Productive treatment
Productive treatment
REMOVING clusters from udders sooner can improve teat condition and lower mastitis susceptibility without a negative effect on yield.
That is the view of Morten Rasmussen of the Danish Institute of Agricultural Sciences. Traditionally, clusters have been removed when the milk flow rate falls below 0.2g/min.
Detaching clusters at a milk flow rate of 0.4kg/min instead of 0.2kg/min has no effect on yield, but shortens machine-on time by almost a minute and leaves cows with less thickened teats.
"Removal of clusters at flow rates higher than 0.2kg/min will leave more milk in the udder. However, lower milk flow rates may increase over-milking, leading to poor teat condition," says Dr Rasmussen.
"But good pre-milking teat preparation, involving a short, consistent interval until attachment and calm cows are necessary for detachment at a high flow rate." *