Physiologic Factors That Modify the Efficiency of Machine Milking in Dairy Ewes

Machine milking efficiency can be summarized as the recuperation of the maximum amount of milk in the shortest amount of time without causing harm to the udder and without any intervention by the milker. This is to say that once the teat cups have been placed on the dairy ewe, the milking machine should be able to quickly remove all of the secreted milk that has accumulated in the udder. Failure of the machine to remove all of the milk on its own in a timely manner increases financial loss due to less commercial milk yield, increases in parlor throughput time, and potentially more udder health problems due to over-milking. Moreover, when large amounts of milk are not removed at milking and are left behind in the udder, lactation lengths and total commercial milk yield are reduced. Finally, machine milking efficiency can also be influenced by other physiological events that occur in early lactation, as well as during the interval between milkings.