This paper aims to compare different adaptive responses of the mammary gland of cows, ewes, and goats submitted to extended milking intervals in different systems of management. Depending on the species, these extended milking intervals can be characterized by the following milk removal approaches; 3 milkings every 2 d, elimination of 1 milking per week (i.e., 13 vs. 14 milkings per week), and ...

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...

The aim of this study was to test if the opioid antagonist naloxone has a beneficial effect on normalization of oxytocin (OT) release during repeated milking of cows in unfamiliar surroundings. One control milking without naloxone treatment in all cows was performed in the familiar parlour. For four successive evening milkings, cows were transported to, and milked in, the operating theatre of t...

In order to determine the safety of milk produced by smallholder dairy goat farms, a farm-based research study was conducted on commercial dairy goat farms to compare the microbiological quality of milk produced using 3 different types of dairy goat production systems (intensive, semi-intensive and extensive). A survey of dairy goat farms in and around Pretoria carried out by means of a questio...

We present a system for detection and tracking of cow teats, as part of the construction of automatic milking devices (AMDs) in the dairy industry. We detail algorithmic solutions for the robust detection and tracking of teat tips in low-resolution video streams produced by embedded time-of-flight cameras, using a combination of depth images and point-cloud data. We present a visual analysis to...

Automatic milking systems (AMS) offer relief from the demanding routine of milking. Although many AMS are in use in Europe and a few are used in the United States, the potential benefit for American farms is uncertain. A farm-simulation model was used to determine the long-term, whole-farm effect of implementing AMS on farm sizes of 30 to 270 cows. Highest farm net return to management and unpa...

Early pipeline milking systems were commonly flooded during cleaning. Flood cleaning is practical for systems with small diameter milklines, short pipelines and few milking units. Flood cleaning becomes impractical as milkline diameter and length and the number of milking units is increased. Excessive water volume is required and the flow velocities and corresponding mechanical cleaning action ...

A method of simulating individual cow milk yield per milking as a function of herd milk yield and month was formulated for milking parlor simulation models. Milk yield per milking was modeled for each month in three herd milk yield categories: 8165, 8845, and 9525 kg/yr of milk per cow. Actual individual cow DHIA test day milk weight data for three Florida dairy herds in each herd milk yield ca...

Once-a-day (OAD) milking offers a major opportunity to improve labour output on New Zealand farms. However few full lactation studies have been undertaken to investigate the effect of this strategy on the productivity of the farm system. A trial was established in 2000 to measure the effect of milking frequency and breed in farm systems where stocking rate was adjusted to equalise per hectare f...