Relationships Between CMT Scores and Udder Traits and Milk Yield in Brown-Swiss Cows
2 Fırat Üniversitesi, Veteriner Fakültesi, Doğum ve Jinekoloji Anabilim Dalı, ELAZIĞ - The aim of this study was to determine relationships between CMT scores and udder trait and milk yield.
In this study, 54 heads of Brown-Swiss cows aging between 2 and 8 years were used. During the study, the relationships between CMT scores and lactation numbers, lactation milk yield, daly average milk yield, age and lactation period were determined. In this study, udder traits such as front teat length, distance between front teats and the distance between front teat and the ground level were determined.
Our results indicate that in Brown-Swiss cows, as the age of the animal and the number of the lactation increased, there was a corresponding increase in CMT positive percentage. Also in cows with high milk yield and in the animal at the lactation period of 4 and 6th month, a hightened CMT score was noticed. Furthermore, CMT positive percentage was higher in cows with short distance between the udder and the ground. In other udder traits, the difference among groups were not statistically significant in relation to CMT positive.
These results might show that during the selection and breeding of the dairy cows, in addition to milk yield and pedigree records, animals should be evaluated with respect to udder traits which are related to CMT score. These evaluations might be important in control and prevention of mastitis.
Keywords : CMT, Udder Characteristics, Brown Swiss