Effect of vacuum level on milk flow traits in Mediterranean Italian buffalo cow
<p>The aim of this study was to determine the effects of six different working vacuum levels (range from 37 to 52 kPa) on the milk production, milk flow rate and milking times in Mediterranean Italian buffalo. A total of eight hundred and one milk flow curves were recorded at random from all o...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Taylor & Francis Group
2012-01-01
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| Series: | Italian Journal of Animal Science |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.aspajournal.it/index.php/ijas/article/view/2371 |
| Summary: | <p>The aim of this study was to determine the effects of six different working vacuum levels (range from 37 to 52 kPa) on the milk production, milk flow rate and milking times in Mediterranean Italian buffalo. A total of eight hundred and one milk flow curves were recorded at random from all of the four hundred and fifty animals in different parity and stage of lactation over a period of 12 weeks, with electronic milk flow meters (Lactocorder®). The different vacuum levels tested did not affect significantly the individual milk production per milking (on average 4.02±0.06 kg). When diminishing vacuum level, a decrease in average and peak flow rate occurred (P<0.001), as well as an increase in effective milking time between attaching the teat cup and reaching the value of 0.20 kg/min at the end of milking (P<0.001). The vacuum levels of 37 and 40 kPa showed good milkability conditions, at which plateau phase was longer than decline phase and lag time was not affected by vacuum level.</p> |
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| ISSN: | 1594-4077 1828-051X |