Use of quality control methods in dairy cattle

Herd management is very important in performing dairy cattle farming at an economically efficient level. This study aims to evaluate some characteristics of dairy cattle with the help of process- and farm-based statistical quality control charts. In the study, daily milk yields (DMY), milking times (MT), and steps per day (SPD) of 30 head of Holstein cattle in the first lactation on a private farm in Niğde province were used in the creation of process-based quality control charts. In the creation of farm-based quality control charts, 305-day corrected milk yield (CMY), lactation period (LP), milk fat percentage (MFP), and milk protein percentage (MPP) taken from farms with less than 100 (small) and more than 100 (large) cattle, both Simmental and Holstein breeds in Niğde province, were used. In the evaluation of the considered traits according to 5% type I error (α), statistical quality control charts X-S (Shewhart), EWMA, and CUSUM were used. When the DMY trait was evaluated by the process-based X-S, EWMA, and CUSUM quality control charts, it was determined that 4, 2, 1, and 2 cattle exceeded the control limits, respectively. When the MT trait was evaluated, it was determined that 27, 28, 16, and 5 cattle were within the control limits. In the SPD trait, it was determined that 3, 1, 10, and 11 cattle were outside the control limits. When the farm-based quality control charts and the LP trait were evaluated, it was found that the process was out of control in S among the breeds, and the process was under control in X, EWMA, and CUSUM control charts. When the farm size was examined, it was determined that the situation did not change in the LP trait. In the CMY trait, the situation was observed to be out of control in all charts in both breed and farm size. In terms of MPP, it was determined that the situation was out of control in the Holstein and Simmental breeds in small farms in X and under control in both breeds in large farms. In EWMA and CUSUM control charts, the situation was out of control in the Holstein breed on small farms. There was no such situation in both breeds on large farms. In the MFP trait, the situation was identified to be out of control in the Holstein breed X-S control charts in small farms and in the S control charts in large farms. As a result, it is thought that statistical quality control charts in dairy farming can be applied in herd management and contribute to the sector.