Analysis of Lactation Performance and Mastitis Incidence in High- and Low-Yielding Dairy Cows Using DHI Data

The DHI data is crucial for monitoring the udder health of dairy cows during the breeding process. This study aimed to investigate the factors influencing milk production in dairy cows throughout this period. We analyzed DHI data from Holstein dairy cows in the Heilongjiang region, alongside the incidence of mastitis. The findings revealed that high-yielding cows demonstrated significantly higher peak milk yield days, peak milk yield, urea nitrogen levels, 305-day milk yield, and persistency (<i>p</i> < 0.0001) compared to their low-yielding counterparts. Conversely, high-yielding cows exhibited lower protein rates, fat-to-protein ratios, and milk fat rates (<i>p</i> < 0.0001). Additionally, the somatic cell count (SCC) in high-yielding cows was significantly lower than that in low-yielding cows (<i>p</i> < 0.0001). The multivariate linear regression analysis of the DHI data indicated that parity was the primary determinant affecting both milk yield and SCC. Statistical analysis of cows with clinical mastitis revealed that those experiencing a single episode of clinical mastitis during the lactation period were predominantly in their first and second parities, while recurrent cases were primarily observed in the second and third parities. These results suggest that as the number of lactations increases, the SCC also rises, reflecting the cumulative impact of parity on the udder health of dairy cows.