We evaluated changes in milk production and quality during 11 months in nine milk production units, randomly chosen at the Pelotas dairy region. Mastitis incidence and average milk daily production were registered. Once a month, animal feed and bulk milk samples were collected at each production unit for further physical-chemical analysis and somatic cells count. Production units were classified in one of the following production systems: specialized, semi-specialized and not specialized. Analysis of variance was used to evaluate the effects of months, production systems and their interaction, according to a completely randomized design. Fat corrected milk production, crude protein, casein, lactose, total solids, solids non fat contents of the milk and mastitis incidence varied among months, but fat and non protein nitrogen contents and somatic cells count did not. In fall and winter, values for milk production and milk components contents were the lowest, while mastitis incidence was highest in spring and summer.
mastitis; milk physical-chemical characteristics; milk production; somatic cells count
