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A Further Study of Effects of Vacuum Level and Milking Duration on Udder Health and Milk Production

Departments of Animal Industries and Animal Diseases, Storrs Agricultural Experiment Station, University of Connecticut, Storrs

ABSTRACT

Poor machine milking practices, especially high vacuum and excessive milking duration, have long been associated with an increased incidence of mastitis (1,6). Dodd et al. (3) found a higher incidence of clinical mastitis in first-calf heifers milked for an 8-minute duration than in those milked for 4 minutes.

Previous work from this station (7) reported no significant differences in leucocyte, chloride, and pH values of milk from mastitis-free first-calf heifers milked at vacuum levels of 10, 13, or 17 in. of mercury. The secretion from udder halves milked for a normal duration had significantly greater leucocyte and chloride values and a greater linear rate of increase during the lactation period for leucocyte, chloride, and pH values than did halves milked for a twice normal duration. No significant differences in freedom from mastitis organisms, teat erosions, or udder fibrosis were observed among the vacuum levels or between the milking durations.

This study was undertaken to further evaluate effects of vacuum level and prolonged milking on udder health and milk production.

Present address: Animal Industry Department, North Carolina State College, Raleigh.