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Do-it-yourself milk recording as a viable alternative to supervised milk recording in Ireland
Berry, Donagh Burke, M. O'Keeffe, M. O'Connor, Paula M.
Berry, Donagh
Burke, M.
O'Keeffe, M.
O'Connor, Paula M.
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2006
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D.P. Berry, M. Burke, M. O’Keeffe and P. O’Connor. Do-it-yourself milk recording as a viable alternative to supervised milk recording in Ireland. Irish Journal of Agricultural and Food Research, 2006. 45, 1–12
Abstract
The objective of the current study was to determine the feasibility of do-it-yourself
(DIY) milk recording in commercial Irish dairy herds as well as the accuracy of
predicting 24-h milk production and somatic cell count from part-day samples. The
data consisted of 3,850 testday records from 1,565 cows across 23 herds in southern
Ireland. Observed part-day and 24-h milk yield and composition were in accordance
with previously reported observations in Ireland. Accurate prediction of 24-h milk, fat and protein yield was achieved using either AM or PM samples incorporated within
prediction equations. Prediction of daily somatic cell count (SCC) was less accurate
although the sensitivity and specificity of predicted daily SCC at identifying true daily
SCC ≥ 200,000 was high. The accuracy of predicting 24-h fat and protein yield was
augmented when two consecutive milk weights, simultaneous with one milk composition,
were included in the prediction equation. Minimal effect on accuracy was observed
when two milk weights were included in the prediction model for daily SCC. Thus, AM
or PM SCC alone are as good, if not better, an indicator of daily SCC than predicted
daily SCC using prediction equations. Milking interval defined as individual cowtestday interval measured in minutes fitted the data better than individual cow-testday interval rounded to the nearest half-hour, which was in turn superior to average herdtestday interval and average herd interval. Hence, results from this study suggest DIY milk recording is a viable alternative to supervised milk recording in Ireland.