Milking behaviour of Saanen goats

IVELINA NEDEVA, TODOR SLAVOV, GEORGI NIKOLOV, VESELIN RADEV, IVAN VARLYAKOV

Abstract: The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of intensive rearing conditions on behaviour of Saanen goats. The focus of the investigation was the milking behaviour and the effect of age and productivity on it. A strict hierarchical order was established in the herd. The major part of animals built up a reflex towards the place in the milking parlour, which sometimes resulted in technological problems. The production performance had a lower effect than age on the social rank. The effect of the age on the four studied traits: milk yield, rate of milk flow, persistence in using a milking place and order of entering the parlour was the most pronounced in high-production animals.

Keywords: age; goats; milk production; milking behaviour

Date published: 2018-04-20