• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.8 no.5
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• pp.523-527
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• 1995

Two on farm feeding trials were conducted at the Pabna milkshed area during July to October 1993, to evaluate the response of feeding urea molassesed straw (UMS) on milk production of Pabna milking cows and its economics. A feeding trial of 60 days with 50 Pabna milking cows showed that the cows fed UMS as a replacer of dry straw increased daily milk yield by 1.37 litre. Moreover, it reduced the daily requirement of concentrate by 1.0 kg/head. In the second trial, a herd of 52 animals including 14 milking cows were fed UMS in place of traditionally used dry straw. Introduction of UMS increased the milk production by 1.0 litre/cow/day and saved concentrate by 1.5 kg/cow daily. Urea molassesed straw can safely and economically be fed to lactating cows.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.347-354
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• 2017

Objective: The effects of the pre- and postpartum supplementation of cows with Se on their plasma P4 concentrations after calving were investigated. Methods: Thirty-four Holstein cows were used to investigate the effects of dietary selenium supplementation on the postpartum recovery of the luteal function in cows. Selenium-rich yeast (containing 300 ppm selenium) was mixed with total mixed ration fed to 17 pregnant cows from 30 days before they were due to calve (10 g yeast daily) to 100 days after calving (20 g yeast daily). The control cows (n = 17) were fed the same amount of ordinary yeast. The cows' plasma progesterone concentrations were determined every two days using an enzyme immunoassay after calving. Results: Feed intake (total digestive nutrient, crude protein), milk production, body weight and the biochemical properties of blood plasma did not differ between the two groups; however, the plasma selenium concentrations of the supplemented animals were significantly greater than those of the controls at and after calving. The postpartum plasma progesterone concentrations of the selenium-yeast-supplemented group increased earlier than those of the control group. Moreover, during the estrus cycle after the 3rd ovulation or ovulation with estrus between 60 to 80 days after calving, the selenium-supplemented cows exhibited greater progesterone concentrations than the control cows. Conclusion: Selenium supplementation promotes the postpartum progesterone production of cows.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.55 no.6
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• pp.489-500
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• 2013

Daily milk yields on test days were estimated using morning or afternoon partial milk yields collected by official agencies and the accuracy of the estimates was determined. Test-day data for milk yields consisted of 3,156,734 records of AM/PM partial milking measurements of 255,437 milking Holstein cows from 3,708 farms collected from December 2008 to April 2013. A linear regression model (LRM) was applied to estimate daily milk yields using alternate AM/PM milk yield records within lactation stages, milking intervals, and parities on every daily milk yield. The alternate statistical approach was a non-linear hierarchical model (NHM) in which Brody's growth function was implemented by reflecting an animal's physiological milk production cycle. When compared with LRM, daily milk yields predicted by the NHM were assumed to be functionally related to day in milk (or lactation) stage, milking intervals, and partial milk yields. Since the results were in terms of accuracies based on comparisons of different statistical models, accuracies of estimates of daily milk yields by NHM were close to those determined by the LRM. The average of these accuracies was 0.94 for AM partial milk yields and 0.93 for PM partial milk yields for first calving cows. However, the accuracies of AM/PM milk yield estimations from cows under a calving stage higher than the first parity were 0.96 and 0.95, respectively. Correlations between the estimated daily milk yields and the actual daily milk yields ranged from 0.96~0.98. These accuracies were lower for unbalanced AM/PM milking intervals and the first calving cows. Overall, prediction of daily milk yields by NHM would be more appropriate than by LRM due to its flexibility under different milk yield-related circumstances, which provides an idea of the functional relationship between milking intervals and days in milk with daily milk yields from statistical viewpoints.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.31 no.11
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• pp.1828-1832
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• 2018

Objective: Environmental change is one of the stressful events in livestock production. Change in environment disturbs cow behavior and cows require several days to regain a stable behavioral pattern. Sleeping posture (SP) and lying posture (LP) have been used as indicators for animal that are relaxed and well-acclimated to their environment. The aim of this study was to examine the time required by Japanese black cows for stabilization of SP and LP after moving into new environment. Methods: Seven pregnant Japanese black cows were used. Cows were moved into new tie-stall shed and their sleeping and lying posture measured 17 times during 35 experimental days. Both SP and LP were detected by accelerometer fixed on middle occipital and hip-cross, respectively. Daily total time, frequency, and average bout of both SP and LP were calculated. Results: Daily SP time was the shortest on day 1 and increased to the highest on day 3. It then decreased until day 9, after that stabilized about 65 min/d till the end of experiment. Daily LP time changed in same manner as daily SP time. The average SP bout was the longest on day 1, and then decreased to stable level on day 7. On the other hand, the average LP bout was the shortest on day 1, and it increased to stable level on day 7. Conclusion: These results showed that pregnant Japanese black cows needed 1 week to stabilize their SP. However, there were different change patterns between the average SP and LP bout, even though the change pattern of daily SP and LP time were similar.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.123-129
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• 2013

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of nitrogen supplementation through urea-molasses multinutrient block (UMMB) on the performance of dairy cows fed good quality forage based diets with rice straw as a night feeding. A total of 10 multiparous crossbred dairy cows in their early lactation were grouped into two categories based on their breed, parity, body weight, milk yield, milk fat and protein contents and daily fed a chopped CO-3 grass (Pennisetum purpureum ${\times}$ Pennisetum americanum; hybrid Napier) ad-libitum, 1 kg of dairy cow concentrate feed during the day time and 5 kg of rice straw (dry matter basis) at night as the basal diet (control) for 5 wk. In addition to the basal diet, the treatment group received 300 g of crushed UMMB daily throughout the experimental period. Cows were milked twice daily and the milk yields were recorded. Milk and feed samples were collected weekly for chemical analysis. Supplementation of UMMB had no significant effects (p>0.05) on straw intake, daily milk yield, contents and yields of milk constituents such as milk fat, protein, lactose and solids-non-fat. In addition, milk urea nitrogen content were not affected (p>0.05) by UMMB supplementation. However, numerical increments in all the parameters measured were observed during the study in cows fed diets supplemented with UMMB. It can be concluded that nitrogen supplied through UMMB had no effects on production performances of dairy cows in this study.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.24 no.9
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• pp.1227-1232
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• 2011

The objective of this study was to examine the effects of concentrates containing different levels of a vitamin-trace elements premix on milk yield and composition of dairy cows. The trial, which lasted 14 weeks, was conducted from January to March and used 45 multiparous Brown cows in the early phase of lactation. Cows (n = 15 per treatment) were randomly allocated to three dietary treatments: the first group (control, C-0) was fed pelleted concentrate containing background vitamins and trace elements that supplied 1.0 times cows' daily requirements; the second group were fed the same concentrate, but containing 2.5 g/kg of vitamin and trace mineral premix per kg of concentrate (C-2.5); the third group were fed the same concentrate, but containing 5 g/kg of vitamin and trace mineral premix per kg of concentrate (C-5). The daily ration included ad libitum chopped oat hay, and the cows also had 8 h/d grazing on a ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum) pasture. During the performance trial, cow milk yield was daily recorded and individual milk samples were analysed for milk composition and to determine milk renneting properties. Cows fed the intermediate premix level (C-2.5) in diet showed the highest fat-corrected milk production (p<0.05) compared to other groups. None of the milk quality parameters studied were influenced by dietary treatment, except for milk rheological parameters (rennet clotting time and curd firmness) that were positively improved in cows fed the C-2.5 diet (p<0.05). The findings from this study show that intermediate level of vitamin-trace elements premix in concentrate can be advantageously used in grazing dairy cows without negative effects on yield and quality of milk produced.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.63-69
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• 2018

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of tuberculin test and associated various environmental factors on the quantity and quality of milk production of daily cows. The change of milk quantity followed to tuberculin test was investigated on 109 daily farms in south Gyeonggi, and the change of milk quality was also studied on 48 daily farms. The result of this study showed that the quantity and quality of milk production was decreased after tuberculin test (P<0.05). The amount of loss of the milk production due to tuberculin test was, however, only 0.92 L per cow. In terms of milk quality, the level of total protein was statistically significantly decreased. This study also showed that the milk quality was further decreased when the cows were restraint after veterinarians arrived compared to the case that cows were stayed restraint before the veterinarians visited the farm. In addition, milk quality and quantity were lowered worse when relative humidity of the location of tuberculin test was lower than 50% or higher than 70%, or when the milk production of a farm is higher than its quarter. This study showed that stress on daily cows and the farmers induces the decrease of milk yield and milk quality, and these losses can be minimized by regulating various environmental factors to the direction to maximize productivity.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.47-53
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• 1988

Daily milk yield estimates were obtained on 74 lactations of 35 Japanese Black cows on weeks 1 to 9, 11, 13, 17, 21 and 26 postpartum using the weigh-suckle-weigh method. The data obtained were analyzed by least-squares procedures according to the models including the following effects; dam, lactation number, season of calving, week of experiment and partial regressions on the lactation number. The overall mean and standard error for daily milk yield was $4.55{\pm}0.04\;kg$. The milk yield declined essentially linearly throughout the experimental period. The main effects of lactation number, season of calving and week of experiment were highly significant. Differences in daily milk yield among cows were significant, and the repeatability was estimated as $0.60{\pm}0.06$. The overall means(kg) and repeat-abilities of cumulative milk yield for 1, 4, 9, 13, 17, 21 and 26 weeks postpartum were 41, 0.08; 166, 0.40; 361, 0.61; 503, 0.66; 632, 0.67; 749, 0.65 and 884, 0.58; respectively. The means of calf weight at birth and 26 weeks weight for different lactations ranged from 25.5 to 33.6 kg and 145.6 to 185.4 kg, respectively. Calf daily gains between experiment weeks were low in earlier stages of lactation.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.543-548
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• 2002

Fresh elephant grass was replaced by urea treated rice straw (UTRS) to evaluate the effects on milk production of crossed lactating cows. A total of 16 crossbred F1 cows (Holstein Friesian ${\times}$ Vietnamese Local Yellow), with a body weight of about 400 kg and lactation number from three to five, were used in the experiment. The experimental cows were blocked according to the milk yield of the previous eight weeks and divided into 4 homogenous groups. The experiment was conducted with a Latin Square design with 4 treatments and 4 periods. Each period was 4 weeks, with 2 weeks of feed adaptation and 2 weeks for data collection. The ratio of concentrate to roughage in the ration was 50:50. All cows were given constant amounts of elephant grass dry matter (DM), with ratios of 100% grass without UTRS (control treatment 100G), and 75% grass (75G), 50% grass (50G) and 25% grass (25G) with ad libitum UTRS. Daily total DM intake on 100G, 75G, 50G and 25G was 12.04, 12.31, 12.32 and 11.85 kg, and the daily ME intake was 121.6, 121.5, 119.4 and 114.3 MJ, respectively. The daily CP intake was similar for all treatments (1.85-1.91 kg). There was a difference (p<0.05) in daily milk yield between the 25G and the 100G and 75G (11.7 vs. 12.6 and 12.5 kg, respectively). Milk protein concentration was similar for all treatments, while a tendency to increased milk fat concentration following the increase of UTRS ratio was observed. The cows gained 4-5 kg body weight per month and showed first oestrus 3-4 months after calving. The overall feed conversion for milk production was not affected by ratio of UTRS in the ration. It is concluded that replacement of green grass by UTRS with a ratio of 50:50 for crossbred lactating cows is as good as feeding 100% green grass in terms of milk yield, body weight gain and feed conversion. UTRS can preferably replace green grass in daily rations for crossbred dairy cows in winter to cope with the shortage of green grass, with the ratio 1:1.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.33 no.11
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• pp.1741-1754
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• 2020

Objective: This study was conducted to estimate genetic parameters for milk yield traits using daily milk yield records from parlour data generated in an intensively managed commercial dairy farm with Jersey and Jersey-Friesian cows in Sri Lanka. Methods: Genetic parameters were estimated for first and second lactation predicted and realized 305-day milk yield using univariate animal models. Genetic parameters were also estimated for total milk yield for each 30-day intervals of the first lactation using univariate animal models and for daily milk yield using random regression models fitting second-order Legendre polynomials and assuming heterogeneous residual variances. Breeding values for predicted 305-day milk yield were estimated using an animal model. Results: For the first lactation, the heritability of predicted 305-day milk yield in Jersey cows (0.08±0.03) was higher than that of Jersey-Friesian cows (0.02±0.01). The second lactation heritability estimates were similar to that of first lactation. The repeatability of the daily milk records was 0.28±0.01 and the heritability ranged from 0.002±0.05 to 0.19±0.02 depending on day of milk. Pearson product-moment correlations between the bull estimated breeding values (EBVs) in Australia and bull EBVs in Sri Lanka for 305-day milk yield were 0.39 in Jersey cows and -0.35 in Jersey-Friesian cows. Conclusion: The heritabilities estimated for milk yield in Jersey and Jersey-Friesian cows in Sri Lanka were low, and were associated with low additive genetic variances for the traits. Sire differences in Australia were not expressed in the tropical low-country of Sri Lanka. Therefore, genetic progress achieved by importing genetic material from Australia can be expected to be slow. This emphasizes the need for a within-country evaluation of bulls to produce locally adapted dairy cows.