EVALUATION OF ENERGY BALANCE OF FRIESIAN X BUNAJI DAIRY COWS USING MILK COMPOSITION BASED INDICATOR TRAITS

The potentials of using milk composition as indicators of energy balance (EB) in dairy cows were evaluated. Milk composition traits (milk protein, fat and lactose percentages) from thirteen (13) primiparous and 47 multiparous (F^sub 1^) Friesian x Bunaji cows were studied. The milk composition was a...

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Published inAnimal research international Vol. 12; no. 2; p. 2223
Main Authors Alphonsus, Cyprian, Akpa, Geral Nwachi, Nwagu, Bartholomew I, Barje, Peter Pano, Abdullahi, Idris, Achi, Neyu Patrick, Finangwai, Hosea Istifanus, Umar, Muhammad Lawal
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Nsukka University of Nigeria, Department of Zoology and Environmental Biology 01.09.2015
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Summary:The potentials of using milk composition as indicators of energy balance (EB) in dairy cows were evaluated. Milk composition traits (milk protein, fat and lactose percentages) from thirteen (13) primiparous and 47 multiparous (F^sub 1^) Friesian x Bunaji cows were studied. The milk composition was analyzed weekly from 4 to 300 days postpartum. The analyzed percentage milk fat, protein and lactose were used to calculate the other milk composition parameters. The potential indicators of EB identified from this study were the protein contained variables, such as milk protein content (MPC), fat-protein ratio (FPR), change in milk protein content (dmPc), change in fat-protein ratio (dFPR) and change in protein-lactose ratio (dPLR). These variables had strong relationship with EB both within and across lactation stages. However, dmPc seems to be the variable most common to all of these potential milk production variables. It had very strong and positive relationship with EB both within and across lactation stages.
ISSN:1597-3115