Open AccessSide preference of dairy cows in the milking parlour and its impact on daily milk yield
Author(s) -
Vendula Renčínová,
Eva Voslářová,
Vladimír Večerek
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
veterinarski glasnik
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2406-0771
pISSN - 0350-2457
DOI - 10.2298/vetgl210401009r
Subject(s) - milking , herd , zoology , preference , significant difference , dairy cattle , yield (engineering) , biology , mathematics , statistics , physics , thermodynamics
Monitoring of the side preference of dairy cows in the milking parlour was performed in a group of 40 dairy cows (Czech spotted cattle). Twenty milking sessions were evaluated for each cow, and the composition of the monitored group of cows was kept constant. A significant side preference was found in 26 (65%) cows. The results show that in the dairy herd, a significant percentage of cows prefer one side of the milking parlour. Furthermore, in dairy cows with a significant side preference, their milk yield on the preferred and non-preferred side of milking parlour was compared and a statistically significant difference was found. When the dairy cows were milked on their preferred side of the milking parlour, higher milk yield was achieved (12.21 vs. 10.38 kg).