THE EFFECT OF SUPPLEMENTAL LIGHT ON MILK PRODUCTION IN HOLSTEIN DAIRY COWS
Keywords:
photoperiod, milk yield, supplemental lightAbstract
20 multiparous cows were utilized to investigate effect of supplemental light on milk
production. Cows were randomly assigned to one of two treatments (n=10): a) 10-
13 hours of light and 14-11 hours of darkness/d natural light -NL group; b) 17
hours of light (natural light + supplemental light) -SL group. Supplemental lighting
of 350 lx at eye level was provided by fluorescent lamps, controlled by an automatic
timer. Multiparous cows in SL group produced more fat corected milk (FMC) than
multiparous cows in NL group. The efficiency of production in dairy cows can be
enhanced by the photoperiod manipulation and thus provide another management
tool for dairy producers to enhance productivity.
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