Abstract

Increasing the milk flow rate at which milking is terminated can shorten milking time and increase milking efficiency. The effects on milk yield and composition have not been fully investigated when the take-off is set at the udder quarter level and independent of feeding during milking. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of 3 take-off levels at the udder quarter level (0.06, 0.3, and 0.48 kg/min) applied with or without feeding during milking on milking time, milk yield, the degree of udder emptying, milk composition, and free fatty acids. In this study, 30 cows were allocated into 6 groups, balanced by lactation number, lactation stage, and milk yield, and subjected to a 3 x 2 factorial arrangement of treatments using a Latin square design. Treatments were applied for 1 wk each. This study demonstrated milking time could be reduced by applying up to a take-off level of 0.48 kg/min on udder quarter level without losing milk yield or compromising milk composition or udder health.

Keywords

lactation; milk synthesis

Published in

Journal of Dairy Science
2017, Volume: 100, number: 8, pages: 6640-6647
Publisher: ELSEVIER SCIENCE INC

SLU Authors

• Ferneborg, Sabine

  • Department of Applied Animal Science and Welfare, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Agenäs, Sigrid

  • Department of Applied Animal Science and Welfare, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Svennersten Sjaunja, Kerstin

  • Department of Applied Animal Science and Welfare, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Ternman, Emma

  • Department of Applied Animal Science and Welfare, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

UKÄ Subject classification

Animal and Dairy Science


Publication identifier

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2016-12312

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/92482