Short communication: The effect of temperature-humidity index on milk yield and milking frequency of dairy cows in pasture-based automatic milking systems

Abstract

Hot weather is known to negatively affect cow performance primarily through reduced feed intake and milk yield. However, little information is available on how it affects cow milk yield and milking frequency in automatic milking systems (AMS). Milking data were collected from 6 pasture-based AMS farms in Australia to assess the effect of temperature-humidity index (THI) on milk yield and milking frequency. Daily measures of average milk yield per cow and average milking frequency per cow during December to February (Australian summer) were assessed for associations with maximum, minimum, and average THI from d 0, −1, −2, and −3 in relation to the milking data. Average daily milk yield per co..