DIFFERENCES IN MILK PRODUCTION CURVES ON TEN DAIRY FARMS WITH AUTOMATED AND CONVENTIONAL MILKING SYSTEM IN SOUTH-EAST AUSTRALIA

Abstract

The study, conducted in 2020-2021 aimed to provide a better understanding of the effect of automated milking system (AMS) on lactation curves by comparing them to these of the conventional milking system (CMS), from mainly pasture-based farms in South-East Australia. Ten farms in Tasmania, Western Victoria and New South Wales were enrolled (five of each AMS and CMS). The objectives of this study were to create lactation curves for 1) pasture-based AMS and CMS in South-East Australia; 2) 3 age categories: primiparae (parity 1); mid age category (2^nd, 3^rd and 4^th parity) and old age category (>4^th parity).

At overall, this study demonstrated that lactation curves did vary with the type of milking system. The variability of cow average yield was observed among age categories and farms. In the AMS, descending stage of lactation curve was slightly more persistent from approximately 150 days-in-milk onwards. Variability in average cow milk yield observed between age categories were higher between mid-age and old-age cows in AMS. Herd structure, when grouped by age category, consisted of more old age cows on AMS (25.6%) compared to CMS (16.3%).

Abbreviations: AMS – automatic milking system; CMS – conventional milking system; DIM – days in milk; TMR – total mixed ration.