Northern Finncattle’s milk quality and their opportunities for automatic milking system

Abstract

This thesis explores the integration of Northern Finncattle, an endangered native Finnish cattle breed, into modern dairy farming systems, with a particular focus on automated milking systems (AMS). Northern Finncattle, known for their resilience, longevity and high quality milk, produce milk with superior coagulation properties, making it ideal for cheese production. Despite their lower milk yield compared to mainstream breeds like Holsteins, their milk contains the A2-beta casein variant, which is associated with improved digestibility and health benefits. This research compares the performance of Northern Finncattle in conventional milking systems (milking parlour and pipeline milking) versus AMS, analysing milk production, milk quality and a variety of other metrics.

The findings reveal that AMS offers the highest milk yield but may increase udder health risks, while pipeline milking provides the best balance between milk quality and udder health.

The study concludes that Northern Finncattle can be successfully integrated into AMS, but careful management is required to optimize milk quality and animal welfare. This research highlights the potential of native breeds in sustainable dairy farming and encourages further exploration of their role in modern agriculture.

Commissioners of this thesis are Mervi Honkatukia from NordGen and Terhi Vahlsten from Faba co-op.