rrrrv wrr 7 r» '. •r r ~ * /v ft fftiT fttf9 Wtttwt AGA Drops Blood Type Requirement For ET REYNOLDSBURG. Ohio Guernsey breeder* will no longer be required to blood type females resulting from embryo transfer. This decision was made by the American Guernsey Association Board of Directors who met at their annual winter meeting Dec. 10-11 in Reynoldsburg, Ohio. Breeders were previously required to blood type a percen tage of females resulting from embryo transfer which was deter mined by the number of offspring. UNIVERSITY PARK (Centre Co.) Because some buyers pay premium prices for milk with higher protein levels, many pro ducers are seeking ways to boost the protein content of their herd’s milk. Understanding how genetics, nutrition and other factors affect milk protein levels can help, according to a researcher in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences. “Selecting cows and sires by 8H330 Alfalfa. . . Donor dams and all males result ing from embryo transfer will still be required to blood typed. The Guernsey membership will be voting on a new membership proposal in addition to the expanded genetic recovery prog ram. The board approved to bring to the membership a vote to amend the Constitution of the American Guernsey Association to create an annual AGA membership. The proposal for this annual Nutrition, Other Factors Affect ‘their predicted transmitting ability for protein pounds can increase a herd’s protein yield over time,” said Virginia Ishler, extension assistant in dairy and animal science. Cow nutrition also plays a role, but its impact on milk protein is not as drastic as it is with milk fat. “Non-dietary factors can pre vent changes in nutrition from affecting milk protein," Ishler said. “Any changes generally are small and can be obscured by fac The New Alfalfa combines the best yield, \o<f and disease resistance 'U ? ' V* 0 Phytophthora Root Rot Verticilßam Wilt Anthracnose Bacterial Will Fusarium Wilt Aphanomyces More Milk... More Profit Per Acre membership would be for one calendar year, and would give the annual member full rights equiva lent to lifetime members. To have member voting status in the year following the membership year, the annual member would have to meet current AGA activity requirements and would have to renew his or her membership for a second year by Jan. 31 of that year. The annual membership fee would be set by the board of direc- tors such as daily milk production, stage of lactation, health and season. “Body reserves and dietary energy, rather than dietary protein, generally have the most dramatic effect on milk protein,” Ishler said. “Once a ration is balanced to meet the cow’s needs, the daily energy intake becomes the key to improving milk protein. “In rations that contain adequ ate levels of forage and total neut- more leaves! A Beachley-Hardy Seed Company 1-800-442-7391 tors and would not be applied tow ard .the purchase of a lifetime membership. The board also voted to approve an incentive for Guernsey breed ers to use young sites in their herds. A $5 registration discount will be offered to breeders who register the first 30 daughters out of AGA sampled young sires. This discount will apply to sites from young sire groups who are partici pating in this promotion. Discussions ate continuing for a Protein Content ral detergent fiber, increasing fer mentable carbohydrates may boost milk protein content,” she said. “Balancing rations for unde gradable intake protein, with par ticular attention to the amino acid profile, also may help. If specific amino acids are limiting in the ration, feeding supplemental ami no acids may enhance protein synthesis.” Supplemental fat, on the other hand, can decrease milk protein content -u\ Disease Ratings; " HR ■ Highly Resistant R = Resistant MR s Moderately Resistant LR = Low Resistant S = Susceptible NR = Not Rated Cows possible joint operations venture between the American Guernsey Association, American Milking Shorthorn Society, Ayrshire Breeders* Association and the Brown Swiss Cattle Breeders’ Association. CDS recently assisted in the forming of Cooperative Resources International, the holding cooperative with the initial subsid iaries of Wisconsin Dairy Herd Improvement Cooperative and 21st Century Genetics. “Feeding supplemental fat usu ally increases total milk yield without changing protein yield,” Ishler said. ‘This dilution effect causes milk protein content to decrease. Rations with 5 to 7 per cent fat in the total dry matter supply low levels of readily fer mentable carbohydrates, which may suppress microbial protein synthesis.” Ishler said that predicting die effect of dietary changes on milk protein percent is difficult. “Nutrition does not affect milk protein pro duction, but its influ ence on protein is not as well understood as is its relationship to milk fat “More research and field studies are needed to better predict milk protein response to nutritional changes.’’ Also, protein percen tage decreases as milk production increases. i ‘This effect is most pronounced for first and second-lactation cows, when there may be competition for pro- I tein use between growth and milk production Ishler said. “This means producers with a young herd may be at a slight disadvantage compared to herds with older cows.” Milk protein levels are highest in the early and late stages of lacta tion.” As milk volume increases, demands on the cow’s dietary and body energy supplies rise, and the percentage of protein falls, Ishler said. The time of year a cow calves also affects milk protein. “Cows that calve in the warm months, espe cially late summer, pro duce less protein per day than cows that calve in cool months such as October and November,” she said. “Summer heat may reduce a cow’s dry mat ter intake. This reduces available energy, in turning lowering milk protein.” More information is available in extension fact sheet DSE 87-35, Factors Influencing Milk Protein Test. For a copy, contact the Department of Dairy and Animal Science, The Pennsylvania State University, 324 Hen ning Building, Univer sity Park, PA 16802 or a
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