The effect of pulsation ratio on teat condition, milk somatic cell count and productivity in dairy cows in automatic milking

2015 ◽  
Vol 82 (4) ◽  
pp. 453-459 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sabine Ferneborg ◽  
Kerstin Svennersten-Sjaunja
Keyword(s):  
Somatic Cell ◽  
Cell Count ◽  
Somatic Cell Count ◽  
Design Experiment ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Milk Flow ◽  
Commercial Farms ◽  
Automatic Milking ◽  
Automatic Milking Systems ◽  
Milking Machine

The pulsation ratio of a milking machine affects milk flow and milking time, and has also been reported to influence teat condition and milk somatic cell count (SCC). However, most studies comparing pulsation ratios have been performed on conventional cluster milking (whole-udder level), where effects such as deteriorated teat end condition and increased milk SCC are likely to be caused by over-milking on teats that are emptied faster than the other teats. When the teat cups are detached from each udder quarter separately which can be done in automatic milking systems (AMS), the risk of over-milking, especially in front teats, may be significantly reduced. This study investigated the effects of pulsation ratio on teat end condition, milk SCC, milk yield, milking time and milk flow in an automatic milking system where each udder quarter is milked separately. In total, 356 cows on five commercial farms were included in a split-udder design experiment comparing three pulsation ratios (60:40, 70:30 and 75:25) with the standard pulsation ratio (65:35) during 6 weeks. Pulsation rate was 60 cycles/min and vacuum level 46 kPa. The 70:30 and 75:25 ratios increased peak and average milk flow and the machine-on time was shorter with 75:25, while both peak and average milk flows were lower and machine-on time was longer with the 60:40 ratio. No negative effects on teat condition or milk SCC were observed with any of the pulsation ratios applied during the study. Thus it is possible that increased pulsation ratio can be used to increase milking efficiency in AMS where quarter milking is applied.

scholarly journals Association between Udder and Quarter Level Indicators and Milk Somatic Cell Count in Automatic Milking Systems

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 3485
Author(s):  
Maddalena Zucali ◽  
Luciana Bava ◽  
Alberto Tamburini ◽  
Giulia Gislon ◽  
Anna Sandrucci
Keyword(s):  
Electrical Conductivity ◽  
Somatic Cell ◽  
Cell Count ◽  
Milk Yield ◽  
Somatic Cell Count ◽  
Udder Health ◽  
Milk Flow ◽  
Automatic Milking ◽  
Automatic Milking Systems ◽  
Over Time

Automatic Milking Systems (AMS) record a lot of information, at udder and quarter level, which can be useful for improving the early detection of altered udder health conditions. A total of 752,000 records from 1003 lactating cows milked with two types of AMS in four farms were processed with the aim of identifying new indicators, starting from the variables provided by the AMS, useful to predict the risk of high milk somatic cell count (SCC). Considering the temporal pattern, the quarter vs. udder percentage difference in milk electrical conductivity showed an increase in the fourteen days preceding an official milk control higher than 300,000 SCC/mL. Similarly, deviations over time in quarter vs. udder milk yield, average milk flow, and milking time emerged as potential indicators for high SCC. The Logistic Analysis showed that Milk Production Rate (kg/h) and the within-cow within-milking percentage variations of single quarter vs. udder milk electrical conductivity, milk yield, and average milk flow are all risk factors for high milk SCC. The result suggests that these variables, alone or in combination, and their progression over time could be used to improve the early prediction of risk situations for udder health in AMS milked herds.

scholarly journals Performance of Online Somatic Cell Count Estimation in Automatic Milking Systems

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhaoju Deng ◽  
Henk Hogeveen ◽  
Theo J. G. M. Lam ◽  
Rik van der Tol ◽  
Gerrit Koop
Keyword(s):  
Somatic Cell ◽  
Cell Count ◽  
Somatic Cell Count ◽  
Automatic Milking ◽  
Automatic Milking Systems ◽  
Count Estimation

scholarly journals The relationship between milking interval and somatic cell count in automatic milking systems

2011 ◽  
Vol 94 (9) ◽  
pp. 4531-4537 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Mollenhorst ◽  
M.M. Hidayat ◽  
J. van den Broek ◽  
F. Neijenhuis ◽  
H. Hogeveen
Keyword(s):  
Somatic Cell ◽  
Cell Count ◽  
Somatic Cell Count ◽  
Automatic Milking ◽  
Automatic Milking Systems ◽  
The Relationship

Effect of milking machine factors on the somatic cell count of milk from cows free of intramammary infection: III. Pulsator rate

1983 ◽  
Vol 50 (2) ◽  
pp. 149-152 ◽  
Author(s):  
George R. Olney ◽  
George W. Scott
Keyword(s):  
Somatic Cell ◽  
Cell Count ◽  
Somatic Cell Count ◽  
Latin Square ◽  
Intramammary Infections ◽  
Intramammary Infection ◽  
Milking Machine

SummaryThe effect of pulsator rates on the somatic cell count of milk from cows free of intramammary infections was determined. Four pulsator rates ranging from 30 to 120 cycles/min were compared in a Latin square design with 20 cows being milked at each of the 4 pulsator rates for periods of 19 d. Somatic cell count was not affected by any of the pulsator rates and it is concluded that varying pulsator rates will not cause stress or irritation that will lead to an increase in somatic cell count in the absence of mastitis infections.

scholarly journals Interaction of Somatic Cell Count and Quarter Milk Flow Patterns

2007 ◽  
Vol 90 (5) ◽  
pp. 2223-2228 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. Tančin ◽  
A.H. Ipema ◽  
P. Hogewerf
Keyword(s):  
Somatic Cell ◽  
Cell Count ◽  
Somatic Cell Count ◽  
Flow Patterns ◽  
Milk Flow

scholarly journals Milk flow pattern, somatic cell count and teat apex score in primiparous dairy cows at the beginning of lactation

2009 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 103-111 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maddalena Zucali ◽  
Luciana Bava ◽  
Anna Sandrucci ◽  
Alberto Tamburini ◽  
Renata Piccinini ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Somatic Cell ◽  
Cell Count ◽  
Flow Pattern ◽  
Somatic Cell Count ◽  
Milk Flow

scholarly journals Connection of milk flow curve to the somatic cell count in bovine milk

2004 ◽  
Vol 47 (6) ◽  
pp. 551-556 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Mijić ◽  
I. Knežević ◽  
M. Domaćinović
Keyword(s):  
Somatic Cell ◽  
Cell Count ◽  
Flow Rate ◽  
Flow Curve ◽  
Somatic Cell Count ◽  
Peak Flow ◽  
Bovine Milk ◽  
Correlation Coefficients ◽  
Peak Flow Rate ◽  
Milk Flow

Abstract. The modern equipment introduction into cow milking created technical possibilities for studying the milk flow curve and for using the results in cattle selection. In preventing mastitis, besides curing, other parameters of the milk flow curve could be used preventively. Research showed that cows that had the milk flow curve with a short duration of increasing flow rate (dIFR ≤ 0.40 min) and a larger quotient between the peak and down phase (QPD > 1.20) had also the least somatic cell count in milk (LSCC = 3.47, and 3.30 respectively). Such relation is favourable because increasing the relation, the duration of quick and uniform milking extends, and the duration of peak flow rate shortens. That also show correlation coefficients which were between the logarithmic somatic cell count in milk (LSCC) on one hand and the peak flow rate (dPFR), that means the quotient of peak and down phase (QPD) on the other hand negative (r= −0.25** and –0.27**). Breeding-selective procedures could create bull fathers and mothers with the most desirable milk flow curve and the duration of certain milking phases, whereby the somatic cell count in milk would be the least. Therefore it would be necessary to define desirable proportions of the milk flow curve with a special attention to the cow’s health udder.

The relationships between udder-quarter somatic-cell counts and milk and milking parameters in cows managed with an automatic milking system

2020 ◽  
Vol 60 (15) ◽  
pp. 1830
Author(s):  
Beata Sitkowska ◽  
Dariusz Piwczyński ◽  
Magdalena Kolenda
Keyword(s):  
Somatic Cell ◽  
Cell Count ◽  
Milk Yield ◽  
Somatic Cell Count ◽  
Mean Values ◽  
Natural Logarithm ◽  
Cell Counts ◽  
Milk Flow ◽  
Lactation Stage ◽  
Milk Performance

Context Some milking parameters such as milk yield, milk flow, milking duration, milk conductivity and somatic-cell count can all be listed as economically important traits in dairy practice. Aims The aim of the study was to investigate the relationships among lactation stage, lactation number, milking season and milk-performance traits at an udder-quarter level, including somatic-cell count (SCC), milk yield (MY), milking duration (MD), time in box (TB), milk flow (MF) and milk conductivity (MC). An additional aim was to analyse milking-parameter levels in milkings with a SCC lower and higher than 400000 cells/mL. Methods The study included an analysis of 1621582 successful milkings obtained from six herds of dairy cattle equipped with milking robots (AMS). Key results The study confirmed that MD and MY differed greatly between front and rear quarters. Rear quarters took longer to be milked but produced more milk. During the first 100 days of lactation, the primiparous cows spent more time in the robot than did multiparous cows; however, in the second and third lactations, older cows were spending more time in the AMS. For primiparous cows, MF increased with time, being the highest at the end of lactation (>200 days in milk). A different trend has been found in the group of multiparous cows, where a steady decrease in MF was observed with subsequent lactation stages. A lower MC was recorded for cows in their first lactation than for multiparous cows. Data obtained from primiparous cows showed the highest MC to occur between 100 and 200 days of lactation. In the group of multiparous cows, MC increased with the lactation stage. It was also shown that the mean values obtained for MY, MD and TB were higher for cows with a lower SCC (<400000). Correlations between lnSCC (the natural logarithm of SCC) and MY and between lnSCC and MD were negative and low, while those between lnSCC and MC and lnSCC and MF were positive. Moderate correlations were found between lnSCC and total MC. Conclusions The study confirmed the differences in the performance of different udder quarters in relation to MY, MD, TB, MF, MS and SCC. Implications AMS provides farmers with vast data on milk and milking parameters. By monitoring changes in these parameters, farmer may be able to predict the level of production of their herd and the health of cows.

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