The ratio between dairy fat and milk protein in cows as an indicator of herd health

The purpose of research is to determine and analyze the relationship between the mass fraction of fat and protein in the milk of Holstein cows in order to assess the risks of acidosis and ketosis in the herd during the period of milking according to the seasons of the year. The studies were conducted at a breeding enterprise in the Tyumen Region and covered four months (January, April, July, October) of 2021. 599 milk samples from first-calf heifers were analyzed in the period up to and including the 100th day of lactation. In average daily samples of milk, the mass fractions of dry matter, fat, protein, lactose and active acidity were determined. An analysis of the relationship between the mass fraction of milk fat and protein showed that in the first month of milking, the risks of ketosis increased, and in the next two months, acidosis did. The risks of ketosis were greatest in spring, and acidosis in winter and autumn. Cows with signs of fat inversion had a low milk fat content of 2.73-3.19 %, compared to their peers without inversion, it was 0.60-1.10 % less (p function show_eabstract() { $('#eabstract1').hide(); $('#eabstract2').show(); $('#eabstract_expand').hide(); }