czech fleckvieh cows, milk components, milking system, quality indicators, season
Abstract
The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of two different types of milking systems (conventional parlour . automatic milking system) and the season of the year on the composition and hygienic quality of milk from Czech cows. A total of 500 cows were involved; 200 and 300 in conventional and automatic milking systems, respectively. Bulk milk samples were collected for 12 months from July 2010 to June 2011. The following milk components and quality indicators were determined: % of fat, % of protein, % of lactose, % of fat-free dry matter (FFDM), % of casein, urea content, somatic cell count (SSC), total germ count (TGC) and milk freezing point (FP). The data were processed and evaluated with MS Excel and the statistical software SAS 9.1. Significantly higher contents of fat, protein, FFDM and casein and increased TGC were observed in the automatic milking system, whereas SCC and FP were significantly lower. The highest contents of fat, protein and casein, and the lowest lactose content were found in the winter season.
