A comparison of alternatives of milk recording schemes for dairy sheep

Abstract

A total of 307 lactations of ewes from synthetic line (13/16 East Friesian Milk Sheep, 3/16 Polish sheep breeds) were invesstigated. Ewes were milked after weaning, starting on the 60th day of lactation, for the period of our months. Milk recording was conducted using the A30 scheme during the morning and afternoon milkings. Twenty one simplified milk recording schemes were investigated, taking into account the data from 4 or 6 control milkings, and estimating the differences between milk production, protein and fat contents on the basis of the simplified and the A30 methods. The accuracy of the methods to estimate milk (protein, fat) yields was verified using the pairwise test. Among the tested 4-measurement methods, the most useful in terms of the accuracy of milk, protein and fat yield estimations were models, in which milk recording is conducted once a month, only in the morning or afternoon. The application of such methods does not result in the deterioration of accuracy of milk recording for sheep and makes it possible to lower the costs connected with recording by approximately 50 %.