Milk ejection in dairy cows at different degrees of udder filling

Occurrence of milk ejection and course of milk removal were investigated in 18 dairy cows at milking intervals of 4, 8 and 12 h in early, mid or late lactation. Milk ejection occurred fastest in early lactation at a milking interval of 12 h and was delayed at short milking intervals and in late lactation. Storage capacity of the udder was estimated and the actual milk yields of experimental milkings were calculated as a percentage of storage capacity, i.e. degree of udder filling. It was shown that the occurrence of milk ejection after the start of teat stimulation is a function of udder filling. The relationship between the degree of udder filling and the delay from the start of milking until commencement of milk ejection followed a linear regression curve. Changes in occurrence and course of milk ejection have to be considered in practical milking, mainly in late stages of lactation and after short milking intervals. In automatic milking systems where variable and sometimes extremely short milking intervals occur, the duration of pre-milking udder preparation should be adapted to the expected milk yield at each individual milking procedure.