Effects of milking frequency on feed intake, body weight and haemato-biochemical changes in crossbred cows

Figures & data

Figure 1.  Weekly means of daily milk yield (kg).

Figure 2.  Fortnightly means of daily dry matter intake (DMI) (kg).

Figure 3.  Weekly body weight (kg) changes.

Table 1. Fortnightly changes in body condition score.

	Groups
Fortnights	T1 (milked twice daily)	T2 (milked thrice daily)	SEM
1	3.14±0.22	3.08±0.15	0.13
2	3.13±0.21	2.92±0.19	0.14
3	3.05±0.20	2.92±0.17	0.13
4	3.01±0.18	2.91±0.16	0.12
5	3.09±0.20	2.93±0.16	0.13
6	3.14±0.21	2.95±0.16	0.13
7	3.16±0.20	3.02±0.15	0.12
SEM, Mean of standard errors.

Table 2. Haemato-biochemical variables at different stages of lactation.

	Groups
Attributes and stages of sampling	T1 (milked twice daily)	T2 (milked thrice daily)	Significance
Haemoglobin (g/dL)
I	107.92±2.572	114.00±2.908	NS
II	119.58±3.700	113.50±3.016	NS
III	120.17±3.821^a	106.00±4.187^b	P < 0.05
Packed cell volume (%)
I	0.37±0.007	0.38±0.011	NS
II	0.42±0.012^a	0.39±0.012^b	P<0.05
III	0.39±0.013^a	0.35±0.010^b	P < 0.01
Glucose (m mol/L)
I	2.32±0.087	2.33±0.158	NS
II	2.58±0.051	2.53±0.109	NS
III	2.63±0.097	2.54±0.082	NS
Albumin (g/L)
I	33.83±1.353	33.17±0.968	NS
II	35.17±0.976	33.67±0.801	NS
III	35.50±1.098^a	31.67±1.305^b	P < 0.05
Globulin (g/L)
I	28.25±2.419	29.00±2.440	NS
II	25.83±1.466	26.92±1.807	NS
III	25.33±1.427	29.67±2.057	NS
Calcium (m mol/L)
I	2.26±0.062	2.27±0.044	NS
II	2.24±0.027^a	2.17±0.023^b	P<0.05
III	2.18±0.034	2.16±0.043	NS
Phosphorous (m mol/L)
I	2.20±0.115	2.03±0.094	NS
II	2.19±0.084	2.05±0.096	NS
III	1.91±0.088	1.82±0.099	NS
T3 (n mol/L)
I	0.99±0.06	0.93±0.04	NS
II	1.27±0.07	1.17±0.08	NS
III	1.32±0.08^a	1.08±0.07^b	P < 0.05
T4 (n mol/L)
I	30.63±3.69	26.76±3.28	NS
II	38.83±3.07	33.57±4.26	NS
III	32.17±4.00	32.79±3.51	NS
Stage I = 2nd week, II = 8th/9th week, III = 15th week of lactation.
NS, Non-significant.
Means bearing different superscripts within a row differ significantly.