Do you know the impact of excess residual milk on your milk yield?
We often take for granted how milk is produced in a cow’s udder, but do we really understand the process? Milk production is a fascinating and complex process that begins even before a cow gives birth. Let’s delve into the details of how milk is produced, the factors that influence this process, and how farmers can optimize milking to ensure maximum yield and udder health.
Understanding milk production
Milk production is a complex process that begins with calving. Milk is produced in tiny structures called alveoli, which are lined with epithelial cells that respond to hormonal changes. Muscle cells around the alveoli contract to push milk into lactiferous ducts, transporting it to the udder’s gland cistern. Up to 25% of the milk is stored in the cistern, while the rest is released through the milk ejection process, driven by oxytocin and enhanced by effective preparation before milking.
To optimize milking, it’s crucial to extract about 50% of the milk yield within the first two minutes of milking. Factors such as the stage of lactation and milking techniques also play a significant role. Factors like lactation stage and milking frequency influence the required stimulation time. For instance, a cow milked twice a day needs about 40 seconds of stimulation, while one milked three times a day needs around 60 seconds. Frequent milking decreases udder pressure faster, requiring longer milk let-down times.
Residual Milk and Its Impact
The udder is an organ that efficiently manages supply and demand. If too much milk remains in the alveoli after milking, it sends signals to the milk-producing cells to stop production. This doesn’t happen abruptly but is a gradual process. If the alveoli only perform at maximum capacity for two minutes, a stimulation time of 90 seconds can be risky. This is specifically the case for fresh cows (in the first 30 days after calving. The first minute of the two-minute window might not be fully utilized, leading to residual milk remaining in the upper part of the udder. Several factors can contribute to residual milk, including the design of the liners and the resistance in the milk path.
Health Implications and Practical Solutions
Excess residual milk can lead to chronic high somatic cell counts and subclinical mastitis. The last milk to leave the alveoli contains the most cells and fat, so optimizing the milking process is crucial for healthier milking practices. Farmers can take practical steps to address this issue. For those with large herds, grouping cows (by calving days) and adjusting stimulation times accordingly, can be effective. For smaller farms where grouping is not an option, focusing on cows in the first 100 days of lactation is a solution, as these cows are most at risk of milk loss if milking starts too late.
Additionally, reviewing and optimizing the milk path can make a significant difference. Simple tests can be conducted on any farm to identify issues with milk removal. For BouMatic milking experts, it always starts with investigating the milking route (from teat to milk line) and the components incorporated in it. Significant improvements can often be achieved in many installations, resulting in an optimized milking route without restrictions, an enhanced milking process, and increased production—all in harmony with BouMatic's philosophy of milking gently, quickly, and completely.
Many components can be checked and tested, but one of the key elements is the milking claw used.
When switching to BouMatic’s FloStar MAX or FloStar Xtreme milking claw, milk speed often increases to unprecedented levels. The FloStar Xtreme has a sophisticated design and is available with a 19 mm outlet, which is an unparalleled advantage at BouMatic.
Test replacement milking claws
Underneath you can find an example of a test executed on a Dutch farm, with a rotary consisting of 26 milking points. On milking point 22 and 23 the milking claws have been replaced by a BouMatic FloStar MAX milking claws to enable a comparison test.
Optimisation of the milking by BouMatic | |
| Average milk flow before replacement | 2,59kg |
| Average milk flow after replacement | 2,98kg |
| Average peak before replacement | 4,39kg |
| Average peak after replacement | 5,22kg |
| Average milking time before replacement | 6,55min |
| Average milking time after replacement* | 6,00min |
ATTENTION: BouMatic aims for milking time of 5 minutes. We are confident that if this dairy farmer further optimizes the milking process, they could achieve a milking time of less than 6 minutes.
Conclusion
By understanding and addressing the factors that contribute to residual milk, farmers can improve milk yield and udder health. This not only benefits the cows but also enhances overall farm productivity.
At BouMatic University, all milking experts are trained to assess residual milk after milking. Interested in learning more about our milking expertise? Fill out the form below, and we’ll contact you as soon as possible!