Factors affecting milk

composition
Presented By N.E.M Business Solutions
Tel 01823 680119 Fax 01823 680119
mailto:neil@nem.org.uk

The yield of milk and its chemical composition strongly influence

the profitability of dairy farming.

Farmers are paid for market milk by volume, provided the milk meets
minimum standards of composition-not less than 3.2 per cent fat and
11.75 per cent total solids, on a weight to weight basis. There is no
minimum requirement for levels of solids-not-fat or protein. Manufacturing
milk is bought on its yield of fat and protein.

Milk composition

Milk from Friesian-Holstein cattle typically contains 87.5 per cent water
and 12.5 per cent total solids. The ranges in composition of milk solids
are: fat, 3.2 to 4.6 per cent; protein, 2.8 to 3.5 per cent; lactose, 4.2 to 4.8
per cent and minerals 0.6 to 0.8 per cent.

The composition of milk is influenced by non-nutritional and nutritional

factors.

Non-nutritional factors affecting milk

composition

Breeding

Breeding is of considerable importance, since fat and protein levels in the

milk are heritable characteristics.

Gains in milk composition made from breeding are permanent and

accumulate from year to year. Benefits of sire and cow selection, and of
mating decisions made today, will continue to be realized in all future
descendants of the herd. In this respect, selection is a very productive
means of improving milk composition.

The use of breeding to improve milk composition must be clearly

understood, since selection to improve one production trait may lead to a
decline in another. Selection based on milk yield will result in an increase
in milk, fat and protein yields, but will reduce fat and protein percentages
(see Table 1).

Table 1. Predicted responses to selection.

The more +, the greater the response over time

to selection criteria.
Predicted response in -
Mil Fat Fat Protei Protein
Select for:
k % yield n% yield
++
Milk - +++ - +++
+
Fat % - ++ + ++ 0
Fat yield ++ + +++ - ++
Protein % - + - ++ 0
Protein yield ++ 0 +++ + +++
Fat and ++
+ +++ + +++
protein yield +

Similarly, selection of sires on protein or fat percentage only will result in

a reduction in milk yield with minimal improvement in protein or fat yield.
Because manufacturing milk is paid for on the yield of solids, you should
select sires on the basis of fat PLUS protein yield. This will result in an
increase in milk yield, fat percentage and yield, and protein percentage
and yield.

Since the stage of lactation affects the percentage and yields of protein
and fat, you need detailed herd test data to select cows for breeding or
culling purposes.

Stage of lactation

The composition of milk varies with the stage of lactation. Cows that calve
in good condition produce milk with a high fat and protein content during
early lactation. The percentages of both fat and protein decline during the
first six to eight weeks of lactation, then progressively rise after the cow
becomes pregnant to reach their highest levels in late lactation.

Age

Although fat and protein contents decrease with increasing age, these
changes are small. Since the age structure of a herd is not readily
changed, the age composition of the herd is unlikely to contribute
significantly to herd variation in milk composition.

Seasonal conditions

Environmental factors that affect feed intake can be associated with

pronounced variations in milk yield and composition. Temperatures
consistently above 30C will reduce milk yield as well as the percentage of
milk protein, because of a reduction in energy intake. Cows in early to
mid-lactation and receiving little or no supplementation (that is, relying on
high pasture intakes) will be affected the most by heat stress.

Mastitis

Clinical and subclinical mastitis decrease milk yield and so reduce fat and
protein yields.

Nutritional factors
Level of feeding

Precalving: Increased feed intake in late pregnancy increases milk yield

and the yields of fat and protein. Research has shown that for each 30 kg
increase in liveweight at calving, milk yield increases by 122 kg, fat yield
by 8 kg and protein yield by 4 kg during the first 20 weeks of lactation.

The effects of condition score at calving on fat and protein percentage are
small.

Post-calving: The effect of feeding level on fat and protein percentage is

variable. This is because the stage of lactation influences the effect of
feed intake on milk composition

If feed intake is increased during early lactation, milk yield will increase
with consequent increases in fat and protein yields. As intake increases,
the percentage of milk fat will decline, but protein percentage will
increase slightly.

Protein production in well fed herds is rarely below 3.2 per cent, but in
poorly fed herds it can fall to 2.8 per cent.
Diet quality

Pasture species influence milk yield and composition, as shown in Table 2.

The use of species associated with improved pasture quality results in
increased milk, fat and protein yields.

Table 2. Effect of pasture species on milk production, as shown in

two trials

Trial I Trial 2
Kiku Ryegr Ryegr Clove
yu ass ass r
Milk yield
13.4 19.4 16.5 18.9
(L/day)
Milk Fat (%) 3.7 3.5 3.7 3.5
Milk Fat
0.51 0.70 0.59 0.69
kg/day
Protein % 2.9 3.2 3.0 3.2
Protein
0.40 0.64 0.51 0.62
kg/day

The increase in fat yield is caused by an increase in milk yield only, since
the percentage of milk fat actually declines. increases in both milk yield
and percentage protein cause the increase in protein yield.

Species differences are largely caused by inherent differences in intake.

However, with ryegrass and clovers, differences still occur when they are
fed at the same level.

Concentrates

Providing supplementary feed in the form of cereal grain usually results in

increased milk, fat and protein yields. An increase in milk yield causes the
increase in fat yield, since the percentage of milk fat often declines.
Increases in both milk yield and protein percentage cause the increase in
protein yield.

Feeding lupins also results in increases in milk fat and protein yields.
Unlike the cereal grains, lupins do not reduce the fat percentage when
they are fed as a supplement to cattle.
The cow generally uses protein supplements as a source of energy rather
than a supply of protein to the udder. Providing there is sufficient protein
in the total diet, feeding protein supplements will result in a similar
increase in protein percentage as feeding a similar amount of energy from
cereal grain.

If the protein content of the total diet is low, feeding protein supplements
increases the energy content of the total diet by increasing the
digestibility of the total diet. As a result, the protein percentage of the
milk is increased.

Milk production and milk protein content will increase when an energy
deficiency is corrected.

When concentrates are fed, the degree of processing can affect the fat
percentage of the milk. Grains need only be cracked to allow sufficient
digestion. Over-processing can reduce the fat percentage of the milk.

Fibre

If the milk fat percentage has dropped, but the protein percentage has
remained constant, more fibre is needed in the total diet. This is best
provided by feeding hay. However, cattle need only small quantities of
hay (2 to 3 kg/cow/day)when they are grazing good quality pasture.

Summary

To increase fat and protein yields by feeding, increase the energy intake
of the cow by

• greater pasture intake, by increasing pasture availability (for

example, by using irrigation or more nitrogenous fertilizers);
• greater pasture intake by improving the pasture quality, by species
selection (ryegrass/clover) or improved grazing management (short
compared with rank pasture); or
• by feeding supplements.

N.E.M Business Solutions

Tel 01823 680119 Mobile 07768

981196
Fax 01823 680119
mailto:neil@nem.org.uk