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Thesis (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1966. / eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1971. / eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references.

Call number: LD2668 .T4 1948 R63 / Master of Science

Call number: LD2668 .T4 1949 F61 / Master of Science

Call number: LD2668 .T4 1952 J3 / Master of Science

Thesis--Wisconsin. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 95-98).

Increased milking frequency (IMF) during early lactation increases milk yield not only during the IMF period, but also after the cow is returned to twice daily milking (2X). The increase in yield is locally regulated within the gland; however the mechanism for the increase in yield is unknown. The objective of this study was to demonstrate a difference in milk and component yield, both during the IMF period and throughout the remainder of lactation, and examine potential local mechanisms driving the increase in production. Eight multiparous dairy cows were assigned to unilateral frequent milking [UFM ; 2X left udder half and 4-times-daily milking (4X) right udder half] for the first 21 days of lactation. Both udder halves were milked 2X for the remainder of lactation. Early lactation IMF significantly increased milk, fat, and protein yields in the right udder halves by 2.27 kg/d, 73.5 g/d, and 68 g/d respectively through the first 210 DIM (P < 0.001). At d 21, the right udder halves had a significant increase in activated signal transducer and activator of transcription 5 (STAT5), as well as a reduction in activated Akt (P ≤ 0.05). There was no difference in STAT3 expression at d 21. There was no significant difference in gene expression of prolactin, insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), insulin-like growth factor binding protein 5 (IGFPB5), or chitinase 3-like-1 (CHI3L1) in mammary tissue at d 21 or 60; and no difference in protein expression of STAT5, Akt, or STAT3 in mammary tissue at d 60. / Master of Science

Increased milking frequency (IMF) in early lactation is a time and cost-effective farm management practice to enhance profit in the dairy industry. The process involves milking cows more often in early lactation alone. On farms that milk twice daily (2X), early lactation cows are milked four times daily (4X) for 21 d postpartum. Cows produce significantly more milk during this timeframe and continue to have increased milk yield (MY) when returned to 2X milking for the remainder of lactation. The objective of this dissertation was to discover the physiological processes of early lactation IMF that cause increased MY throughout lactation. All studies involved unilateral frequent milking (UFM) with 2X and 4X udder halves for 21 d in early lactation. The first study manipulated milking interval (MI), or the time between milkings, during early lactation IMF. Cows were either milked on an even MI every 6 h or unevenly on a 9:3:9:3 h MI. Unevenly milked cows produced more milk on the final day of 4X treatment, but there was no significant difference in the increased MY carry-over effect between MI groups. Therefore, farmers can utilize any MI that fits their schedule and still achieve significantly enhanced profits. The second study aimed to infer the metabolic mechanisms of early lactation IMF that increase MY by comparing it to bovine somatotropin (bST). Cows that underwent early lactation IMF received bST at 80 DIM. Both IMF and bST treatments significantly enhanced MY, but there was no interaction or synergistic effect between treatments. We surmised that IMF and bST cause increased MY through different metabolic mechanisms since IMF functions locally and bST operates systemically. The final study analyzed mammary tissue from 2X and 4X udder halves on the final day of UFM treatment. The mechanism in which IMF enhanced MY involved increased protein levels of signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT5), activated and total protein kinase B (Akt), and total extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1 and 2 (ERK1/2) and reduced protein levels of total mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and total mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) in 4X udder halves compared to 2X. / Doctor of Philosophy / Increased milking frequency in early lactation is the process of milking cows more often for the first 3 weeks after calving. Cows not only produce more milk during this timeframe but continue to have elevated milk yield throughout lactation. This phenomenon is called the increased milk yield carry-over effect. This dissertation aimed to further enhance the increased milk yield carry-over effect of early lactation increased milking frequency. All studies utilized unilateral frequent milking with left udder halves milked twice daily and right udder halves milked four-times daily. The first study compared even and uneven milking intervals alongside early lactation increased milking frequency. The right udder halves of the even groups were milked every 6 hours. Cows in the uneven milking interval group were milked on a 9:3:9:3 hour interval. The uneven milking interval group produced more milk than even milking interval group on the final day of milking frequency treatment. However, there was no difference in milk yield between groups at any other time point. All cows had an increased milk yield carry-over effect throughout 300 days of lactation. In the second study, cows received bovine somatotropin in mid-lactation to observe possible synergistic effects in enhancing milk yield after early lactation increased milking frequency. Both the bovine somatotropin and increased milking frequency increased milk yield, but there was no synergistic effect when the two treatments were combined. The final study analyzed proteins within mammary tissue after 3 weeks of unilateral frequent milking. Udder halves milked four-times daily had significantly elevated activated and total STAT5, activated and total Akt, and total ERK1/2. Udder halves milked twice daily had elevated total MAPK and total mTOR. These findings helped to understand the metabolic functioning of increased milking frequency in early lactation that causes a persistent increase in milk yield throughout lactation.

Previous research has shown that dairy cows require a dry period of at least 40 d for maximal milk yield in the subsequent lactation. Reducing the dry period requirement could prove beneficial to animal health and dairy profitability if subsequent milk yield was not reduced. Studies were conducted to evaluate the effects of continuous milking (CM) and hormonal treatments on milk yield, mammary epithelial cell (MEC) turnover during late gestation and early lactation, and mammary gene expression in dairy cows. A commercial trial using primiparous and multiparous cows demonstrated equal milk yields in bST-supplemented, CM and 60-d dry (CTL) multiparous cows, but lower milk yields in bST-supplemented CM, primiparous cows treated with bST. Subsequent experiments evaluated mammary development requirements during the dry period in primiparous cows and methods of rescuing milk yield. MEC growth was lower in CM glands during most of late gestation. Maintenance of lactation in CM glands resulted in a marked reduction in the MEC turnover process that occurs in the early dry period. In the last 20 d of gestation, MEC growth remained reduced in CM glands. By the last week of gestation, MEC growth was 50% less in CM tissue vs. CTL tissue. MEC apoptosis was unaffected by CM during the last 20 d of gestation, but a premature decrease in early lactation apoptosis occurred in CM glands at 7 d postpartum. Mammary gene expression demonstrated bax and insulin-like growth factor binding protein 5 are involved in apoptosis and cyclin D1, CCAT/enhancer binding protein-&amp;#946;, and bcl2 are involved in mammary development. Ultrastructure of CM tissue revealed large populations of resting or involuting alveoli by d 20 postpartum, whereas CTL glands had a homogenous population of secretory alveoli. Collectively, these data suggest that a 40-53% reduction in milk yield in CM glands is caused by reductions in MEC renewal and reduced secretory capacity. Treatments (bST, prostaglandin E2) to stimulate milk synthesis or MEC growth in CM primiparous glands were unsuccessful. In conclusion, primiparous cows continue to require a 60-d dry period, but multiparous cows are good candidates for short dry periods, and potentially no dry period.