Prompt replacement of liners: good idea!
Liners have a recommended maximum lifespan of typically 2,500 milkings. The number of milkings is not the only reason why the lifespan of the liner has a limit value. Degeneration of the rubber liner increases the longer it is used. There is no good scientific evidence available about the processes, the speed or the threshold above which the functioning of the liner becomes unacceptable due to degeneration.
Pay attention to the teat condition!
If teat liners are constantly under tension and often do not dry up, it has a major impact on the lifespan. You are therefore advised to replace liners after 2,500 milkings.
Incomplete stripping is the first thing that is visible with liners that approach or even exceed the aforementioned limits. This is because the properties of the liners change. The tension of the liner in the cup decreases and as a result, the liner closes earlier and opens later. This shortens the phase in which the milk is sucked from the udder. This then causes the milk flow to decrease. Due to this lower milk flow, milk will remain behind in the upper part of the udder, which can cause an increase in the somatic cell count. After all, the shorter milking time has the greatest influence during the first 2 minutes of milking.
Because the liner closes earlier and opens later, the pressure on the teat tip will also be prolonged. This can cause hyperkeratosis or other changes to the teat tip, which in turn can have a negative impact on milk flow. Not replacing the liners in time is often the primary cause of poor teat condition. And so to a lesser extent the type or shape of the liner. Situations such as the vacuum under the teat, proper pre-treatment and the collection time also influence the teat condition, but the effects of replacing liners too late are usually greatly underestimated. By milking with a liner for too long, the problems manifest themselves gradually and almost unnoticed.
Once you are in the risk range of the lifespan of the liner, the consequences that can occur are usually long-term in nature. Repairing the damage incurred takes many times longer than causing it.
Therefore, replace the liners in good time and as soon as the number of milkings has been reached.
Quality of milking!
Replacing liners is also a good time to take a critical look at the quality of milking and identify possible improvements. When choosing a liner, don’t just focus on teat condition.
To make the right choice, the teat must fit well in the liner. After all, forces are exerted on the teat during milking. Consider, for example, the effect of the vacuum under the teat, the milk flow and the pressure of the liner on the teat during the d-phase (milk phase) of the pulsation.
A logical step, due to the pressure on the teat, is to switch to triangular liners to improve teat condition. A triangular liner generally has a lower pressure on the teat tip. The shape is decisive. An additional effect of a triangular lining is that what is referred to as “air sucking” is a thing of the past.
The disadvantage of a triangular liner is that it has more openings. If the triangular shape extends to the top of the cup of the liner, the same vacuum level under the teat can also be measured and felt in the cup of the liner. A triangular liner in this shape milks slower compared to a round liner (Haeussermann, 2011).
BouMatic has the solution
That is why BouMatic has developed the TL350 and TL450 liners. These are specially designed to promote teat condition, while maintaining a high milk flow. The liner combines a round shape in the head, so the teat fits easily into the liner, with a perfect connection to the teat base. This keeps the vacuum in the head of the liner low. The triangular shape in the shaft ensures low pressure on the teat but creates enough pressure to stimulate keratin production. This is very important because it ensures the natural protection of the orifice.
With this development, BouMatic is the only one that makes it possible to improve the teat condition and also maintain milking speed. These kinds of ingenious ideas is just what you can expect from BouMatic.
BouMatic recommends switching to the TL350 or TL450 liner to promote udder health and milk production.
