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Milk flow-controlled changes of pulsation ratio and pulsation rate affect milking characteristics in dairy cows

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 March 2009

Sarah Ambord  and
Rupert M Bruckmaier
Sarah Ambord
Affiliation:
Veterinary Physiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, 3001Bern, Switzerland
Rupert M Bruckmaier*
Affiliation:
Veterinary Physiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, 3001Bern, Switzerland
*
*For correspondence; e-mail: rupert.bruckmaier@physio.unibe.ch
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Abstract

To test a system with milk flow-controlled pulsation, milk flow was recorded in 29 Holstein cows during machine milking. The three different treatments were routine milking (including a pre-stimulation of 50–70 s), milking with a minimum of teat preparation and milking with milk flow-controlled b-phase, i.e. with a gradually elongated b-phase of the pulsation cycle with increasing milk flow rate and shortening again during decreasing milk flow. For data evaluation the herd was divided into three groups based on the peak flow rate at routine milking (group 1: <3·2 kg/min; group 2: 3·2–4·5 kg/min; group 3: >4·5 kg/min). Compared with routine milking, milking with milk flow-controlled b-phase caused a significant elevation of the peak flow rate and the duration of incline lasted longer especially in cows with a peak flow rate of >3·2 kg/min in routine milking. In milking with a minimum of teat preparation the duration of incline lasted longer compared with the two other treatments. Bimodality of milk flow, i.e. delayed milk ejection at the start of milking, was most frequent at milking with a minimum of teat preparation. No significant differences between routine milking and milking with milk flow-controlled b-phase were detected for all other milking characteristics. In summary, milking with milk flow-controlled b-phase changes the course of milk removal, however mainly in cows with high peak flow rates.

Keywords

Flow-controlled pulsationpeak flow rateb-phase
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Dairy Research , Volume 76 , Issue 3 , August 2009 , pp. 272 - 277
Copyright
Copyright © Proprietors of Journal of Dairy Research 2009

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