the objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of different milking frequencies in the first 6 weeks of lactation on milk production and milk constituents, blood metabolic profiles and reproductive performance of fresh dairy cows. the milking frequencies imposed were three times daily milking for 42 days (3x), six times daily milking for the first 21 days of lactation and three times da...

In their first 150 days of lactation, nine Ragusana jennets were investigated at the 'Istituto Sperimentale Zootecnico per la Sicilia' (ISZS) in Palermo, to study the effects of different milking typologies on milk production. The jennets were kept in a paddock and were fed hay ad libitum and concentrate (3.5 kg jennet/day). From post-foaling day 21, every 3 weeks individual milk amounts were r...

In this study, a new quarter individual milking system called Multilactor® (MULTI) was compared with a conventional milking system (CON). The target of the developments in the field of milking technique is to obtain the whole milk from the teat of the animal in the shortest possible time without causing any detrimental effect on udder health. The most direct measure of the milking system effect...

Dairy cows often have to choose which of two sides to enter in the milking parlour. Some cows are very consistent in this choice, and it is common to assume that when these cows are more disturbed are being milked in their non-preferred side. Such disturbance might involve significantly poor welfare. In order to assess this assumption, we decided to study the behaviour and milk yield of dairy c...

The importance of a consistent and comprehensive milking routine as a critical component of any mastitis control program is well documented. However, as pressure on time increases, farmers are faced with 3 options: (1) adjust the milking routine to suit the time available, (2) undertake the task less thoroughly, or (3) examine which elements of the milking routine can be automated and substitut...

Twenty Holstein cows were split into two equal groups to test the effect of daily move to a previously ungrazed strip after morning milking (MA) or afternoon milking (AA) on herbage intake, grazing behaviour, rumen characteristics and milk production using a randomized block design with three periods of 14 days each. Milking took place at 06.00 and 16.00 h. The chemical composition of grass was...

Milk ejection is important during milking or suckling to obtain the alveolar milk fraction, which can represent more than 80% of the milk stored in the udder of dairy cows. In response to tactile teat stimulation, either manually or by the milking machine, milk ejection is induced by the release of oxytocin and resultant myoepithelial contraction. The time from the start of tactile stimulation ...

Different levels of claw vacuum during machine milking may influence milking performance and teat condition. The claw vacuum acts on the teat and is responsible for removal and transport of milk but is also causing potential effects on the teat tissue. In the absence of milk flow, the claw vacuum is similar as the system vacuum. During milk flow, the claw vacuum drops to lower levels depending ...

Take Home Messages • Labor availability and parlor capacity are key factors when considering a change in milking frequency. • Increases in early lactation milking frequency may provide a better return when labor supply is limited than 3X milking. • Cow movement and time budgets must be optimized for any increase in milking frequency to succeed. A number of management factors need to be evaluate...