Milking parlour

Question 1

how often do cluster liners have to be replaced?

Answer 1

every 2500 uses or 6 months

Question 2

what is the ratio of the vacuum being on vs off during milking?

Answer 2

2:1 (on:off)

Question 3

what pressure vacuum in applied during milking?

Answer 3

42-48kPa

Question 4

how many cows can Staphylococcus aureus spread down during milking through a cluster?

Answer 4

the next 6-8 cows

Question 5

what are the two types of mastitis pathogen?

Answer 5

environmental
contagious

Question 6

how can the milking machine spread pathogens from cow to cow?

Answer 6

contamination of liners transferring pathogens from liner onto teat
milk back-flushed upwards into teat canal carrying pathogens with it (spread from one quarter to another)

Question 7

why may milk be flushed upwards towards the teat during milking?

Answer 7

inadequate vacuums
fluctuating vacuums
blocked air bleeds

Question 8

what issues can be seen with the vacuum system?

Answer 8

too high (regulator not working…)
fluctuating/inadequate

Question 9

how does a regulator for the vacuum work?

Answer 9

if the pressure becomes too high it will let a little bit of air into the system to decrease it (hissing noise)

Question 10

what impact will a blocked air bleed on a unit of the milking parlour have?

Answer 10

flooding of the claw piece as milk won’t be able to drain (possible infection risk)

Question 11

what impact will a faulty or incorrectly set pulsator have?

Answer 11

not allow teat enough rest to restore circulation leading to blue teats if they are set too fast (potential damage to skin and teat end)

Question 12

what simple things can be examined on a cluster to assess the quality of them?

Answer 12

air bleed
wear and cleanliness of liner
holes in tubing

Question 13

how often does a milking parlour legally need to be serviced?

Answer 13

once a year

Question 14

should farms fore-milk?

Answer 14

it is a legal requirement

Question 15

what is fore-milking used for?

Answer 15

early detection of mastitis and stimulate milk let down

Question 16

what are the aims of cleaning teats pre-milking?

Answer 16

decrease environmental pathogens contamination for public health
decrease risk of pathogen spread between cows/quarters
stimulate milk let down

Question 17

what do you need to make sure of when applying teat disinfectants?

Answer 17

correct concentration
correct contact time
thorough coverage

Question 18

what are some common disinfectants used in the parlour?

Answer 18

chlorhexidine
iodophors
chlorine dioxide
hypochlorite (irritant)

Question 19

what happens in the milk ejection reflex?

Answer 19

teat stimulation triggers afferent neural inputs to the hypothalamus which triggers oxytocin release from the posterior pituitary causing contraction of myoepithelial cell in the mammary gland, stimulating milk let down

Question 20

what are the possible constituents of post-milking teat dips?

Answer 20

disinfectant (iodine, chlorhexidine, lactic acid, chlorine dioxide, ammonium compounds)
emollients
dye
sticking agents

Question 21

why is loafing time essential after milking?

Answer 21

to allow closure of teat sphincter post milking to prevent environmental infections

Question 22

how long should loafing time be?

Answer 22

30 minutes

Question 23

what is the issue with loafing time?

Answer 23

could increase lameness

Question 24

what is the ideal milking order?

Answer 24

heifers
fresh calvers
high yielders
low yielders
high cell counts
mastitic

Question 25

what problems are usually seen with regards to washing the milking parlour?

Answer 25

not hot enough water (needs to be over 60 °C)
not enough water (>10L per unit)