Effects of Electrical Conductivity, Activity Level, Age and Lactation Number on Milk Yield in Dairy Cows during the Lactation Period

Year 2025, Volume: 65 Issue: 1, 26 - 32, 30.06.2025

Tamer Kayar , Onur Erzurum

https://doi.org/10.46897/livestockstudies.1725764

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the relationships between milk yield and variables such as milk electrical conductivity, animal activity, age, and lactation number. The study was based on 2022 data from Holstein cows on a private dairy farm located in the Karapınar district of Konya, Türkiye. Cows were fed a total mixed ration with a roughage-to-concentrate ratio of 55:45 and 17.5% crude protein. Data were obtained from the farm’s computerized herd management system, which recorded daily data on milk yield, milk conductivity, and animal activity for each cow. Pearson correlation analysis and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used to analyze the data. A significant positive correlation was found between milk yield and both age (r = 0.353, P<0.01) and lactation number (r = 0.269, P<0.01). However, the correlation between milk conductivity and milk yield was weak and not statistically significant (r =-0.086). ANOVA results revealed that milk yield differed significantly among age groups (P<0.001), with cows aged 4–5 years producing more milk than younger cows aged 1–3 years. These findings suggest that age and lactation number significantly affect milk yield, whereas milk conductivity and animal activity are not directly related to production. Although these factors may not directly influence milk yield, the results can provide a useful basis for developing herd management strategies that support animal health, economic outcomes, and farm efficiency. Future research involving different breeds or production systems could further validate these findings.

Keywords

Animal activity , Electrical conductivity , Holstein , Lactation number , Milk yield

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