Multiplicative Factors for Estimation of Daily Milk and Component Yields from Single Morning or Afternoon Tests

¹ Department of Animal Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853
² Biometrics Unit, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853

Prediction of daily yield from single a.m. or p.m. milkings requires factors that are the reciprocal of the proportion of total yield expected from single milkings given the milking interval. Further adjustments to estimated milk yield account for DIM. Factors used by the Cornell Dairy Records Processing Lab were estimated from data collected from August 1983 to November 1984. These factors appear to be biased. Inconsistent estimates of daily yield were observed monthly. New factors were developed using recent data. Factors from a.m. milkings for milk and protein yield were smaller than those currently in use. The reverse was true for fat yield. Covariants for DIM were larger than those currently used. Differences were observed when factors using data with known and assumed milking intervals were compared. Factors for a.m. milkings with known intervals were smaller than those from p.m. milkings with the same known intervals. Use of covariants for DIM were compared with covariants for single milk yield. The latter explained more variation in yield. Factors were tested on independent data. New factors with covariants for single milk yield performed best for estimation of total daily yield.

Key Words: test day • milk yield

Submitted on March 23, 1994
Accepted on August 19, 1994