Effect of ewes entry order into milking parlour on milkability and milk composition

Abstract

Mačuhová L., Tančin V., Mačuhová J., Uhrinčať M., Hasoňová L., Margetínová J. (2017): Effect of ewes entry order into milking parlour on milkability and milk composition. Czech J. Anim. Sci., 62, 392-402.The aim of the present investigation was to evaluate how the order in which the ewes in a milking group enter the milking parlour affects their milkability and milk composition. Therefore, the order of entry into the milking parlour was evaluated in ewes of one flock (n = 353) during six evening milkings. In all, the sheep were milked in 15 milking groups. The sheep entering the milking parlour in the first milking group achieved 15 points and the sheep of each next milking group one point less, i.e. the sheep of the last group achieved 1 point. In the analysis, only the ewes with the highest and the lowest average number of points were included and assigned to the first (FG, n = 19) and the last group (LG, n = 29), respectively. After the last milking, the individual milk samples were collected from the jar to analyze the composition and somatic cell count. Machine milk yield in 30 s (0.15 ± 0.09 and 0.11 ± 0.05 l) and 60 s (0.26 ± 0.16 and 0.19 ± 0.10 l), peak flow rate (1.04 ± 0.39 and 0.77 ± 0.29 l/min), and latency time (14 ± 3 and 20 ± 13 s) significantly differed (P < 0.05) between FG and LG, respectively. Total milk yield (0.41 ± 0.17 and 0.35 ± 0.14 l) and machine milk yield (0.27 ± 0.15 and 0.22 ± 0.10 l) tended to be higher (P = 0.05 and P = 0.09) in FG than in LG, respectively. No significant differences were observed in milk composition between FG and LG. It seems that ewes which enter the milking parlour in early milking groups have better parameters of milkability than those milked in later groups.

Effect of selected factors (body weight, age, parity, litter size and temperament) on the entrance order into the milking parlour of Lacaune ewes, and its relationship with milk production

“…The entrance order had significantly affected the milk yields (TMY, DMY and SMY). Our results were in concordance with Margetínová et al (2003), Villagrá et al (2007) and Mačuhová et al (2017) who all suggested that animals milked in the first group produced higher milk yield than those which were milked in the last group. The milk composition was not affected by the entrance order, which was in concordance with earlier reports (Villagrá et al, 2007;Mačuhová et al, 2017).…”

“…into the parlour in the first group had a higher milk yield than those, who entered in the last group, in contrast, milk composition was not related to the entrance order into the milking parlour (Villagrá et al, 2007;Mačuhová et al, 2017).…”

“…Otherwise, in all observations, the entrance order was not influenced by parity, nevertheless, the tendency was similar; ewes in the fifth parity had a higher value of entrance order than animals in the third parity. Previously Mačuhová et al (2017) did not found a significant effect of parity on the entrance order into the milking parlour. The litter size had no effect on the entrance order of ewes in all observations.…”

“…According to Margetínová et al (2003), age has an influence on the entrance order into the milking stand. There was no relation between the parity and the entrance order into the milking parlour, according to Mačuhová et al (2017). Nevertheless, to the best of our knowledge, there is no information available about the effect of litter size, body weight and temperament on the entrance order into the milking parlour of ewes.…”

Review: Milking routines and cluster detachment levels in small ruminants

“…The stripping fraction is increased when the animal is not welladapted to machine milking (indigenous breeds) or if the milking machine's parameters are not well adapted to the animal (Marnet and McKusick, 2001). Ewes entering the milking parlour in the first compared to the last milking group presented similar milk composition and SCC, but they differed in the milk flow kinetics parameters (shorter latency time, higher PFR, higher milk production and higher milk yield in the first 30 s and 60 s of milking) (Macuhova et al, 2017). One of the potential reasons for these differences could be stress felt during the milking process, which reduces ease of milking.…”