6)Gaines, W. L.Interpretation of the lactation curve. J. gen. Physiol. (1926), 10, 27–31.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
(7)Gaines, W. L.Milk yield in relation to recurrence of conception. J. Dairy Sci. (1927), 10, 117–25.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
(8)Gaines, W. L.Measures of persistency of lactation. J. agric. Res. (1927), 34, 373–83.Google Scholar
(9)Gaines, W. L.Persistency of lactation in dairy cows. Bull. Ill. agric. Exp. Sta. (1927), No. 288.Google Scholar
(10)Gaines, W. L. and Brock, J. H.Experience with dairy cattle at the Illinois Station. Rep. Ill. agric. Exp. Sta. (1929), 62, 370.Google Scholar
(11)Gaines, L. W. and Davidson, F. A.Rate of milk secretion as affected by advance in lactation and gestation. Bull. Ill. agric. Exp. Sta. (1926), No. 272.Google Scholar
(12)Gaines, L. W. and Davidson, F. A.The effect of advance in lactation and gestation on mammary activity. J. gen. Physiol. (1926), 9, 325–32.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
(13)Gavin, William.Studies in milk records: on the accuracy of estimating a cow's milking capacity by her first lactation yield. J. agric. Sci. (1913), 5, 377–90.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
(14)Gowen, John W.Studies in milk secretion. V. On the variations and correlations of milk secretion with age. Genetics (1920), 5, 111–88.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
(15)Gowen, John W.Studies in milk secretion. X. Relation between the milk yield of one lactation and the milk yield of a subsequent lactation in Guernsey A.R. cattle. J. Dairy Sci. (1923), 6, 102–21.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
(16)Gowen, John W.Intrauterine development of the bovine fetus in relation to milk yield in Guernsey cattle. J. Dairy Sci. (1924), 7, 311–17.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
(17)Grady, R. I.Stage of lactation affects milk yield. Mo. Bull. Ohio agric. Exp. Sta. (1917), 2, 401–6.Google Scholar
(18)Hammond, J. and Sanders, H. G.Some factors affecting milk yield. J. agric. Sci. (1923), 13, 74–119.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
(19)McCandlish, A. C.The influence of the stage of lactation on the production of dairy cows. J. Dairy Sci. (1924), 7, 255–61.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
(20)Pearl, Raymond.On the law relating milk flow to age in dairy cattle. Proc. Soc. exp. Biol. and Med., N.Y. (1914–15), 12, 18–19.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
(21)Pearl, RaymondReport of Progress on Animal Husbandry Investigations in 1915. Paper from Biol. Lab. Maine Agric. Exp. Sta. (1915), No. 92.Google Scholar
(22)Ragsdale, A. C., Turner, C. W. and Brody, S. A.The effect of gestation upon lactation in the dairy cow. J. Dairy Sci. (1924), 7, 24–30.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
(23)Sanders, H. G.The shape of the lactation curve. J. agric. Sci. (1923), 13, 169–79.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
(24)Sanders, H. G. Some causes of variation in milk yields. Rep. Hertfordshire Milk Recording Society (1924).Google Scholar
(25)Sanders, H. G. The interpretation of milk records. Proc. of the Scottish Cattle Breeding Conference (1925).Google Scholar
(26)Sanders, H. G.The analysis of the lactation curve into maximum yield and persistency. J. agric. Sci. (1930), 20, 145–85.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
(27)Sturtevant, E. Lewis. Influence of distance from calving on milk yield. 5th Ann. Rep. New York Exp. Sta. for 1886 (1887), pp. 21–3.Google Scholar
(28)Turner, C. W.Seasonal variations in milk and fat production. J. Dairy Sci. (1923), 6, 198–204.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
(29)Turner, C. W.A quantitative form of expressing persistency of milk or fat secretion. J. Dairy Sci. (1926), 9, 203–14.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
(30)Turner, C. W.Persistency of fat secretion during the lactation period as affected by age. J. Dairy Sci. (1927), 10, 95–105.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
(31)Turner, C. W.The influence of age at first calving on milk secretion. Miss. Sta. Research Bull. (1932), No. 164, pp. 39.Google Scholar