Factors affecting the yield and quality of milk: I. The age of the cow

Abstract

1. The variations in production due to age have been investigated with the records of 738 Ayrshire cows for 4380 lactations.2. Milk and butterfat production increase up to about 7 years of age and then show a decrease.3. The fat percentage for 3-year-olds is higher than that for older cows.4. After 3 years of age there is little change in the fat percentage with age that is of any practical significance until advanced ages are reached, when there may be a fall of importance.5. The increase in production associated with age is probably attributable, in part, to the growth of the secretory tissue of the udder and to body growth in general.6. Part of the increase may also be due to an improvement in functional activity through use.7. The tendency for milk to show a slightly lower fat percentage as the cow advances in age is probably due to the fact that as the milk yield changes the fat yield changes in the same direction but at a slower rate.8. There is little known regarding the influence of very advanced age on production, but it is probable that many cows maintain for a long time the production associated with maturity, and then decline slowly.9. Heifers with a low fat percentage need not as a rule be expected to test higher on reaching maturity.10. It is probable that the increase in production with maturity is associated more closely with high initial production than with persistency of production.11. Correction factors for age are presented.