Effects of the frequency of milking and lactation stage on milk fractions and milk composition in Tinerfe˜na dairy goats

Machine milk (MM), machine stripping milk (MSM), residual milk (RM), and milk protein and fat content were recorded during the second lactation in 49 Tinerfe˜na goats milked once (X1) and twice (X2) a day. MM, MSM and RM percentages were 67.7% and 62.4%, 20.2% and 30.2%, 12.1% and 7.4% in X1 and X2, respectively. Milking frequency statistically affected MSM, RM and fat content, but increasing milking frequency from once to twice a day did not improve milkability nor did it significantly affect milk yields. © 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.