INFLUENCE OF MURRAH BUFFALO BEHAVIOR IN MILKING PARLORS ON PRODUCTION CHARACTERISTICS

Abstract

 The present study aimed to assess the influence of different behavioral scores in milking parlors on possible variations in the production characteristics of primiparous and multiparous Murrah buffaloes. Observations of behavioral response in the milking parlor environment were made with an ethogram for subsequent evaluation of behavioral scores. Milk production and somatic cell count (SSC) were measured, in addition to physicochemical analysis of milk. Results for different behavioral scores were assessed by analysis of variance and comparison of means. The Spearman correlation was used to analyze production characteristics. Primiparous buffaloes exhibited higher mean behavioral scores and lower mean milk production when compared with multiparous buffalo cows. Despite greater reactivity, primiparous cows showed no significant differences in milking time, milk let-down time and milk let-down rate in relation to multiparous buffalo cows. In general, more reactive cows display greater mean milk production. Higher behavioral means were recorded in the first week of observation. Behavior did not influence milk composition or SSC. Mean surface skin temperature was positively correlated to total fat and solids only within primiparous buffalo cows