The Obstacles to Using Milk Composition as Management Tool in Dairy Cattle Farms

The main objective of this discussion highlights the use of milk composition data as a management tool. Milk composition, and in particular, milk fat content, milk protein content and the ratio of milk fat/protein may be significantly altered due to a variety of factors. The development of milk production in the world in the last 10 years reflects the enormous performance potential of the herds and the farms. However, there is a concomitant worsening of fertility and an increase in the number of animals that leave the herd due to metabolic disorders, infertility, hoof disease and mastitis. In order to reduce such losses, indicators are required that indicate a disease or the risk of a disease at an early stage. In addition to the kidney, the mammary gland is the most important excretory organ of the intermediately converted nutrients. for a range of nutrients, milk reflects the quality and/or quantity of these transformation processes, and thus milk is a medium with which we can prove the success of our feeding and recognize some important feeding and management errors. But this tool can never replace close monitoring of a herd by the farmer and appropriate veterinary care but may be used as an efficient alert system for preventing health disorders in cows. Further research based on larger data set even entire population of animals is necessary to confirm the results obtained in this study.