The effect of disturbances on milk production in cows

Observations were made at the evening and morning milkings immediately before, and the corresponding milkings immediately after, cows had either been injected with tuberculin or disturbed by parties of visitors. At the evening milkings both types of disturbance reduced yield and solids-not-fat (SNF) and protein percentages, but the tuberculin tests increased, and the party visits decreased, the fat percentages. For all these parameters compensatory opposite results were obtained at the milkings the following mornings.