Comparative study of lactation curves in cattle

Abstract

An investigation, based on 174 normal lactation records of 93 Jersey crossbred cows and 90 normal Isolation records of 55 Brown Swiss crossbred cows belonged to the University Livestock Farm, Mannuthy, was undertaken : (1) to compare the relative efficiency of various isolation curve models and to select the best one (ii) to compare the two genetic groups based on order of Isolation and season of calving and (iii) to develop equations for predicting total milk yield from part yields. Records upto the 4th Isolation were included in the study. The observations spread over a period of six years from 1978 to 1983. The year was delinested into dry, rainy and moderate seasons.