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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #172102
Title: DRY PERIOD LENGTH AFFECTS COMPONENTS, BREEDING, AND SCC

Author
item Hutchison, Jana
item Kuhn, Melvin
item Norman, H

Submitted to: Hoard's Dairyman
Publication Type: Popular Publication
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/29/2006
Publication Date: 7/10/2006
Citation: Hutchison, J.L., Kuhn, M.T., Norman, H.D. 2006. Dry period length affects components, breeding, and SCC. Hoard's Dairyman. 151(12):484.

Interpretive Summary: This research examined the effect of length of dry period (the period between lactations when a cow is not being milked) on milk, fat, and protein yield, fat and protein percent, somatic cell score, and cow fertility in the subsequent lactation. The dry period length to maximize lifetime yield was also studied. This article is intended for a national dairy publication, and is, therefore, important to dairy producers and their management strategies.

Technical Abstract: This research examined the effect of length of dry period on milk, fat, and protein yield, fat and protein percent, somatic cell score, and cow fertility. The dry period length to maximize lifetime yield was also studied. DHI records were used on approximately 340,000 Holstein cows in roughly 3,500 herds from across the US.