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

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

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

6. 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

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

8. 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?

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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