Optimal Milking Routines

Good milking practices help prevent infection, and increase milking efficiency. Besides a clean, low-stress environment, best milking practices should include the following:

  1. Check fore-milk and udder for mastitis.

  2. Wash teats with an udder-wash solution or pre-dip teats with an effective disinfectant.

  3. Dry teats completely with an individual towel.

  4. Attach the milking unit within 60-90 seconds of start of stimulation (contact with the udder).

  5. Shut off vacuum before removing unit.

  6. Dip teats immediately after unit removal with an effective product.

The milking process requires ongoing monitoring since daily variations can have significant and troublesome affects on cow health. AfiFarm milking efficiency report collects and analyzes the milking data so farm managers can closely monitor milking processes.

Correct Milking Process

Good milking is achieved when a continuous flow of milk begins immediately after the last suction cup is attached. Once attached, milk flows out quickly and evenly. Towards the end, the milk flow slows down and, shortly thereafter, the units should be removed. In general, no further adjustment of the milking unit is needed nor any kind of machine stripping.

Note: Detaching the suction cups at the right time is a crucial component of improved udder health.

Avoid Over-milking

Over-milking occurs when the suction cups remain on the teats without extracting a minimum flow of milk. This happens when the milk flow to the udder cistern is less than the flow out through the teat canals.

Over-milking and high milking vacuum lengthen the time required for teats to reseal after milking.

Warning: Over-milking contributes to hyperkeratosis, or roughening of teat ends, and increases mastitis risk.

Reattaching clusters to harvest one last kilo of milk from a cow that was already milked is a mistake. Such reattachment may damage the teats and is painful for the cows. When cows associate the parlor with pain they “stop” their milk flows, kick the milking units, and are reluctant to enter the parlor.

Principles for reducing over-milking:

Ensure cows are well “prepared” before milking begins.

Ensure milking units detach at the right time (when the milk flow has reached a defined minimal rate).

Note: Adjust the Automatic Cluster Removal (ACR) parameters to determine the right time . Correct ACR settings help reduce mastitis risk and improve parlor throughput.

Avoid Under-milking

Under-milking occurs when an unacceptable amount of milk is left in the udder after the milking machine is removed.

Studies show that incomplete milking might increase the percentage of sub-clinical mastitis, which can develop into clinical infections. In addition, repetitive under-milking diminishes the milk volume produced during the lactation.