Respostas produtivas e comportamentais durante a ordenha de vacas Holandesas em início de lacta o = Productive and behavioral responses during milking of Holstein cows in early lactation

Com o objetivo de avaliar a produ o de leite, o leite residual e as respostas comportamentais de vacas Holandesas durante a ordenha, 14 vacas foram ordenhadas mecanicamente, duas vezes ao dia e avaliadas durante as seis primeiras semanas de lacta o. A produ o leiteira foi mensurada diariamente e o volume de leite residual, semanalmente.A temperatura de corpo (regi o das costelas), úbere e tetos e a frequência respiratória foram mensuradas duas vezes por semana. O comportamento dos animais na sala de ordenha foi registrado duas vezes por semana em etogramas e pelas entrevistas com os ordenhadores.Nas primeiras semanas de lacta o, a porcentagem de coices, sobrepassos, derrubadas de teteira, mic es e vocaliza es observadas foram maiores para as vacas primíparas (p < 0,05), que também foram consideradas mais ‘reativas’ pelos ordenhadores em compara o às vacas multíparas. As multíparas produziram mais leite do que as primíparas (p < 0,05), porém n o houve diferen as significativas em rela o à porcentagem de leite residual (p > 0,05), sugerindo que houve adapta o de ambos os grupos ao ambiente de ordenha. Aiming to compare milk yield, residual milk and behavioral responses of Holstein cows during milking, fourteen experimental cows were mechanically milked twice a day, and evaluated during the first six weeks of lactation. Milk yield was measured daily, and residual milk volume weekly. Body (ribs region), udder and teat temperatures and respiratory frequency were measured twice a week. Animal behavior atthe milking parlor was registered using ethograms and interviews with the milkers. During the first weeks of lactation, a higher percentage of kicks, over-steps, milking cups being knocked down, urinations and vocalizations in primiparous cows (p < 0.05) was observed, which were also considered more reactive by the parlors compared to multiparous cows. Multiparous cows produced more milk than primiparous (p < 0.05). However, there were no significant differences in residual milk percentage (p > 0.05), which suggests adaptation of both groups to the milking environment.