Download Basic Lacta)on Physiology in Dairy Cows and the milking procedures.

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Dairy
Team
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www.texasdairyma3ers.org
Basic Lacta)on Physiology in Dairy Cows
and the milking procedures.
Ralph Bruno, Robert Hagevoort, Kevin Lager and
Pablo Pinedo
Texas AgriLife Extension Service
Texas A&M University / West Texas A&M university
New Mexico State University – Dairy Extension
HSC, Oct 2011
http://texasdairymatters.org
Copyright © 2010 Dr. Ralph Bruno – All Rights Reserved
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Why is it important to understand lacta)on
physiology?
• To be3er understand how to milk cows
– Milk cows more efficiently
• To be able to milk cows correctly
– To avoid under /over milking
• To be able to understand the milking rouSne
– To have a consistant milking rouSne
Quality Control of the Milking
Procedure!
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When do cows start to produce milk?
AUer their first calf is born!
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What is a lactaSon curve?
≥2nd LactaSon
Milk Production
1stLactaSon
Days in Milk
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What impacts the lactaSon curve?
• NutriSon
• Bad milking rouSne
• Sickness
– Clinical masSSs &
– Subclinical masSSs
Points of
intervenSon
where we can
opSmize milk
producSon!
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1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
How the milking rouSne can affect
lactaSon performance
Moving cows calm and gently
Cleaning teats
Timing for milk-‐let-‐down sSmulaSon
Predip
Machine dropping/kicking
Liner slip and squawking
Machine cleaning in between cows
Postdip
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Understanding these impacts
• Move cows calm and gently
– Naturally cows walk slowly!
– How much milk does an udder hold?
– How much does an udder weigh?
Esa ubre pesa de 110 a 165 lbs!!!
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Many hormones are responsible for
mammary gland funcSoning
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The milking parlor should be STRESS FREE!
• Loud noises, rude handling of animals or
agressive behavior of milkers result in cows
holding up their milk (no let-‐down).
• This in turn affects milk producSon (today and
as a result long term).
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How does that work?
• A cow that is either nervous, agitated or scared doesn’t
have a normal milk letdown and takes long to finish
milking.
• Fear – adrenaline release increased blood flow to
muscles which means a reduced blood flow to the
udder, affecSng milk let down.
• Adrenaline is the antagonist of oxytocin.
• This leads to an extended milking Sme -‐unSl the
adrenaline levels are back to normal.
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Blood support
High demand for nutrients and hormones needed
for milk letdown
– For every gallon of milk
produced
– 500 gallons of blood need
to pass through the udder
– Oxytocin regulates the
milk letdown
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Inside structure
of an udder
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Oxytocin producSon
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Oxytocin effect on alveoli :
contrac)o n
Bovine Mammary Gland Alveolus
Milk letdown
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Effect of stress on milk letdown:
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Effect of sSmulaSon on oxytocin release
Oxytocin
Milk
Source: DeLaval website
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Take home message 1
Cows need to be brought into
the milking parlor calm and
gently in a stress free
environment!
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Milking as clean as possible!
• First and foremost: we are producing food!
• Improve milk quality:
– Lower SomaSc Cell Count (SCC)
– Reduce the bacteria count
• SPC, LPC and Coli
• Minimize the risk for maSsSs
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ProducSon of Healthy Cows vs. Cows
with MasSSs
Milk Production
Healthy
MasSSs
MasSSs
s
MasSS
Days in Milk
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Effect of Mas) ) s
Destruction of mammary
tissue (alveoli)
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PrevenSon of
MasSSs
• Hygiene – milk clean cows
• Disinfect the teats and teat ends
– Use pre-‐dip correctly
• Maintain clean milking equipment
• Check for masSSs!
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Use of washpen
• Washing without proper drying is asking for disaster!
• Allow Sme for sufficient drying Sme
• How much Sme is that?
Wet teats also allow machines to slip and drop easily.
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m
C
Clean Milking!
Good job!
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Teat disinfecSon
• Teats first need to be clean
• Dip with disinfectant:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Iodophors 0.0 -‐1.0 %
Chlorhexidine 0.2%
Quats 0.5%
LDBSA 0.2%
Hypochlorous acid
Bleach ?
AcSon Sme:
>30 – 40 seconds
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PosiSon of milkers
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PosiSon of milkers
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Completely cover teats with disinfectant
BEFORE and AFTER milking
• Cover ALL of the teat!
WHY?
• Good coverage will kill the majority
of bacteria on the teat
• This reduces the chances of these
bacteria entering the teat canal
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No comment!
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Take home message 2
Proper hygiene during the milking
rouSne guarantees be3er milk
quality, and reduces the risk of
transmission of masSSs causing
agents.
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Why is Soma ) c Cell Count Important?
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Final ConsideraSons
• Every dairy should have a WRITTEN protocol for the milking rouSne
specifically designed for the condiSons of that dairy.
• Every cow should always be milked with the same rouSne all the Sme.
• Every milker working in that parlor should be properly trained and instructed
to always follow that rouSne.
• Like with every rouSne there is driU: becoming proficient is a ma3er of
training, training and re-‐training.
• The milking rouSne should rouSnely be evaluated by management.
• Any deviaSon from an established rouSne is unacceptable and should be
corrected immediately.
• If there are apparent issues with the rouSne, this MUST be brought to the
a3enSon of the supervisor to be invesSgated.
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Regardless of the routine: we have the obligation
to produce milk of the highest quality possible!
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m
Thanks for your a3enSon
QuesSons?