EVALUATION AND SELECTION OF JERSEY COWS BY BEHAVIORAL ACTIVITY UNDER ROBOTIC MILKING CONDITIONS

DOI 10.31588/2413_4201_1883_3_267_121 УДК 633.313; 631.461.52

Abstract

The study was conducted on first-calf Jersey cows (n = 25) from three genealogical lines: Glenmor 157911 (n = 4), Jester 534585 (n = 7) and Observer 553236 (n = 14) under robotic milking conditions at Vozrozhdenie LLC of Arsk District of the Republic of Tatarstan. The aim of the study was to study the nature of behavioral activity of first-calf Jersey cows of different lines and to identify selection-significant behavioral traits associated with adaptability and milk productivity. Behavioral observations were carried out by using the chronometer recording method during the day according to the methodology of V.I. Velikzhanin with the calculation of the indices of food, motor, general activity, chewing movement index and milking activity coefficient. No significant interline differences in behavioral indices were found. General activity index averaged 0.766, indicating that animals were active 76.6% of the day. The daily activity dynamics were biphasic with peaks at 07:00-08:00 and 17:00-18:00 (maximum general activity index = 0.93). Correlation analysis revealed interline differentiation of relationships: in Glenmor line, productivity correlated positively with food activity index (r = 0.92) and negatively with motor activity index (r = -0.90); in Jester and Observer lines, it was positively related to motor activity index (r = 0.51 and 0.49, respectively). Milking activity coefficient proved to be a universal selection trait (r = 0.47-0.60). Overall, for the herd, milk yield was largely associated with milking activity coefficient (r = 0.45) and motor activity index (r = 0.37). For practical selection, it is recommended to use milking activity coefficient and motor activity index as basic criteria, and to additionally consider food activity index in Glenmor line.