The temperament of dairy cows plays a role in milk yield and quality, but research has been inconsistent. A recent systematic review and meta-analysis examined how cow temperament affects milk production, focusing on daily and total milk yield.
Researchers analyzed data from eight studies (75 trials) for daily milk yield and three studies (9 trials) for total milk yield. Cows were categorized by temperament: low reactivity (calm), intermediate reactivity, and high reactivity (reactive). Here’s what they found:
- Daily Milk Yield:
- Calm cows produced more milk than those with intermediate temperament but less than reactive cows.
- Reactive cows outperformed intermediate cows, especially among primiparous (first-lactation) and multiparous (multiple-lactation) groups.
- Milk production varied by lactation stage, with reactive cows consistently producing the most.
- Total Milk Yield:
- Reactive cows had higher yields than both calm and intermediate cows.
- Among European breeds and primiparous cows, reactive animals led in total milk production.
Interestingly, these findings challenge the expectation that calmer cows are the most productive across all measures.
For further details, read the full research report here.
