14-Title: Comparison of lactation curves in dairy cows under field conditions-A study in Tamil Nadu, India

Authors: C Balan and M Thirunavukkarasu

Source: Ruminant Science (2020)-9(2):275-281.

How to cite this manuscript: Balan C and Thirunavukkarasu M (2020). Comparison of lactation curves in dairy cows under field conditions-A study in Tamil Nadu, India. Ruminant Science 9(2):275-281.

Abstract

The study was conducted to fit various lactation curve models, compare and identify the best fit model(s) for prediction of milk production in indigenous, Jersey crossbred and Holstein-Friesian crossbred dairy cows reared in field conditions. The multistage random sampling procedure was used for the selection of 150 dairy cows for the purpose of data collection. The highest milk production in a lactation was recorded in Holstein-Friesian crossbred cows (3130.00 kg), followed by Jersey crossbred cows (2242.69 kg) and indigenous cows (1566.40 kg). Overall average daily milk production in Holstein-Friesian crossbreds, Jersey crossbreds and Indigenous cows was found to be 10.43, 7.48 and 5.22 kg, respectively. Based on the selection criteria, the Cubic model, Ali and Schaeffer model and Mitscherlich X Exponential model were identified to be the best models for fitting the lactation curves for the indigenous, Jersey crossbred and Holstein-Friesian crossbred cows, respectively. For indigenous cows, the estimated lactation curve model parameters viz., a, b, c and d values for the best-fit Cubic model was 331.71, 1519.82, 9.56 and 0.07 kg, respectively. For Jersey crossbred cows, the estimated model parameters viz., a, b, c, d and f values for the best-fit Ali and Schaeffer model were -64.08, -3017.99, 32622.99, -26.48 and -59.92 kg, respectively. For Holstein-Friesian crossbred cows, the estimated lactation curve model parameters viz., a, b, c and d values for the best-fit Mitscherlich X Exponential model were 548.967, 3.297, 2.745 and 0.104 kg, respectively, which could be used for predicting milk yield in the respective dairy breeds.

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