Genetic analysis of milk production and composition in crossbred ewes from different maternal genotypes
R. A. Afolayan A , N. M. Fogarty A E , J. E. Morgan B , G. M. Gaunt C , L. J. Cummins D , A. R. Gilmour A and S. Nielsen AA The Cooperative Research Centre for Sheep Industry Innovation, NSW Department of Primary Industries, Orange Agricultural Institute, Orange, NSW 2800, Australia.
B NSW Department of Primary Industries, Centre for Sheep Meat Development, Cowra, NSW 2794, Australia.
C Department of Primary Industries, Primary Industries Research, Rutherglen, Vic. 3685, Australia.
D Department of Primary Industries, Primary Industries Research, Hamilton, Vic. 3300, Australia.
E Corresponding author. Email: neal.fogarty@dpi.nsw.gov.au
Animal Production Science 49(1) 24-31 https://doi.org/10.1071/EA08157
Submitted: 5 May 2008 Accepted: 4 August 2008 Published: 5 January 2009
Abstract
Milk production and milk composition were measured in 1056 crossbred ewes managed under pasture grazing in a lamb production system. Most ewes were milked on three occasions at ~3, 4 and 12 weeks of lactation. The ewes were the progeny of mainly Merino dams and 91 sires from several maternal crossing breeds including Border Leicester, East Friesian, Finnsheep and Coopworth. The ewes were born over 3 years and run at three sites where they were joined naturally to meat rams. Most of the ewes were first parity (autumn-joined at 7 months of age and spring-joined at 14–17 months of age), with the remainder second or third parity. The cohorts of ewes and sites were linked genetically by three common maternal sires. The 4-h oxytocin-induced milking procedure was used to estimate daily milk production and milk samples were analysed for composition (fat%, protein% and lactose%). Daily milk yield and milk composition traits were analysed using restricted maximum likelihood mixed models procedures. The sire breed of crossbred ewes was significant for milk yield (P < 0.01), fat% (P < 0.01) and lactose% (P < 0.05). There was a significant (P < 0.01) interaction of sire breed × days of lactation, mainly due to the relatively higher milk yield of the East Friesian and White Suffolk cross ewes compared with the other crosses, at the end of the lactation. The East Friesian cross ewes had lower milk fat% than the other cross ewes. Ewes suckling multiple lambs had 29% higher peak milk yield than those bearing and suckling single lambs (P < 0.001). There was an increase in peak milk yield of the ewes from first to second parity, and third parity ewes had a greater decline to the end of lactation causing a significant interaction (P < 0.001). The overall decline in milk yield from peak to late lactation was –21.2 ± 0.7 g/day. Separate analysis showed a significant increase in milk yield with ewe pre-joining weight (regression 6.1 ± 1.8 g/day.kg). The estimate of heritability for daily milk yield was 0.24 ± 0.04 at 90 days of lactation and 0.10 ± 0.02 at 21 days of lactation. The estimates of heritability for the milk composition traits were generally moderate. Estimates of genetic correlations between measurements early and late in the lactation for milk yield and most composition traits were high. The within ewe by stage variance component estimates of repeatability were moderate to high for milk yield, fat% and protein%, with lactose% being low.
Acknowledgements
The assistance of many staff members from the NSW Department of Primary Industries at Cowra and Department of Primary Industries Vic. at Hamilton and Rutherglen over several years of the study is greatly appreciated. In particular we thank those who assisted with the milkings including: Kelly Lees, David Stanley, Phil Goodacre, Tony Markham, Darryl Hughes, Rob Urquhart, Ashley Radburn, Ken Masters, Taffy Phillips, Greg Seymour, Paul Curran, Peter Heazlewood, Kerry Groves, Murray Arnold and Brian Hurley. Dr Peter Holst and Dr Geoff Hinch are thanked for advice and support. Meat and Livestock Australia provided financial support for the progeny testing project and the Cooperative Research Centre for Sheep Industry Innovation provided financial support for the analysis.
Afolayan RA,
Fogarty NM,
Ingham VM,
Gilmour AR,
Gaunt GM,
Cummins LJ, Pollard T
(2007) Genetic evaluation of crossbred lamb production. 3. Growth and carcass performance of second-cross lambs. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 58, 457–466.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Afolayan RA,
Fogarty NM,
Gilmour AR,
Ingham VM,
Gaunt GM, Cummins LJ
(2008) Reproductive performance and genetic parameters in first-cross ewes from different maternal genotypes. Journal of Animal Science 86, 804–814.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
CAS |
PubMed |
Bencini R, Knight TW
(1994) Double cupping and machine stripping optimise the yield and the composition of sheep milk. Proceedings of the Australian Society of Animal Production 20, 171–174.
Bencini R, Pulina G
(1997) The quality of sheep milk: a review. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 37, 485–504.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Bencini R, Purvis IW
(1990) The yield and composition of milk from Merino sheep. Proceedings of the Australian Society of Animal Production 18, 144–147.
Bencini R,
Hartmann PE, Lightfoot RJ
(1992) Comparative dairy potential of Merino and Awassi × Merino ewes. Proceedings of the Australian Association of Animal Breeding and Genetics 10, 114–117.
Benson ME,
Henry MJ, Cardellino RA
(1999) Comparison of weigh-suckle-weigh and machine milking for measuring ewe milk production. Journal of Animal Science 77, 2330–2335.
|
CAS |
PubMed |
Brett DJ,
Corbett JL, Inskip MW
(1972) Estimation of the energy value of ewe milk. Proceedings of the Australian Society of Animal Production 9, 286–291.
Brown DJ,
Huisman AE,
Swan AA,
Graser HU,
Woolaston RR,
Ball AJ,
Atkins KD, Banks RG
(2007) Genetic evaluation for the Australian sheep industry. Proceedings of the Association for the Advancement of Animal Breeding and Genetics 17, 187–194.
Cappio-Borlino A,
Portolano B,
Todaro M,
Macciotta NPP,
Giaccone P, Pulina G
(1997) Lactation curves of Valle del Belice dairy ewes for yields of milk, fat and protein estimated with test day models. Journal of Dairy Science 80, 3023–3029.
|
CAS |
PubMed |
Cardellino RA, Benson ME
(2002) Lactation curves of commercial ewes rearing lambs. Journal of Animal Science 80, 23–27.
|
CAS |
PubMed |
Corbett JL
(1968) Variation in the yield and composition of milk of grazing Merino ewes. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 19, 283–294.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Davies HL
(1963) The milk production of Merino ewes at pasture. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 14, 824–838.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Doney JM, Peart JN
(1976) The effect of sustained lactation on intake of solid food and growth rate of lambs. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 87, 511–518.
El-Saied UM,
De La Fuente LF,
Carriedo JA, San Primitivo F
(2005) Genetic and phenotypic parameter estimates of total and partial lifetime traits for dairy ewes. Journal of Dairy Science 88, 3265–3272.
|
CAS |
PubMed |
Fogarty NM,
Ingham VM,
Gilmour AR,
Cummins LJ,
Gaunt GM,
Stafford J,
Hocking Edwards JE, Banks RG
(2005a) Genetic evaluation of crossbred lamb production. 1. Breed and fixed effects for birth and weaning weight of first-cross lambs, gestation length, and reproduction of base ewes. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 56, 443–453.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Fogarty NM,
Ingham VM,
Gilmour AR,
Cummins LJ,
Gaunt GM,
Stafford J,
Hocking Edwards JE, Banks RG
(2005b) Genetic evaluation of crossbred lamb production. 2. Breed and fixed effects for post-weaning growth, carcass, and wool of first-cross lambs. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 56, 455–463.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Gardner RW, Hogue DE
(1964) Effects of energy intake and number of lambs suckled on milk yield, milk composition and energetic efficiency of lactating ewes. Journal of Animal Science 23, 935–942.
Gardner RW, Hogue DE
(1966) Milk production, milk composition and energetic efficiency of Hampshire and Corriedale ewes fed to maintain body weight. Journal of Animal Science 25, 789–795.
Geenty KG
(1979) Lactation performance, growth, and carcass composition of sheep. I. Milk production, milk composition, and live weights of Romney, Corriedale, Dorset, Romney × Dorset, and Dorset × Romney ewes in relation to growth of their lambs. New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research 22, 241–250.
Gibb MJ, Treacher TT
(1982) The effect of body condition and nutrition during late pregnancy on the performance of grazing ewes during lactation. Animal Production 34, 123–129.
Gosling LS,
Knight TW, Newman S-AN
(1997) Effects of season-of-lambing, stage-of-lactation and ewe-age on milk volume and composition of machine-milked Dorset ewes. Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production 57, 212–215.
Gutierrez JP,
Legaz E, Goyache F
(2007) Genetic parameters affecting 180-days standardised milk yield, test-day milk yield and lactation length in Spanish Assaf (Assaf. E) dairy sheep. Small Ruminant Research 70, 233–238.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Hamann H,
Horstick A,
Wessels A, Distl O
(2004) Estimation of genetic parameters for test day milk production, somatic cell score and litter size at birth in East Friesian ewes. Livestock Production Science 87, 153–160.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Langlands JP
(1972) Growth and herbage consumption of grazing Merino and Border Leicester lambs reared by their mothers or fostered by ewes of the other breed. Animal Production 14, 317–322.
Marie-Etancelin C,
Manfredi E,
Aurel MR,
Pailler F,
Arhainx J,
Ricard E,
Lagriffoul G,
Guillouet P,
Bibe B, Barillet F
(2006) Genetic analysis of milking ability in Lacaune dairy ewes. Genetics, Selection, Evolution 38, 183–200.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
McCance I
(1959) The determination of milk yield in the Merino ewe. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 10, 839–853.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
McGloughlin P, Crowley JP
(1970) A comparison of four breeds of sheep as dams for lamb production. 3. Milk yield and composition. Irish Journal of Agricultural Research 9, 323–333.
Moore RW
(1966a) Genetic factors affecting milk intake of lambs. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 17, 191–199.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Moore RW
(1966b) Milk quality in Merino and Corriedale ewes. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 17, 201–208.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Morgan J,
Fogarty NM, Nicol H
(2000) Oxytocin administration and its effect on ewe milk composition. Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences 13(Suppl. Vol. C), 206–208.
|
CAS |
Morgan JE,
Fogarty NM,
Nielsen S, Gilmour AR
(2006) Milk yield and milk composition from grazing primiparous non-dairy crossbred ewes. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 57, 377–387.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Morgan JE,
Fogarty NM,
Nielsen S, Gilmour AR
(2007) The relationship of lamb growth from birth to weaning and the milk production of their primiparous crossbred dams. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 47, 899–904.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Othmane MH,
Carriedo JA,
San Primitivo F, De la Fuente LF
(2002) Genetic parameters for lactation traits of milking ewes: protein content and composition, fat, somatic cells and individual laboratory cheese yield. Genetics. Selection, Evolution. 34, 581–596.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
CAS |
Pattie WA
(1965) Selection for weaning weight in Merino sheep. 2. Correlated responses in other production characters. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture and Animal Husbandry 5, 361–368.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Peart JN,
Edwards RA, Donaldson E
(1972) The yield and composition of the milk of Finnish Landrace × Blackface ewes. I. Ewes and lambs maintained indoors. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 79, 303–313.
Peart JN,
Edwards RA, Donaldson E
(1975) The yield and composition of the milk of Finnish Landrace × Blackface ewes. I. Ewes and lambs grazed on pasture. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 85, 315–324.
Peart JN,
Doney JM, Smith WF
(1979) Lactation pattern in Scottish Blackface and East Friesland × Scottish Blackface cross-bred ewes. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 92, 133–138.
Reynolds LL, Brown DL
(1991) Assessing dairy potential of western white-faced ewes. Journal of Animal Science 69, 1354–1362.
|
CAS |
PubMed |
Rhind SM,
Bass J, Doney JM
(1992) Pattern of milk production of East Friesland and Scottish Blackface ewes and associated blood metabolite and hormone profiles. Animal Production 54, 265–273.
|
CAS |
Snowder GD, Glimp HA
(1991) Influence of breed, number of suckling lambs, and stage of lactation on ewe milk production and lamb growth under range conditions. Journal of Animal Science 69, 923–930.
|
CAS |
PubMed |
Snowder GD,
van Vleck LD,
Knight AD,
Kellom TR, Bromley CM
(2001) Usefulness of subjective ovine milk scores. II. Genetic parameter estimates. Journal of Animal Science 79, 869–876.
|
CAS |
PubMed |
Torres-Hernandez G, Hohenboken WD
(1979) Genetic and environmental effects on milk production, milk composition and mastitis incidence in crossbred ewes. Journal of Animal Science 49, 410–417.
|
CAS |
PubMed |
Wohlt JE,
Kleyn DH,
Vandernoot GW,
Selfridge DJ, Novotoney CA
(1981) Effect of stage of lactation, age of ewe, sibling status, and sex of lamb on gross and minor constituents of Dorset ewe milk. Journal of Dairy Science 64, 2175–2184.
|
CAS |
Yates WJ, Pattie WA
(1970) The effect of genetic improvement within pure breeds on the performance of their crossbred lambs. Proceedings of the Australian Society of Animal Production 8, 154–158.
