Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-8ctnn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-28T21:19:23.547Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

An investigation of the changes in sites of milk storage in the bovine udder over two lactation cycles

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 May 2016

R. J. Dewhurst  and
C. H. Knight
R. J. Dewhurst
Affiliation:
Grassland and Ruminant Science Department, Scottish Agricultural College, Auchincruive, Ayr KA6 5HW
C. H. Knight
Affiliation:
Hannah Research Institute, Ayr KA6 5HL
Get access

Abstract

The objective of this work was to investigate phenotypic sources of variation in the sites of storage of milk within the udder. Ten primiparous and 10 multiparous dairy cows were studied over two successive lactations in order to investigate the effects of age, parity and stage of lactation. Cistern and alveolar milk volumes were estimated at a standard 8 h after a normal morning milking by catheter drainage and machine milking with oxytocin respectively. Measurements were made at approximately 9, 20, 30 and 42 weeks of the initial lactation and weeks 1, 4, 7, 10, 20 and 34 of the subsequent lactation. In the initial lactation, there was a significant difference between primiparous and multiparous animals in the rate of decline of total daily milk yield (P < 0·001). Cistern milk yield (kg/8 h) from multiparous animals declined over the lactation whilst that for primiparous animals was maintained. The effect was shown as a significant interaction effect (P < 0·05). For both multiparous and primiparous animals cistern proportion (cistern yield divided by total milk yield at 8h after a normal milking), increased over the lactation (P < 0·001). This was largely a consequence of the reduced total milk yield. Eleven animals were studied through the subsequent lactation. Cistern yield followed a lactation curve of similar form to that for total yield. The decline in cistern yield over this lactation was much greater than the decline with multiparous animals in the previous year. This may, in part, reflect a faster decline in total daily yield. Stage of lactation and parity must be taken into account if a standardized evaluation of cistern characteristics is to be obtained.

Keywords

dairy cowslactation stageparityudders.
Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Production , Volume 57 , Issue 3 , December 1993 , pp. 379 - 384
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1993

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

Addey, C. V. P., Peaker, M. and Wilde, C. J. 1991. Inhibitory protein which controls milk secretion. UK Patent Application GB 2 238 053 A1 1–24.Google Scholar
Dewhurst, R. J. and Knight, C. H. 1992. The response to thrice-daily milking and its relationship to cisternal storage capacity in dairy cows. Animal Production 54: 459 (abstr.).Google Scholar
Knight, C. H. and Dewhurst, R. J. 1992. Relationship between cisternal storage capacity and tolerance of oncedaily milking in dairy cows. Animal Production 54: 476 (abstr.).Google Scholar
Knight, C. H., Hirst, D. and Dewhurst, R. J. 1993. Milk accumulation and distribution in the bovine udder during the interval between milkings. journal of Dairy Research In press.Google Scholar
Knight, C. H. and Peaker, M. 1984. Mammary development and regression during lactation in goats in relation to milk secretion. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Physiology 69: 331–338.Google Scholar
Korkman, N. 1953. A study of the milk pressure in teat cisterns of the cow. Kungl Lantbrukshogskolans Annaler 20: 303–306.Google Scholar
Lawes Agricultural Trust. 1987. GENSTAT 5 reference manual. Clarendon Press, Oxford.Google Scholar
Peaker, M. and Blatchford, D. R. 1988. Distribution of milk in the goat mammary gland and its relation to the rate and control of milk secretion. Journal of Dairy Research 55:41–48.Google Scholar
Peaker, M. and Wilde, C. J. 1988. Milk secretion: autocrine control. News in Physiological Sciences 2:124–126.Google Scholar
Wilde, C. J., Calvert, D. T., Daly, A. and Peaker, M. 1987. The effect of goat milk fractions on the synthesis of milk constituents by rabbit mammary explants and on milk yield in vivo. Biochemical journal 242: 285–288.Google Scholar
Wood, P. D. P. 1969. Factors affecting the shape of the lactation curve in cattle. Animal Production 11: 307–316.Google Scholar