A research on some milk production and milk quality traits of montbeliarde and holstein cows reared on some dairy farms in Aydin province

Averages and heritabilities (h2) of lactation length (LL), lactation milk yield (LMY) and 305-d milk yield (305-dMY) of Montbeliarde (M) and Holstein-Friesian (HF) breeds reared together at 22 dairy farms were estimated from the records kept between 2001-2008. Additionally, for both breeds, fat content (FC), protein content (PC), lactose content (LC), non-fat dry matter content (NFDMC), total dry matter content (TDMC) and somatic cell count (SCC) from milk samples collected from lactating cows at 7 farms were determined. For M breed LL, LMY and 305-dMY averages were respectively, 317.16±4.748 d, 6546.41±114.937 kg and 6227.12±68.469 kg, the h2?s were respectively, 0.07±0.06, 0.32±0.07 and 0.36±0.07. For HF breed the averages were respectively, 328.32±4.492 d, 7241.85±108.885 kg and 6748.61±64.080 kg and the h2?s were respectively 0.09±0.05, 0.26±0.05 and 0.36±0.04. Herd effect (P<0.01) for milk traits, calving year and breed effects for LL (P<0.05), LMY (P<0.01) and 305-dMY (P<0.01) were found to be statistically significant. Calving month effect for 305-dMY (P<0.01), lactation number effect for LMY and 305-dMY (P<0.01) were found to be statistically significant. The averages of FC, PC, LC, NFDMC, TDMC and SCC for M breed were respectively 4.31±0.162%, 2.86±0.046%, 4.79±0.038%, 8.53±0.064%, 13.14±0.173% and 5.2035±0.09034 (159,754 cells/ml), for HF breed were respectively, %3.86±0.167, %2.81±0.051, %4.72±0.042, %8.42±0.071, %12.31±0.184 and 5.3666±0.08578 (232,568 cells/ml). Some important differences were found between MB and HF breeds for milk traits and milk quality traits and the important reductions seen in summer season for these traits showed that some prerequisites need to be taken on the farm level against to the higher temperature and humidity.