Milk removal rates in fast and slow milked cows on an automatic installation depending on the duration of the pre-mil king udder preparation

There is a need in deeper research on the infl uence of the pre-milking udder preparation time during machine milking on the indicators of milk removal of cows. For this purpose, the method of periods was used to study 14 fi rst-calf heifers, divided into two groups of 7 head: quickly and slowly milked. Cows were milked with the Astronaut A4 units, provided that the intervals between adjacent milkings were equal. Depending on the duration of the pre-milking udder preparation, four tests were carried out for each cow: one control and three experimental (I-III), fi ve observations each. The duration of pre-milking preparation in the control was up to 120 s, in the fi rst experiment - 121-150 s, in the second - 151-180 s, in the third - more than 180 s. It was experimentally established that the duration of the pre-milking udder preparation of up to 120 s contributes to the optimal intensity of milk ejection in fast and slowly milked cows. With longer pre-milking preparation, the duration of cows’ staying in the milking box increases by 6.7…32.8% (P 0.01) and the intensity of milk ejection decreases by 7.0…13.3% (P 0.05). The duration of the pre-milking udder preparation of slowly milked cows over 120 s leads to a decrease in one-time milk yield and the intensity of lactation, an increase in the duration of milking and the average duration of milk removal from the udder quarters. In fast milked cows, the duration of the pre-milking preparation of the udder does not aff ect the milk removal indicators, but increases the time spent in the box by 10.6 … 32.8%.