Comparative Study on Milk Production, Milk Components, Feed Intake and Efficiency Parameters of Fleckvieh (German Simmental), Brown Swiss and Fleckvieh × Red Holstein Dairy Cows

The aim of this study was to compare milk production, milk components and feed intake of Fleckvieh, Brown Swiss and Fleckvieh × Red Holstein dairy cows kept under identical feeding and management conditions. The study examined efficiency parameters in relation to feed, energy, protein, and metabolic weight of the three breeds. Additionally, the changes of body condition throughout the lactation were assessed using body condition score and back fat thickness. Data collected from 24 feeding trials conducted at the Bavarian State Research Center for Agriculture between 2011 and 2023 were compiled. Totally, 99,288 daily observations from 212 Fleckvieh, 127 Brown Swiss and 103 Fleckvieh × Red Holstein dairy cows were evaluated. Although Brown Swiss is a more dairy orientated breed compared with Fleckvieh as dual-purpose breed, daily milk yield and energy-corrected milk production were not affected by genotype. Brown Swiss was characterized by a significantly (p < 0.05) higher fat and protein content, somatic cell score, and milk urea content. At the same time, Brown Swiss achieved significantly (p < 0.05) lower values for dry matter intake and therefore consumed a lower amount of protein and energy per day. Due to these differences, the calculated efficiency parameters for Brown Swiss were significantly higher in the present study, making Brown Swiss more efficient in terms of feed, energy, protein, and metabolic weight. The differences in efficiency can be partly explained by differences in body weight and the associated maintenance requirements. The higher milk urea values combined with lower protein intake of Brown Swiss compared with Fleckvieh under same conditions, confirm current research findings and indicate physiological differences of the Brown Swiss breed. From this perspective, it is worth considering whether the reference values for milk urea should be adjusted according to breed, as milk urea values are indicators of nitrogen supply to rumen microbes, the protein supply status of cows, and the estimation of nitrogen excretion.