Karlikova GG, Sermyagin AA, Lashneva IA.

Animal Husbandry and Fodder Production. 2025. Vol. 108. No. 2. Р. 103-115.

doi:10.33284/2658-3135-108-2-103

 

Original article

Estimation of the variability of milk components and the number of somatic cells based on the

construction of lactation curves

 

Galina G Karlikova1, Alexander A Sermyagin2, Irina A Lashneva3

1,3Federal Research Center for Animal Husbandry named after Academy Member LK Ernst, Dubrovitsy, Russia

2 All-Russian Research Institute of Genetics and Breeding of Agricultural Animals – branch of the Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution “Federal Research Center for Animal Husbandry – VIZh named after Academician L.K. Ernst”, St. Petersburg, Russia

1karlikovagalina@yandex.ru, https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9021-1404

2alex_sermyagin85@mail.ru, https://orcid.org/0009-0005-2386-1289

3lashnevaira@gmail.com, https://orcid.org/0000-0009-4276-8782

 

 Abstract. The objective of the research was to determine the variability of the component composition and the presence of fatty acids in cow's milk in relation to the dairy productivity. Observations of more than 11 thousand heads of animals from 14 breeding herds of the Holstein cattle were used. Peak productivity for the 1 lactation with a maximum milk yield of 33.2 kg of milk lasted from 51 to 69 days. During 2 lactation, the maximum daily milk yield from day 50 to 71 was 36.1 kg. During the 3rd lactation, the peak productivity from 44 to 90 was reached in 38.1 kg of milk. The accuracy of describing lactation curves using fourth-order polynomial functions was R2 = 82.1-85.6%. The dynamics of the somatic cell count (CSC) showed the data curve inverse to lactation. The values of CSC in the period of 1 lactation – from  42  to  96  days – 2,4 points, 2 lactation – from 43 to 87 days – 2.5 points, 3 lactation – from 35 to 62 days – 2.8 points. The developed equations of the lactation curve models were calculated for: milk yield for 305 days of lactation – 7898 kg of milk, with an average daily milk yield – 25.9 kg, maximum milk yield – 33.0 kg for peak lactation, occurring on day 50. The assessment of the dynamics of changes in milk yield and the number of somatic cells in milk, casein and fatty acids showed the prospects of their use to characterize the functional qualities of animals, taking into account the course of lactation by period.

Keywords: cows, Holstein breed, milk, milk yield, lactation curve, milk components, casein, fatty acids

Acknowledgments: the work was performed in accordance to the plan of research works for 2024-2026 L.K. Ernst Federal Research Center for Animal Husbandry (No. FGGN-2024-0013).

For citation: Karlikova GG, Sermyagin AA, Lashneva IA. Estimation of the variability of milk components and the number of somatic cells based on the construction of lactation curves. Animal Husbandry and Fodder Production. 2025;108(2):103-115. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.33284/2658-3135-108-2-103

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Information about the authors:

Galina G Karlikova, Dr. Sci. (Agriculture), Senior Researcher at the Department of Population Genetics and Genetic Foundations of Animal Breeding, Federal Research Center for Animal Husbandry named after Academy Member L.K. Ernst, Dubrovitsy 60, Podolsk Municipal District, Moscow Region, 142132, Russia, tel.: +7(910)493-25-95

Alexander A Sermyagin, Cand. Sci. (Agriculture), Director, All-Russian Research Institute of Genetics and Breeding of Agricultural Animals – branch of the Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution “Federal Research Center for Animal Husbandry – VIZh named after Academician L.K. Ernst”, Moskovskoye Ave. 55a, Pushkin, Saint Petersburg, 196601, tel.: +7(903)206-51-93

Irina A Lashneva, Cand. Sci. (Biology), Leading Specialist at the Department of Population Genetics and Genetic Foundations of Animal Breeding, Federal Research Center for Animal Husbandry named after Academy Member L.K. Ernst, Dubrovitsy 60, Podolsk Municipal District, Moscow Region, 142132, Russia, tel.: 8(926)413-41-78.

 

The article was submitted 06.02.2025; approved after reviewing 24.04.2025; accepted for publication 16.06.2025.

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