Table 2.
Milk production traits (least squares means and mean standard error) of the Saanen breed compared with Mediterranean medium production level breeds (MPLB: Maltese and Jonica breeds) and low production level breeds (LPLB: Rossa Mediterranea, Girgentana, and Garganica breeds) during early lactation (2–4 weeks in milking), medium lactation (5–10 weeks in milking), and late lactation (11–30 weeks in milking).
| Early Lactation | Medium Lactation | Late Lactation | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trait | Saanen | MPLB | LPLB | MSE | Saanen | MPLB | LPLB | MSE | Saanen | MPLB | LPLB | MSE |
| MY, kg/day | 1.784 | 1.395 * | 1.144 * | 0.25 | 1.997 | 1.369 * | 1.213 * | 0.10 | 1.026 | 0.907 | 0.73 * | 0.11 |
| FCM, kg/day | 1.694 | 1.351 * | 1.128 * | 0.22 | 1.869 | 1.399 * | 1.262 * | 0.108 | 1.046 | 1.010 | 0.83 * | 0.09 |
| Fat, % | 3.04 | 3.25 | 3.45 * | 0.06 | 2.91 | 3.78 * | 3.96 * | 0.06 | 3.72 | 4.68 * | 4.83 * | 0.07 |
| Protein, % | 3.09 | 2.95 | 2.85 * | 0.16 | 3.17 | 3.48 * | 3.30 | 0.12 | 3.71 | 3.65 | 3.56 | 0.13 |
| Casein, % | 2.29 | 2.22 | 2.14 * | 0.09 | 2.31 | 2.46 * | 2.43 * | 0.07 | 2.65 | 2.67 | 2.60 | 0.08 |
| Lactose, % | 4.51 | 4.71 * | 4.73 * | 0.06 | 4.46 | 4.48 | 4.59 * | 0.04 | 4.02 | 4.19 * | 4.33 * | 0.08 |
| SCS | 5.95 | 4.86 * | 4.91 * | 2.53 | 5.76 | 4.89 * | 4.41 * | 2.7 | 7.79 | 6.28 * | 5.91 * | 3.10 |
MY = milk yield; FCM = fat corrected milk at 3.5%; SCS = somatic cell score; MSE = mean standard error. * The mean value significantly (p < 0.05) differs from the Saanen value at the same lactation stage.