Published in Scientific Papers. Series D. Animal Science, Vol. LXVIII, Issue 2
Written by Sonia BEN FRAJ, Dănuț Nicolae ENEA, Monica MARIN, Livia VIDU
The objective of this study is to compare the milk quality and production performance of Holstein and Montbeliarde cows raised under similar conditions. The analysis included 1,942 Holstein cows and 775 Montbeliarde cows. Significant differences were found in key parameters. Holsteins had a higher 24-hour milk yield (30.05 ± 0.10 kg) compared to Montbeliardes (27.22 ± 0.07 kg). However, Montbeliardes showed higher fat content (4.02 ± 0.03%) than Holsteins (3.66 ± 0.02%). The protein content was similar, with 3.61 ± 0.01% for Holsteins and 3.59 ± 0.02% for Montbeliardes. Somatic cell count was lower in Montbeliardes (867.99 ± 41.98 thousand/mL) compared to Holsteins (1849.96 ± 41.98 thousand/mL). Montbeliarde cows also displayed more consistent casein content (2.88 ± 0.02%) compared to Holsteins (2.96 ± 0.02%). These findings highlight the importance of selecting appropriate breeds and adopting specific management strategies to improve milk quality and yield. Better feeding, milking hygiene, and herd management can enhance economic efficiency and maintain a healthy dairy herd.
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