The effect of months in dry season on somatic cell count, milk yield and quality of dairy cows in highland area, Vietnam

• DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.8399226
• Publication Date: 2023-09-30
• Authors: Nguyen, Thuong Thi; Ho, Nhu Quynh; Nguyen, Thoa Thi Kim; Nguyen, Thuan Khanh; Nguyen, Lien Thi ...; Duong, Khang Nguyen
• Keywords: 2. Zero hunger; Dairy cows, milk, milk quality, milk yield, somatic cell count

Abstract: The objective of the study was to evaluate somatic cell count, milk yield and quality of dairy cows across periods of the dry season and highland region in the tropical country, Vietnam. The milk data of somatic cell count, yield and quality were collected from October 2021 to March 2022 in a highland area, Vietnam. The milk properties of freezing point (FP), fatness, lactose, protein, solids-not-fat (SNF), and total solid (TS) were analyzed in lab. The milk somatic cell count (SCC) was examined using Foss MilkoScan analyzer. The results showed the milk yield average of 14,988 data was 24.26 kg/day/cow, highest in December and January (25 kg/day/cow) and decreased in February and March (23.6 kg/day/cow) (P < 0.001). The characteristics of milk quality from 1,943 data were FP -0.520C, fatness 3.88%, lactose 4.51%, protein 3.35%, SNF 8.56%, and TS 12.66%. The milk fat percentage was highest at 3.99% in February and at 3.98% March, and lowest at 3.77% in January. The milk quality varied during months (P < 0.01). Milk SCC average of 1,192 data was 656,000 cells/mL, highest at 752,000 cells/mL in December, and lowest at 576,000 cells/mL in March. The SCC of milk decreased month by month from December to March (P<0.01). Our study showed that the months effected the milk yield and quality in the dry season, and the milk yield had the negative correlation with the milk contents. Milk SCC was influenced by months and had the positive relationship with the milk yield.