Effect of milking interval on secretion rate and composition of camel milk [electronic resource].

Includes reference.

This study aimed to investigate the effect of milking interval on yield and composition of camel milk to identified appropriate number of daily milking of shecamel Total of 12 mUltiparous she-camels (ranged from 3 to 6 parities and 8 to 13 years of age) were used in a short·term experiment done during 1-4 rna postpartum. Camels were daily fed a mixture of berseem hay (3 kg) and concentrate mixture pellets (5 kg\ containing 16% CP on OM basis. Milking intervals schedule included 4, 8, 12. 16, 20 and 24 h. Milking order for each replicate was arranged to remove the possible effects between milking intervals. The experiment started (0 h) after complete udder emptying by milking with the help of an Lv injection of oxytocin (10 IUtanimal). At each milking, milk yield was recorded and milk samples were Individually taken for milk composition and somatic cell count (SCC) Results cleared significantly (P<005) gradual increase in average milk yield by increasing milking Interval. These increases were about 40. 79, 126, 153 and 184% by increasing milking interval from 4 to 8, 12, 16, 20 and 24 hours. However, milk secretion rate during each milking interval showed gradual reduction by increasing milking interval, being signifocantly (P<0.05) the highest (436.5 gth) for 4 h and the lowest (206.9 gth) for 24 h milking intervals. When milk secretion rate (gth) was expressed among milking interval from 4 to either 8, 12, 16 , 20 or 24 hours, results showed no significant differences in secretion rate of milk, ranging from 161.0 gth between 4-24 h and 183.3 gth between 4-16 h. The effect of milking interval was significant only or percentage of fat, protein and total solids (TS). Increasing milking interval significantly (P<0.05) decrease percentage of fat and increased protein content. The significant (P<0.05) decrease in fat content continued by increasing milking interval from 4 to 8 and 12 h and then up to 24 h. However, the significant increase in protein content was found by increasing milking interval from 4 to 24 h. The significant decrease in fat content was associated with signific.ant (P<0.05) reduction in T5- content, especially by increasing milking interval from 4 to 20 h. On the other hand, lactose and solids not fat contents were not affected significantly by milking interval. SCC in milk of shecamel decreased sig nificanlly only by increasing milking interval from 8 to 16 h, showing the minimum count with 16 h milking interval. However, the maximum count was recorded for 8 h milking interval. The present results indicated that increasing milking interval from 4 to 8 h resulted in the highest increase in milk yield of camel. Based on these results it could be suggested two daily milkings of she-camel.

Summary in Arabic.

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