LFP 221: Livestock Farm Practice (0+1)

MACHINE MILKING PROCEDURE

• Adhere to a regular routine and establish standard milking interval.
• Wash the udder and teat and dry.
• Strip one or two streams of milk from each quarter.
• Apply milking machine gently within 30 to 60 second of washing of udder after milk ejection occurs, since as the interval between washing and application of milking machine increases the time required to milk the cows also increases. More than a few minutes delay in attaching the machine can result in decreased amount of milk removed from udder due to decrease in effect of milk ejec­tion reflex.
• A normal cow takes 3 to 5 minutes to milk out and oxytocin remains effective to a maximum of 7 to 9 minutes only.
• Use only a few seconds for machine for stripping.
• Remove milking machine promptly as soon as milk flow stops by breaking vacuum first
  • Disinfect the teat ends by dipping them in an approved antiseptic solution immediately
  • after removal of machine.
• Attaching the milking machine too soon-earlier than 45 to 60 ^t seconds-will result in crawling of teat cups which inhibits milk flow from gland cistern to teat cistern and causes irritation of delicate tissues.