415. Factors affecting the rate of machine milking

Abstract

1. A study was made of the milking of the two hind quarters of four cows by teat cup and by teat cannula at three levels of vacuum and by teat cannula at atmospheric pressure.2. The eight quarters milked at significantly different maximum rates by teat cup but at nearly the same rate through a teat cannula, suggesting that the teat orifice is a very important factor controlling rate of milking.3. The maximum rate of milking by both teat cup and teat cannula increased with increasing level of vacuum from 11 to 20 in. Hg. The rate of increase in the teat-cup milking was greater than in the cannula milking, suggesting that the teat orifice was stretched open at the higher levels of vacuum.4. The average amount of strippings increased at the higher level of vacuum in teat-cup milking, due apparently to teat-cup crawl.