The efficiency of your milking routine can be assessed by the amount of milk left in the udder at the end of milking (the ‘strippings’). Incomplete milking not only costs dollars through reduced milk yields, but often goes hand in hand with teat damage.

When cups are attached to teats too early, before the teats are plump with milk, teatcups ‘crawl’ up teats and it takes longer to milk the cows.

The time cows spend attached to milking machines is directly related to the risk of teat damage and mastitis.

Although it takes an experienced eye to pick up early signs of teat damage in a herd, assessment of incomplete milking is very straightforward.

Hand strip 20 cows at the end of milking. If more than 16 of the 80 quarters have strip yields of about 100 mL or more you have a problem that warrants further investigation.

Machine stripping (putting a weight on the cluster at the end of milking) should not be routinely used to collect milk remaining in the udder. This procedure causes more problems by unbalancing the cluster, increasing cup slippage, and again increasing the risk of mastitis.

To avoid under milking ensure the milking routine is resulting in good let-down.

Check whether:

• The cows are not stressed when they come into the shed (e.g. a quiet method should be used to bring them into the shed)

• The milking routine is consistent – cows are creatures of habit and will respond to a predictable routine

• There is a break of at least 60-90 seconds from the time cows experience the first stimulation to let-down and the time you attach the cluster.

Teats will then be plump with milk when the cups go on.

Good let-down before cups are put on means you harvest the benefit – shorter milking time, higher yields, better teat condition and less mastitis.

Images and caption

2aug02 “Using a dog to push up the cows may interfere with good let-down”

2aug04 “There is a problem if strip yields are 100 mL or more in 20% of quarters”

Countdown Downunder Farm Guideline or Technote
Farm Guideline 5.4, 5.5, 5.8 and 6

Keywords
Under milking, let-down, machine stripping, strip yield

Word length
311