Understanding How To

Properly Milk Your Cows

Consumers demand fresh, wholesome,
safe and good quality milk.
Harvesting Milk is the Most Important Job on
The Dairy
Understanding the milk harvest process
allows you to understand the importance
milking your cows…..

Gently, Quickly and

Completely!
Inside the Udder

•The udder has 4

separate glands

•Each gland is drained by

a separate teat
 • Inside each gland there are
alveoli, milk ducts and
Inside the Gland connective tissue

• Before milking only 40% of

the milk is stored in the
cistern and milk ducts.

• The rest of the milk stored

(60%) can only be harvested
when the muscle cells
contract the milk secreting
cells to evacuate the milk
towards the alveoli and the
cisterns.
•
• Remember that 7 to 15% of
the milk remains in the
alveoli and cannot be
removed during milking. At
this point the cow is
considered Completely
milked.
Milk Letdown

• It is necessary to stimulate the teats for 10

to 12 seconds so pituitary gland to releases
oxytocin. Then attach milking unit after 90-
120 seconds.
Obstacles for Milk Letdown
Brain
Pituitary
Gland

N
e
r
v
e Heart
s

Forestrip

Stress is the number 1 enemy of oxytocin. Stress stimulates the adrenal

gland to produce adrenalin (another hormone) which inhibits the effect of
the oxytocin on the cells and stops milk letdown.

Excessive Noise
Physical Abuse
External Agents
Gently, Quickly and Complete Milking

Why?

Gently: Minimal stress for the animal during movement into the
barn or parlor, by respecting the cows.

Quickly: Proper timing of udder preparation and unit

attachment improves milk flow by taking advantage of the milk
letdown reflex to reduce the average milking duration.

Completely: All available milk is removed and total production

is optimized or increased.
Gently, Quickly and Complete Milking

How?
Understanding Milking
Liner Open, Peak Flow
Liner Closed, Peak
Flow

The liner only collapses

around the teat end not
the full teat barrel
Timing

• Manipulation of teats for 10-12 sec causes the oxytocin release (generally
takes 15 to 18 seconds of total time)
• Transport of the hormone by the blood to the udder 20-25s
• Start of muscle cell contraction 20s, 30s for full contraction
• Complete letdown 90s after first contact with teats

Stimulation Milk ejection prep. Attach

10-12s 20-25s 20-30s

0 40 70 90 120
 90s 4-6min

-90 0 2min 5mi 6min

n
Optimal Oxytocin effect

Timing Goals
• 10-12 seconds of stimulation or teat contact
time
• 20-30 seconds of contact time for pre-dip
• 90 seconds from beginning of teat contact time
to unit attachment
 Milking Routine
• Milking Routines-define how an
individual milker or group of milkers
carry out a given milking procedure
(minimal or full) over multiple cows.
• Milking Routines - also help determine
which type of parlor to choose
 Milking Routine
• In traditional parlors (parallel,
herringbone, parabone) there are three
predominant milking routines
– Grouping
– Sequential
– Territorial
Risk for procedural drift is high
Determining Milking Routine
Almost any CONSISTENT routine will work,
getting the timing correct for full release of
oxytocin is the challenge to harvesting milk
gently, quickly and completely
Type of Routine Advantage Disadvantage
Grouping Alternative to sequential Proper Timing,
without loosing cow consistency among
through put operators
Promotes teamwork
Sequential Good cow through put Proper timing
Promotes team work
Territorial Does not require team Reduces cow though put
work by 20-30 % when
May be easier to train compared to sequential
No team work
 Milking Routine
• Rotary Parlors are a combination of
sequential and territorial routines.
• Rotary Parlors provide an opportunity
for better routine consistency because
the cows are moving and the operators
are stationary.
72 Stall Rotary with minimal Routine
72 Stall Rotary with Full Routine
 External Rotary Parlor
• Entry time (seconds/stall), number of empty stalls
number of cows which go around for second time,
entry and exit stops, and the number of stall
influence the parlor performance.
• Entry Time determines maximum number of cows
per hour. EX. If entry time is 10 seconds through
put will be 360 cows per hour.
• A rotary parlor must be large enough that 90 % of
cows are milked in one trip around parlor.
 Minimal Prep Procedures
• Advantages and Disadvantages of a minimal prep routine
 Full Prep procedures
• Advantages and Disadvantages of a full milking procedures

• For maximum milk quality and cow comfort BouMatic

recommends using a full prep procedure to harvest
milk gently, quickly and completely.
Timing

• Manipulation of teats for 10-12 sec causes the oxytocin release (generally
takes 15 to 18 seconds of total time)
• Transport of the hormone by the blood to the udder 20-25s
• Start of muscle cell contraction 20s, 30s for full contraction
• Complete letdown 90s after first contact with teats

Stimulation Milk ejection prep. Attach

10-12s 20-25s 20-30s

0 40 70 90 120
 90s 4-6min

-90 0 2min 5mi 6min

n
Optimal Oxytocin effect

Timing Goals
• 10-12 seconds of stimulation or teat contact
time
• 20-30 seconds of contact time for pre-dip
• 90 seconds from beginning of teat contact time
to unit attachment
At least 50% of the milk is removed in the first
2min.
Available milk

4-6 min

2 min

50 %

This is a measure of overall performance of the milking

system, the quality of cow preparation ,handling, and
machine attachment and adjustment.
 Milk Letdown

• Consistency is critical
Example of Milk Letdown with Good
Preparation
Detach

Peak flow
Good
preparation
and
appropriate
detach setting
=
Gentle,
optimal and Vacuum level in
complete liner
milking

Peak flow is quickly reached, milk flow continues and then

decreases quickly.
 Obstacles for Milk Letdown
Brain
Pituitary
Gland

N
e
r
v
e Heart
s

Forestrip

Stress is the number 1 enemy of oxytocin. Stress stimulates the adrenal gland to produce
adrenalin (another hormone) which inhibits the effect of the oxytocin on the cells and stops milk
letdown.

Excessive Noise
Physical Abuse
Inconsistent Routine
Improper system settings
Example of Milk Letdown without Stimulation

Peak flow

High vacuum in liner

with
minimal milk
flow
=
More teat & teat skin
irritation

Vacuum level in
liner

Harvest of cistern milk and only then peak flow

• Stimulation and teat cleaning
Separate wash/stimulation cup
One by one
Washing, drying, stimulation
The maximum Oxytocin level in 60-90 seconds
Result:
• - high milk speed
• - quick milking
• - complete milking
• - healthy udde
• CONSISTENCY
 Vaccum

Detacher Stall

Pulsation Environment

Gently-Quickly-Completely
Milking transfer
Milking process

Claw Maintenance
Thank you!