engleski

The influence of milking routines on oxytocin release and milk removal in a single stall automatic milking system

Four different ways of teat preparation during milking in an automatic milking system (AMS) were studied in two experiments on Red Holstein/German Fleckvieh crossbreed cows. Milking routines used were either milking without pre-milking teat preparation, with one cleaning cycle (58-60 s) with cold (13-15 C) or warm (30-32 C) water or two cleaning cycles (122 s) with warm water. In experiment 1 milking characteristics were evaluated and milking routines were randomly assigned to cows during three measuring periods of 24 h each. In experiment 2 ten randomly selected cows were assigned to the same milking routines during four days and blood samples for oxytocin (OT) determination were taken during milking in addition to milk flow recording. Milk production, peak flow rate, total and quarter milk yields showed no differences between treatments. Baseline OT concentrations were consistently low. At the start of teat cup attachment without pre-milking teat preparation OT concentrations remained on the basal level but were elevated in all other treatments. Already 30 s from the start of milking OT concentrations were markedly increased in all treatments and were no longer different between treatments. Pre-milking preparation with cold compared to warm water showed no differences in OT release, milk yield, peak flow rate, milking time, average flow rate and time until main milk flow. In conclusion, the teat cleaning device in the used AMS, similarly with warm or cold water, was suitable to induce milk ejection in cows before the start of milking.

automatic milking; oxytocin; milk ejection; milking characteristic

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