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Doc's Corner
I recommend that dairymen concentrate on the following:
- Get the milking unit removed from the udder as soon as possible to minimize excess compression time on teat
ends over a 24 hour period. Excess on-time contributes to hyperkeratosis and more mastitis.
- 1/2
to not-over-one cupful of residual milk per udder should
remain at the end of milking. This requires checking with a measuring cup and adjusting
the take-offs set point and delay-time for unit removal,
until this goal is attained. This may encompass two or three
adjustments over several weeks time.
- Use vents in liners. Vents
will provide specific advantages, but must be cleaned on a
regular basis. I recommend leaving the cluster vent open. Vents will, 1) prevent accumulation of milk at teat
end which impedes compression of teat end during pulsation
and also creates higher levels of instability and 2) speed up the milking process.
- There should be more than several cupfuls of milk in
the udder to justify
re-attachment if the unit falls off.
- Pulsation of 65:35 provides rapid milking with no disadvantages.
- Reducing milking machine on time by several minutes not only saves time in the barn but reduces the opportunity for reverse flow of milk towards end of milking which is one of many ways the cow becomes infected with environmental
bacteria.
- Check sprinkler pen for optimum performance and also check
to assure that soap is injected on a consistent basis.
- CMT testing of all fresh animals with treatment of reactions of
3+ has proven very successful on many dairy operations. (WDR
carries the California Mastitis Test kits.
Doc's Corner is a contribution of Lionel H. Brazil, DVM
(1928-2007). Dr. Brazil offered dairy consultation
services worldwide for many years. His services covered the following areas: milking management, vacuum system evaluation; and all management procedures relating to mastitis control and SCC
reduction.
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Doc's Corner