New PLF publication by Teagasc (www.teagasc.ie) The effect of dairy cow breed on milk production, cow traffic and milking characteristics in a pasture-based automatic milking system. J Shortall, C Foley, RD Sleator, B O’Brien – Livestock Science, 2018 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.livsci.2018.01.002

Highlights

·         No differences observed between breeds for milking frequency or interval.

·         Norwegian Red x HF (NRX) had the shortest return time from pasture.

·         NRX recorded the shortest time waiting in the pre-milking yard.

·         Holstein Friesian (HF) and NRX cows trafficked to the yard in anticipation of the allocation of fresh pasture.

·         AM optimisation may be best achieved by a mixed breed herd rather than a single breed herd. Doug Flutie Jersey