Evaluation of cows milking process in herringbone and rotary milking parlours

Abstract

The aim of our studies was to compare evaluation parameters of milking when cows were milked in rotary (carousel) and herringbone milking parlours. The tasks were to evaluate and analyze the process of milking in both parlours. The time spent on premilking treatment of teats was recorded. The data associated with milking process were taken from the "Afimilk” database of computerised herd management system „SAE-Afikim" (Israel). We analysed the data of cow milking parameters (milk flow rate 0–15, 15–30, 30–60, and 60–120 seconds after cluster attachment, milking time, yield, etc.). The duration of the delay between the beginning of udder preparation and attachment of clusters was long and this affected milking time significantly in both milking parlours (p<0.001). Too short udder preparation for milking in both parlours (particularly in the rotary parlour) could affect slow milk removal. After attachment of cups, milk flow in the herringbone parlour appeared in about 8 seconds and in the rotary parlour in about 13.6 seconds (p<0.001). During the first two minutes, milk flow rate (kg/min) in different periods was statistically significantly higher (p<0.05) in herringbone milking parlour. Milk flow rate (kg/min) was too high when clusters were removed from teats in rotary and in herringbone parlours. These all processes were influenced by poor udder preparation before milking.