Original scientific paper
EFFECT OF FAMILY FARM SIZE, SEASON AND FEEDING MANAGEMENT ON PRODUCTION AND MILK QUALITY
I. Stipić
; Voditelj u otkupu i razvoju mlijeka, DUKAT d.d., Zagreb, Hrvatska
A. Ivanković
; Zavod za specijalno stočarstvo, Agronomski fakultet, Zagreb, Hrvatska
Abstract
Family dairy farms in Croatia differ in structural, organizational and social characteristics. The past researches have indicated the low level production and profits on most of the family farms oriented to milk production. Their development and structure do not meet the requirements of the actual market economy, and for their transit to serious market economy, big changes in the structure, organization, production, management and farm economy are needed. The aim of this study was to establish the effect of family dairy farm size on the production and quality of market delivered cows milk, and the adequacy of feeding by the concentration of urea in the milk. The research included twelve family farms oriented to milk production and the observation was carried out during 2005. Milk fat and proteins content was determined by infrared spectrophotometry, the number of somatic cells by fluoro-opto-electronic method, urea concentration by spectrophotometry modified Berthelot method, and the number of microorganisms by epifluoroscent free citometry. The trend of increased milk production was observed on big and medium family farms, but on small family dairy farms stagnation of quantity market delivered milk was observed. Big and medium family dairy farms deliver better quality milk to the market. The highest content milk fat was determined on small family farms. The determined level of season influence on milk fat content was significant. The influence of dairy farm size and seasons on milk protein content was also significant (P<0.01). The determined effect of dairy farm size and feeding management on the number of somatic cells in the milk was significant (P<0.01). The effect of feeding management on the number of microorganisms in the milk was significant (P<0.05). Dynamics of urea change concentration in the milk in the observed period indicates specific seasonal ration inadequacies regarding protein contents and also the insufficient energy intake. On the big family dairy farms the most acceptable quality of the voluminous forages and the urea concentration was established indicating better balanced rations.
Keywords
family dairy farm; season; feeding management; milk quality
Hrčak ID:
24334
URI
Publication date:
15.3.2008.
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