The milkability and somatic cell counts of milk cows in various systems of keeping and milking

A high milk production, time limited milking and healthy udders are priority tasks at milking farms. The aim of our research was to study how different ways of keeping (free rang and tying) and milking (milking parlour, bucket machine and pipeline milking) influence on the mentioned cattle characteristics. Investigation was conducted at four milking farms and 382 Holstein cows in eastern Croatia. The variance analysis has shown significant difference (P<0,05) among researched farms for the milk yield per milking (MYM), the somatic cell count (LSCC) and the maximum milk flowing rate (MFR). Farms at which cows were kept and milked bound up in stables had more problems with udder health than farms at which milking was conducted at milking places. Also at these farms (at which cows were kept and milked bound up in stables) the maximum milk flowing rate was uneven, what was caused by uneven vacuum and obsoletes milking equipment. Keeping cows free at the stable and milking at a milking place have appeared to be more appropriate for cow?s udder health, what finally influences a higher milking production. Such farms should be the future of modern milking production in Croatia.