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The effect of extended milking intervals (24, 48 and 72 h) on milk yield, milk composition, mammary physiology and welfare traits in dairy ewes

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 August 2018

Evrydiki Armaou ,
Panagiotis Simitzis ,
Panagiota Koutsouli ,
Evagelia Zoidou ,
Theofilos Massouras ,
Michael Goliomytis ,
Iosif Bizelis  and
Ioannis Politis
Evrydiki Armaou
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Production and Aquaculture, Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Husbandry, Agricultural University of Athens, Iera Odos 75, 11855 Athens, Greece
Panagiotis Simitzis*
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Production and Aquaculture, Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Husbandry, Agricultural University of Athens, Iera Odos 75, 11855 Athens, Greece
Panagiota Koutsouli
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Production and Aquaculture, Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Husbandry, Agricultural University of Athens, Iera Odos 75, 11855 Athens, Greece
Evagelia Zoidou
Affiliation:
Department of Food Science and Human nutrition, Laboratory of Dairy Science and Technology, Agricultural University of Athens, Iera Odos 75, 11855 Athens, Greece
Theofilos Massouras
Affiliation:
Department of Food Science and Human nutrition, Laboratory of Dairy Science and Technology, Agricultural University of Athens, Iera Odos 75, 11855 Athens, Greece
Michael Goliomytis
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Production and Aquaculture, Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Husbandry, Agricultural University of Athens, Iera Odos 75, 11855 Athens, Greece
Iosif Bizelis
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Production and Aquaculture, Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Husbandry, Agricultural University of Athens, Iera Odos 75, 11855 Athens, Greece
Ioannis Politis
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Production and Aquaculture, Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Husbandry, Agricultural University of Athens, Iera Odos 75, 11855 Athens, Greece
*
*For correspondence; e-mail: pansimitzis@aua.gr
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Abstract

The majority of the work today regarding the effects of extended milking intervals has focused on dairy cattle and only to a limited extent on dairy goats and sheep. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of different non-milking intervals on milk yield and composition, mammary physiology and welfare indices in dairy ewes. Thirty-six multiparous ewes in late lactation were allocated to one of four groups of nine and subjected to 24, 48 or 72 h of non-milking or normal milking interval (12 h) (group A, B, C and D, respectively). Data showed that there were no significant differences in milk yield among the experimental groups during the third day after re-milking. Furthermore, no significant differences in milk lactose, protein and fat concentration among the experimental groups were observed after 7, 14 and 21 d of re-milking, respectively. Non-milking for 72 h resulted in a temporary increase of sodium concentration, Na + /K + ratio and enzymatic activities of plasmin (PL), plasminogen (PG) and plasminogen activator (PA) in milk. However, these parameters had similar values among the experimental groups on day 5 after re-milking. The concentration of lactose in blood was also significantly increased as a result of the 72 h non-milking interval and returned to its initial levels the second day after re-milking. These data, taken together, suggest that early involution events that occurred as an effect of non-milking were fully reversible within a short period of time. Finally, no significant signs of welfare impairment were observed in ewes due to extended milking intervals. In conclusion, non-milking up to 72 h had no negative effects on milk yield and composition, mammary physiology and welfare parameters in dairy ewes.

Keywords

Eweextended milking intervalsmilk yield and compositionplasminogen–plasmin systemwelfare
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Dairy Research , Volume 85 , Issue 4 , November 2018 , pp. 416 - 422
Copyright
Copyright © Hannah Dairy Research Foundation 2018 

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