Milking Process

Mechanical
Milking Process and Hand Milking in
Mechanical and Hand Milking in Relation to
Mastitis Relation to Mastitis

Presented by: M. Waseem sajid

 Milking process
The basic principles for the production of good-quality milk are associated with:

Animal health

Hygiene of the milking process

Animal nutrition and welfare

 Environment

 Socioeconomic management

The milking is one of the stages of the milk production process that can influence the quality
directly, considering the possibility of physical, chemical, and biological contaminations.
Pre-milking preparation is the completion of the required steps to prepare the udder for
milking and to activate the milk let-down reflex.

1. Wear gloves
First, wash and disinfect your hands thoroughly and put clean gloves on

Disinfect your hands regularly during milking to avoid contamination

Provide a clean, low-stress environment for the animals

2. Observation

Make sure to identify cows that must be milked last or that are receiving treatment (e.g. those
identified with a leg band).
3. Pre dipping -Cleaning the teats
Pre-dipping is used to eliminate pathogens on teat ends prior to milking. All four
teats should be pre-dipped entirely with a sanitizing solution

Use a disinfectant solution

Adjust the cleaning time depending on how dirty teats are

pre-dip solution must remain in contact with the teats for at least 30 seconds

Only the teats should be wetted and then thoroughly wiped with a dry single service
towel

 Pay particular attention to teat ends

 Alcohol swabs may be used as a test of teat cleanliness

4. Fore-stripping

Fore-stripping involves manually removing a few strips of milk from each teat and can be accomplished
either before or after pre-dipping; however, it must occur before drying the teats
 The proper method of fore-stripping is to express 2–3 strips of milk per quarter

 This step is essential for detecting the early signs of mastitis , including flakes, clots, or watery appearance

 Fore-stripping helps to stimulate the teats and udder and initiates the milk let-down reflex

 It flushes out bacteria from the teat canal and stimulates the milk flow

  In tie-stall barns, use a strip cup to have a better chance of detecting the presence of clotty, stringy or watery milk

 The strip cup must be cleaned and disinfected after each milking

  In the milking parlour, the foremilk can be stripped on the floor, but never into the hand since this can promote
further contamination

 To allow for adequate stimulation, this task should take about 10 to 15 seconds per cow

 If milk is abnormal, examine all quarters and teats by hand to detect early signs of mastitis (redness and warmth)
or other lesions
5. Drying
The most important portion of the teat disinfection process is the complete drying of teat ends

 A single cloth or paper towel should be used to wipe each teat using a downward twisting
motion to dry and remove any debris, dirt, and pre-dip solution residue that may be present
on the teats

 Drying the teats also prevents possible contamination of the milk and teat by skin bacteria
present in the water running off the cow’s udder.

Water acts as a way for the bacteria to enter and contaminate the mammary gland

 Additionally, milking machines are designed to stay securely attached to a dry teat

 Air drying the teats is not an effective substitute for manual drying with individual cloths or
paper towels.

Poorly dried teats usually result in increased incidence of mastitis.

6. Attaching the milking unit

The most important element of the attachment process is timing. The time from the beginning
of the cow preparation process until unit attachment is referred to as the prep-lag time, and it
is critical in achieving optimum milk let-down
Blood oxytocin levels peak at about 60 seconds after initial stimulation of the mammary gland

The goal is to coordinate milk let-down with milk unit attachment

To maximize milking efficiency and milk flow, units should be attached within 1–2 minutes after teat
stimulation (forestrip/dry).

The milking unit should be attached within 60 to 120 seconds after first stimulation

This time allows the milk let-down reflex to occur and maximizes milking performance
 7. Adjusting the milking unit

Attachment should be done carefully to minimize the entry of air into the milking system

Adjust the milking unit to hang squarely beneath the cow’s udder and arrange the milking unit and hoses to avoid any twisting

 The unit should be aligned so that the claw outlet points between the cow’s legs

The milking unit should be checked and adjusted to prevent liner slips throughout the milking process

When the milking unit is not aligned properly, teat cups may slip during milking and too much milk will remain in the udder
after milking

 Liner slip has been associated with cross-quarter contamination

When the teat cup liner slips, small droplets of milk may be forced back toward the end of the teat

 If these droplets of milk contain mastitis-causing organisms, they may enter the udder and result in a new infection

 Reattach units that fall off as soon as possible so cows are completely milked
8. End of milking

Complete milking should take from 4-6 minutes per cow for most cows

 Observe the milk flow carefully or use milk flow indicators to determine the ideal moment
for shutting off the milking unit

The milking unit may be removed manually or with automatic take-offs. With either
process, care should be taken to avoid over milking, which can increase the incidence of
liner slips and lead to teat end damage.

If the claw is removed manually, always shut off the vacuum before attempting to remove
the milking unit.

When using automatic detachers, make sure that they are properly adjusted.

It is normal to have about 2–4 cups of milk left in the udder at the completion of milking
9. Disinfection

Dip each whole teat with post-dipping solution immediately after detaching the
milking unit

This is an important step in controlling contagious mastitis

 An effective post-dip kills organisms on teats and prevents pathogens from

entering the teat canal

Teat dip cups must be clean

Discard any unused solution, clean the container thoroughly and prepare fresh

solution at each milking

To prevent new intramammary infections, ensure that the cows remain standing
for at least 30 minutes after milking is completed
Mastitis

It causes economic loss every year

Loss of functional quarters

Low milk production

Death of cow
Causes
Bacteria (~70%)

Yeast/molds (~2)

Unknown(~ 28%)

Physical

Trauma

Weather extremes
Mastitis infections can be caused by either contagious or environmental pathogens

Contagious pathogens can be transferred from cow to cow during milking

Whereas environmental pathogens can infect cows immediately after milking, while the teat
canal is still open

To decrease the spread of mastitis use of following are recommended:

gloves

 pre- and post-milking disinfection of teats

single-service towels to dry teats

backflush systems

proper wash and disinfection of milking equipment

 Mechanical milking
Mechanical milking is a process of extracting milk from dairy cows using a milking machine

The milking machine typically consists of a

 Vacuum pump,

 Pulsator

 Milking cups that are attached to the cow's udder.

The vacuum pump creates a vacuum that gently extracts milk from the udder into a
collection system.
Machine milking can help reduce the risk of mastitis in dairy cows

Consistency: Machine milking is typically more consistent than hand milking, which can help to prevent
over-milking or under-milking. Over-milking or under-milking can cause damage to the teats, which can lead
to infection and mastitis.

Hygiene: Machine milking equipment is typically designed to be more hygienic than hand milking. The
milking machine can be cleaned and sterilized after each use, which can help to reduce the risk of bacterial
contamination that can lead to mastitis.

Speed: Machine milking is typically faster than hand milking, which can help to reduce the amount of time
that the cow's udder is exposed to potential sources of bacteria.

Control: Machine milking allows for more control over the milking process, including the speed, pressure,
and timing of milking. This can help to prevent over-milking, which can cause damage to the teats and
increase the risk of mastitis.
Regular checks, maintenance and servicing are required to keep the milking machine in good
working condition, with teat cup liners that are important to prevent mastitis via milking

Proper equipment maintenance: the milking machine should be properly cleaned and
sterilized after each use to prevent the buildup of bacteria that can cause infection.

Proper machine settings: the machine settings should be adjusted properly to ensure that
the milking process is gentle and does not cause damage to the teats.

Proper operator training: the milker should be properly trained in machine milking
techniques to ensure that the milking process is efficient and does not cause injury or
infection to the cow.
The milking machine can have a major effect on the spread of mastitis

 It can transfer bacteria from cow to cow

Provide a reservoir for bacteria 

And create impact forces at the teat end

It can damage cows’ teats if vacuum levels are incorrect, if pulsation is not working
properly or through over-milking from badly adjusted automatic cluster removers 
 Hand milking
Hand milking is a traditional method of milking dairy cows that can also help reduce the risk of
mastitis if done correctly. Here are some ways that hand milking can help prevent mastitis:

Proper technique: Proper milking technique is crucial for preventing mastitis when hand milking.
This includes using gentle and consistent pressure, avoiding over-milking or under-milking, and
ensuring that the teats are properly cleaned before and after milking.

Hygiene: Maintaining a clean and hygienic milking environment is also important for preventing
mastitis when hand milking. The milker should wash their hands and clean the udder thoroughly
before milking, and the milking bucket should be kept clean and sterilized after each use.
Observation: When hand milking, the milker can observe the udder for signs of
mastitis, such as swollen or tender areas, and can take appropriate action if any signs of
infection are noticed.

Control: Hand milking allows for more control over the milking process, which can help
to prevent over-milking or under-milking and minimize the risk of teat damage that can
lead to mastitis.
However, there are also some potential risks associated with hand milking that can increase the
risk of mastitis if proper technique and hygiene are not followed. These include:

Inconsistent pressure: Hand milking can be more difficult to maintain consistent pressure and
timing, which can increase the risk of over-milking or under-milking, leading to teat damage and
potential infection.

Lack of control: Hand milking may not provide the same level of control over the milking
process as machine milking, which can increase the risk of injury and infection to the cow's
udder.

Time-consuming: Hand milking can be more time-consuming than machine milking, which can
increase the amount of time that the cow's udder is exposed to potential sources of bacteria.
Few studies have been developed to evaluate the differences of bovine mastitis situation
between hand and machine milking

Under the american tropic conditions twenty dairy herds were studied

11 using hand milking (HM) and 9 machine milking (MM)

Samples from 182 cows (113 MM and 69 HM) were obtained

Samples were subjected to bacteriological diagnosis and somatic cell count (SCC).

The highest prevalence of subclinical mastitis was found in machine milking and can be
associated to non-well-functioning machines used in these herds, more specifically: old
and porous teat cup, out of frequency pulsation system, out of order vacuums and lack of
cleaning supplies; besides there was a delay or suspended milking by electrical power
failures.
Another study made in Colombia showed smooth differences in subclinical mastitis prevalence by
comparing the milking systems, 23.6% in hand milking and 30.0% in machine milking

the mastitis status was determined by California Mastitis Test (CMT) and less herds were used

A research in Mexico showed a higher prevalence in hand milking (57%) than in machine milking (33%),
but just one herd was included per milking system

The highest prevalence using machine milking (35%) over hand milking (25.9%) was previously
demonstrated in Cuba but with less numbers of herds and quarters

The fact that IMI prevalence was higher in machine milking than in hand milking was found in other
countries like Venezuela

A possible explanation for the difference is that milking machines become fomites and traumatic agents if
the periodical maintenance fails
 Conclusion
The aim of good milking management is to maximise production of quality milk, minimise teat
end damage and mastitis- and to make best use of the labour and milking facilities.
Inadequate practices of handling and hygiene during the milking process, inadequate
cleaning of equipment and tools, unqualified workforce, inefficient or inexistent refrigerated
storage, and carrying are all elements that contribute to high bacterial and somatic cells
counts, representing a risk for the public health, and economic losses to the milk producer and
the dairy industry.
The adequate preparation of the animals to a hygienic milking, correct use of clean and
sanitized pieces of equipment, cleaning of the premises, hygiene of the milker, segregation of
the milk derived from diseased or under-treatment animals, preventive maintenance of the
milking equipment, and the water quality are critical elements to avoid the milk contamination