Changes in teat condition in Dutch herds converting from conventional to automated milking

Teat condition was studied on 15 farms changing from conventional to automatic milking. Data from the farm visits before, one to two months after installation, and a year after installation of the automatic milking system were used. Teat end callosity decreased, the amount of rough callosity was less with automatic milking especially on front teats. Short-term changes in teat condition, like swelling and wedged teats, were seen less frequent with automatic milking. The conclusion is that the overall teat condition improved after changing to an automatic milking system.