Background: Buffalo reactivity during milking affects milking procedures, milk yield, and quality.
Aims: This study evaluated the influence of milking reactivity on the yield, composition, somatic cell count, pH, and electrical resistance of milk in Jaffarabadi buffaloes.
Methods: A 1-4 point scale, based on leg movement, was used to assess the milking reactivity of buffaloes (n=40). Based on the milking reactivity score, animals were classified into four groups: reactivity score-1 (RS1), reactivity score-2 (RS2), reactivity score-3 (RS3), and reactivity score-4 (RS4). The influence of milking reactivity on yield, composition, somatic cell count, pH, and electrical resistance of milk was observed.
Results: Buffaloes with RS1 and RS2 produced significantly (P≤0.001) higher daily milk yield, 6% fat-corrected yield, solid-corrected yield, and energy-corrected yield than the RS3+4 group. Milking reactivity score did not influence milk fat, protein, lactose, ash, solid-not-fat, total solids content, and the fat: protein ratio. However, daily yield of milk fat (P<0.001), protein (P=0.001), lactose (P=0.001), ash (P=0.002), solid-not-fat (P=0.001), and total solids (P<0.001) were significantly higher in buffaloes in the RS1 and RS2 groups than in the RS3+4 group. Milk somatic cell count and somatic cell score were not influenced by milking reactivity score (P>0.05). Milk density and pH did not differ significantly (P>0.05) between groups. However, the electrical resistance of milk in the RS1 group was significantly (P<0.05) higher than in the RS2 and RS3+4 groups.
Conclusion: Milking reactivity influences daily milk yield, milk component yield, and electrical resistance, but not milk composition in Jaffarabadi buffaloes.
Keywords: Electrical resistance; Jaffarabadi buffaloes; Milk yields; Milking reactivity.