How we milk our cows

How do we milk our
Cows – Fine tuning
Milking Management
and Parlor Performance
Ralph Ginsberg
Udder Health and Milk Quality
Specialist
ralph.milk46@gmail.com

The Israeli Dairy Herd
120,000 cows – 795 farms
1. ~ 90% of cows on DHI
2. All cows milked in milking parlors
or 49 milking robots (30 farms)
3. More than 80% of cows milked with
electronic milk meters
24.06.2015 2How do we milk our cows

The Israeli Dairy Herd cont.
A common database with an
integrated data flow system
DHI
Udder Health
Lab
AI
Veterinary
Service
Milk
Components
Lab
Udder
Health
Management

What will we learn
 Anatomy and Physiology
of the Udder
 Milking Machine
 Milking Management
 Fine Tuning in Practice
How do we milk our cows 424.06.2015

Anatomy and Physiology of
the Udder

Udder Stimulation
Stimulating the nerve endings in the teats,
results in the release of oxytocin from the
Pituitary Gland. It then is transported by the
blood stream to the udder.
In a good milking routine we will stimulate
the udder for milk letdown before we attach
the cluster.

Udder Stimulation
Phases of Milk
Ejection Reflex
Time
Nerve impulse –
udder to brain
0.1 sec
Activation of
hypothalamic cells
and oxytocin
release
1 - 2 sec
Arterial transport of
oxytocin to the
udder
19 - 20 sec
Contraction of
myoepithelial cells
6 sec
Milk let down 20 - 30 sec
Total time Approx. 1
min

Good nerve stimulation is required
to ensure adequate oxytocin release
and a good milk ejection

Study
design
nMachine
on time,
min
Milk
flow
rate,
lb/min
Milk
yield,
lb/
milking
nMachine
on time,
min
Milk
flow
rate,
lb/min
Milk
yield,
lb/
milking
Authors/yr
Lsq126.05.6*26.2126.54.3*25.8(21)Sagi et al., 1980,
Lsq124.45.6*23.2125.44.3*22.2(22)Sagi et al., 1980,
Expt 1
Lsq44.85.8*27.345.45.2*26.9(22)Sagi et al., 1980,
Expt 2
Lsq124.85.8*28.2126.84.2*28.7Gorewit et al., 1985 (11)
Lsq545.14.3*21.7545.34.0*20.7Reneau & Farnsworth,
1994 (19)
945.14.923.5945.74.222.8Avg. U.S. studies
Lsq217.63.825.1219.22.923.5§(14)Mayer et al., 1984
1155.54.723.81156.33.922.9Avg. all studies
No stimulation† Manual stimulation +
prep lag = 60‡
Summary of studies comparing no stimulation prior to machine
application and optimized stimulation and prep-lag
†No stimulation, only machine attachment.
‡ At least 20 seconds manual stimulation with total prep-lag of 60 seconds.
*No statistical difference detected in milk yield; all other measures were statistically significant at P < .05.
§ All comparisons were statistically significant including milk yield at P < .05. German study with Fresian-
Brown Swiss cross cattle.24.06.2015 11How do we milk our cows

With Stimulation

No stimulation
Low flow rate
It takes longer to milk out the last kg. of milk if
premilking teat preparation is conducted less efficiently

Effect of stimulation and
prep lag time on milk letdown
Farm
Prep
time/sec
Average
yield
kg
Average
Milking
time
min/cow
Average
flow
rate
kg/min
Milk flow rates at specific
times kg/min
Milk in
first 2
Min
kg
Low
flow
time
sec
0-15 15-30 30-60 60-120
A
0
11.2 5.4 2.07 0.1 1.6 1.2 2.8 3.8 90
B
62 – 89
11.3 4.32 2.63 0.9 2.3 2.9 4.4 6.6 54

• Avoid Stress before attaching
the cluster in order to inhibit the
release of Adrenaline that will
effect the milk flow and lengthen
the milking process.
Basic Rules – Cows calm,
clean and dry

Basic Rules – Cows calm,
clean and dry
• Calm cows do not defecate or
urinate in the milking parlor.
• If cows refuse to enter the
milking parlor maybe the milker
is to blame.

No sticks

Putting it all together
Place milking units on cows when teats are firm
(indicating milk let-down) to take full advantage
of the oxytocin response
Attach milking units within a minute to a minute
and a half to ensure fast, complete milk outs.
Good udder preparation influences:
 Milking time > Shorter
 Amount of milk > Higher
 Less chance of mastitis

The Milking Machine
Air LinesRegulator
Vacuum
Gauge
Vacuum Pump
Milking Unit
Receiver
Milk Line
Milk Pump
Pulsator

Milk harvesting is the process of
 Extracting milk from animals
 Transporting the milk to a storage
tank
 Storing the milk until it is picked
up for processing.
 Milk is usually cooled during storage

Milk harvesting requires a
cooperative effort between
 The animal
 The operator
 A properly functioning milking
machine
 A good milking routine

Milking Machine Goals
 A properly designed, installed,
maintained, and operated milking
machine will:
 Remove milk from the animal quickly
and gently
 Not contribute to poor udder health
 Not degrade milk quality from the
time of removal to delivery
 Be easy to clean and sanitize

Lets see how we get milk out
of a cow
 Vacuum is applied to the inside of the
liner to withdraw milk from each teat
and keep the machine attached to the
cow
 When the pulsation chamber is under
vacuum, the liner is open and milk flow
starts
 B Phase

Milk Extraction

The Vacuum Pump
There are several other types of vacuum
pumps but they all do the same job
Vacuum pumps remove air from the milking
machine to create vacuum inside the machine.
Rotary Vane Vacuum Pump
Lobe Vacuum Pump

The Vacuum Regulator
Vacuum Regulator
50 kPa
0 kPa 100 kPa
In this animation we will see how
the vacuum regulator balances
air admission to keep the system
vacuum at a constant level.
We start with air being
admitted into an open teatcup
of the milking machine.
The vacuum pump is removing this
air at the same rate that it is
admitted to keep the system
vacuum at 50 kPa.

The vacuum pump is still
removing air at the same rate
as before.
The regulator opens and
starts to admit air at the
same rate that it is being
removed by the vacuum
pump to keep the system
vacuum at the set point – 50
kPa.
Vacuum Regulation
50 kPa
0 kPa 100 kPa
Now we attach the milking
unit to the cow and stop the
air from entering through the
teatcup.

Vacuum Regulation
 In a real milking machine, the situation
is more complicated because air is
admitted from many sources both
steady and intermittent. However, the
basic concept is the same.
 The regulator makes up the difference
between air admission and air
extraction to keep the system vacuum
at a constant level.

Recommended Teat End
Milking Vacuum Levels
 ISO 32-40 kPa
 US/NMC 35-42 kPa
 5 second Average
 in the Claw or at Teat-end
 during Peak Flow Rate
 My personal recommendation
37 to 40 kPa
For as much of milking time as possible

What Happens when Milking
Vacuum is too low?
 Liner Slips
 Unit Falloff
 Slower Milking

What Happens When Milking
Vacuum is too High?

What Happens When Milking
Vacuum is too High?
 Increases peak flow rate: up to a point
 Increased strip yield
 Increased teat tissue stress
 Increases congestion
 Teat thickness
 Open canals
 Higher liner compression
 More hyperkeratosis

The Pulsator
 An air valve that creates ‘pulsation’ or
the opening and closing of the liner

The teat in the open liner
 The main purpose of pulsation is
to limit the development of
congestion and oedema in the teat
tissues during machine milking.
 In addition to (or as a consequence
of) this primary function pulsation
helps to:
 Maintain a high rate of milk flow
from the teat within each pulsation
cycle;

The Pulsation Cycle
RATE is 60 ppm
60,000 ms / 60 ppm = 1,000 ms
RATIO is 60:40

When pulsation rate and/or ratio are changed the
main influence is on the duration (in Milliseconds)
of the b (milking) and d (rest) phases.
These phases will also change as a percentage
of the cycle.
The Pulsation Cycle
a (opening) and c (closing) phases are
determined primarily by the Pulsation Chamber
volume, Pulse tube length, and Pulsator air port
size.

B phase: ~ 600 ms

The teat in the closed liner
 Counter the possible ill-effects of teat
congestion on the level of discomfort
or pain experienced by the cow;
 Remove enough but not too much
Keratin lining from the canal
 Reduce the rate of new mastitis
infections;
 Stimulate milk ejection.

 Atmospheric pressure is then
applied to the pulsation chamber
and the liner closes. Milk flow
stops and the teat is massaged to
reduce congestion
 D Phase

D Phase: > 200 ms

Blue= Air Red= Milk Violet= Air+Milk
Lets look at how air and milk
move through the machine

Milking Management

Milking is a compromise
Quickly, Gently, Completely
Quick is usually not gentle
complete is usually not gentle
Gentile is usually not the fastest or most
complete

The way we milk affects
 Udder health & milk quality
 Milk production
 Milking duration

What is “milking efficiency”?
 Straight after the cluster is attached we
get a constant and fast milk letdown
 Steady milk flow
 The end of the milking process is a
sharp drop in milk flow.
 The average milking time is shorter

Milking efficiency gives us
 Higher milk yields
 Complete milking process
 Shorter “machine on time”

The Infection Cycle

Hygienic milking routine
 Hygienic milking ensures that
the udder is “prepared” for
milking and reducing new
infection rates.
 Timing is critical for a “good”
udder preparation.

Gloves are a defense against bacteria colonizing on the hand.
Bacteria can not “attach” them selves to the gloves as they do to
the hands skin. It is also healthier to disinfect a glove than to
disinfect the skin when need be.
Wearing gloves during the milking
During the milking and especially after treating cows with udder
infections it is imperative to disinfect the gloved hands either
by spraying or immersion in a disinfectant

The difference between
milking with and without gloves
Gloved handHand after washing

Hygienic milking routine
 Decreases the environmental pathogens on the
teats.
 Dip/Spay sanitary fluid only on clean teats.
 Do not use water to clean dirty teats.
 Can be achieved by cleaning the teat with a
sanitizing solution or by wiping with alcoholic wipes.
 The sanitary fluid has to stay on the teats for
30 seconds to be effective.

Wiping off dirt that is visible on the teats with a clean, single paper
towel is necessary for a maximum reduction of environmental
organisms and is a strong stimulus for promoting oxytocin release.
Dirty teats should we wet with the sanitizer and wiped until they
are clean
Dry teats with an individual towel

Over Milking
In most cows the front quarters
produce less milk than the back quarters,
therefore the front quarters milk out quicker
than the back quarters.
It is very important to remove the cluster
when there is a significant reduction in
milk flow in the cluster because exposure
to high vacuum causes stress and pain to
the teat.

Overriding take off settings
Over-milking starts when the milk flow to
the teat cistern is less than the flow out of
the teat canal.
Take off settings can be set with
no detrimental effects on milk
yield, udder health and milk quality.
Overriding the take off settings results in
“over-milking” affecting teats condition and
udder health.

Prevention is the best and
cheapest way to cut losses
A full hygienic milking routine is one of
the cheapest and most effective ways for
healthy udders and more milk

Influence of changes in milking
machine parameters and milking
routine on milking efficiency

TH Farms – Vietnam March 2015

Ways of increasing parlour
performance
Improving cow movement
Increasing the average milk
flow while units are
attached. (vacuum level, pulsation
ratio/rate)
Decreasing the amount of
time units are attached to
cows. (cows comfortable and relaxed
during milking, good stimulation and prep-
lag time, automatic take-off settings)

1.Vacuum level -increase from 40-40.5 Kpa to
43.3-43.5 Kpa.
2. Pulsation ratio- from 40:60 to 35:65
(increased the B phase to ~ 600 ms)
3. Threshold for removal -from 480/545
g/minute to 600 g/minute.
4. Milking routine.
Based on the on-farm vacuum and pulsator
checking and observation of liner slips and teat
conditions during the milking we changed:

0.49
1.91
1.53
2.79
0.74
2.40
2.24
3.24
0.00
0.50
1.00
1.50
2.00
2.50
3.00
3.50
0-15 15-30 30-60 60-120
Flowrate first120 second
13.02-28.02 15.04-30.04
-20%
-6%
Cows 0-15 15-30 30-60 60-120
13.02-28.02 561883 0.49 1.91 1.53 2.79
15.04-30.04 542649
0.74 2.40 2.24 3.24

Date Milked Low Low flow Pre. low
Cows flow (%) flow time
time
13.02-28.02 561883 1.24 24.69 0.32
15.04-30.04 542649 0.93 22.38 0.24
% Low Flow time of Milking Time
(Low Flow/AMT)
Preliminary Low Flow Time – The
period of low flow at the beginning of
milking. The time of low flow milking in
the first stages of the milking curve is a
direct indication of poor preparation
procedure or milk holdup caused by
other factors.
Low flow time –The time clusters
were on the cows during low milk
flow (below 1liter/min). This time is
an accumulated sum of times during
low milk flow at the beginning and
at the end of milking. Sometimes
indicates pulsation or vacuum
problems.

0.87
0.94
0.91
0.67
0.00
0.20
0.40
0.60
0.80
1.00
0.82
0.84
0.86
0.88
0.90
0.92
0.94
0.96
13.02-28.02 15.04-30.04
Parameter at removal
Flowrate
removal
Lowflow
timeremoval
Flow rate at Removal – The flow rate between the
last two dumps of milk before cluster removal.
Low flow Flow rate
time removal
removal
0.91 0.87
0.67 0.94

10.1 9.3
4.2 5.1
41%
56%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
0.0
2.0
4.0
6.0
8.0
10.0
12.0
13.02-28.02 15.04-30.04
Total Milk/cow and milk in first 2 minute
Avg.
Milk/cows
milk/cow
first 120 sec
%milk
from totalproduction

13.02-28.02 15.04-30.04
Peak
flowrate
4.26 4.67
Peak
time
2.09 1.65
4.26
4.67
2.09
1.65
4.00
4.10
4.20
4.30
4.40
4.50
4.60
4.70
0.00
0.50
1.00
1.50
2.00
2.50
Peak-flowrateandpeak time

18.0%
45.5%
81.5%
95.3%
10.0%
20.0%
30.0%
40.0%
50.0%
60.0%
70.0%
80.0%
90.0%
100.0%
2.00
2.50
3.00
3.50
4.00
4.50
5.00
5.50
6.00
13.02-28.02 15.04-30.04
AMTand % cows milking less 6 minute
AMT % cows AMT
0-4
minute
% cows AMT
0-6
minute

Thank you for your attention
Now you know how I feel with
bad milking machine parameters

How we milk our cows

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