Milking Management of Dairy Cattle Got Milk?? Milking Management of Dairy Cattle

Important Parts Udder: attached to lower abdominal wall of cow; produces and delivers milk Milking machine Teat-cup assembly Claw (or suspension) cup Connecting air and milk tubes

Teat-cup assembly consists of a steel shell with a liner called an inflation Inflation squeezes and relaxes on the teat which causes the milk to flow into the system

Claw receiving unit Simpler than the suspension cup Air bleeder vent in claw increases the rate of milk flow Can get plugged vent which causes slower milking, milk flooding, and mastitis problems

Suspension cup Milk-receiving container on the bottom Requires support arm

What size pump? Depends on the size of the dairy operation Number of milking units in the system Size and length of pulsating lines Type of pulsator used Whether the system is a bucket or pipeline type Amount and type of other vacuum-operated equipment in the system Air leakage in the system

Labeling activity You need to label the milking system worksheet….. See next slide

Planning housing for the milking herd Need to consider the following: Location of facility Size of the planned herd Laws and regulations for farms Source and amount of money available Type of milk market available Amount of labor available Kind of housing and milking system to use Feed handling system to use Future expansion room?

Types of housing Stall Barns Free Stall Barns Each cow is confined to an individual stall in the barn Free Stall Barns A loose housing system in which stalls are provided for the cows Cows are not fastened in the stalls They may enter and leave the stalls whenever they want to

Milking Equipment 3 types: Pail milkers: set on floor beside the cow Milker claw is attached to the udder and draws milk into the pail Suspension milkers Hung from a strap and placed over the back of the cow Operated by a vacuum pump

Pipeline milkers Have a vacuum line and a milk line installed along the top of the stalls Milker claw is attached to the udder Milk drawn through milk line into the bulk tank in the milk house

Milking parlors Separate area in which the cows are milked More commonly used with free stall housing 4 types: herringbone, side-opening, rotary, and polygon