Some factors affecting daily milk yield and composition in a flock of Chios ewes

The effect of year of production, lactation number, time of milking, month of recording and stage of lactation on milking yield and milk composition was examined on 598 milk records of Chios ewes. All these factors had significant effects on the milk parameters studied except the effects of month of recording on milk production, year and time of milking on protein percentage and time of milking on solids-not-fat (SNF) content. Milk yield declined with the lactation stage, whereas fat, protein and SNF content increased and lactose content decreased. Milk yield was significant for the percentage of all milk components except the SNF. Lactose percentage was the only component positively correlated with milk yield. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.