@conference {40777,
	title = {Effects of stage of lactation and season on udder development and milk yield in pasture-fed cows},
	booktitle = {Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	volume = {56},
	year = {1996},
	month = {Jan},
	pages = {58-60},
	publisher = {New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	organization = {New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	abstract = {Effects of stage of lactation and season on mammary development and  milk yield were determined in three herds of lactating Friesian cows (n~25  cows/herd) during June and July 1995. The herds in early, mid or late  lactation calved in Apr-95, Jan-95 or Oct-94, respectively. Milk yield, in June, was higher in early and mid than in late lactation (16.1,  15.3 and 11.7 kg/d respectively, P<0.001). In July, yield was highest in  early lactation and significantly lower with each successive stage of lactation  (14.0, 12.5 and 10.4 kg/d, P<0.02). Yield decreased from June to July (14.4  to 12.3 kg/day, P<0.001) under increasingly severe  nutritional/environmental influences. Udder capacity was higher in early  and mid lactation than in late (16.1, 16.2 and 14.3 L, P=0.07), and decreased  18\% from June to July (17.1 to 14.0 L, P<0.001). These results suggest that  loss of mammary capacity is an important cause of declining milk  production due to stage of lactation and season. },
	issn = {1176-5283},
	author = {Eichler SJ and McFadden TB}
}
