Effect of linear traits in dairy cows on herd disposal

Abstract

No other branch of social production is as closely concerned with the use of natural resources as agriculture - animal husbandry in general and dairy farming in particular. The intensification of the dairy industry causes constant changes of the priority principles of selection of animals on breeding grounds. The minimum percentage of cows leaving the main herd has been established with the indicators of linear estimator: udder depth of 6 points, the attachment of the anterior lobes of the udder at 5 points, the placement of front teats at 6 points. The probable (p<0.01) effect of anterior teat placement on the number of somatic cells in cow’s milk has been found in both tied housing (η2=12.0%) and free-stall housing (η2=3.6%). In order to effectively assess the condition of the udder of high-yielding cows during their selection for machine milking at modern dairy complexes, a method has been developed to classify the suitability of cows for industrial use into three categories.