Graeme A. Mein

Measurement of machine-induced changes in thickness of the bovine teat

Machine milking induced repeatable, short-term changes in thickness of the teat apex. These changes were measured with a spring-loaded caliper instrument under milking conditions that imposed differing forces on the teat apex. The mean percentage changes in teat end thickness (relative to the premilking values for individual teats) varied from 10% decrease up to 20% or more increase depending on the particular milking system used. The overall decrease in teat end thickness associated with cannula milking, milking at very low vacuum levels or milking with positive pressure pulsation may result from: (i) decrease in the intramammary pressure; and/or (ii) small changes in tone of teat musculature; and/or (iii) changes in the distribution of interstitial fluids in the teat apex. The overall increase in teat thickness caused by conventional or PKME milking systems results mainly from oedema (the extravascular accumulation of fluid). It is likely that milking equipment can, and should, be designed to minimize circulatory impairment resulting in oedema of the teat.

Responses of the bovine teat to machine milking: measurement of changes in thickness of the teat apex

Changes in the teat apex before and after different milking treatments were measured with a spring-loaded caliper device known as a cutimeter which could detect changes in thickness of the tissues of the teat end, presumably due to congestion and/or oedema, with a high degree of accuracy (± 2%) and repeatability ( r = 0·99). Teat end thickness increased with increasing vacuum level. The mean increase immediately after milking with a conventional cluster was 2% for 24 teats milked at 30 kPa, 8% at 50 kPa and 21% at 70 kPa. At these vacuum levels, the mean increases for the same teats milked with an unconventional (PKME) teatcup were 10, 18 and 25% respectively. Cyclic application of 35 kPa positive pressure to the pulsation chamber of a conventional teatcup operating at 50 kPa reduced teat end thickness by 8% compared with the mean premilking value. Although most teats returned to within ± 2% of their premilking thickness values by 1 h after milking, differences were apparent between different milking systems for up to 4 h postmilking.

Teat thickness changes may provide biological test for effective pulsation

Pulsation rates of 40, 60 and 80 cycles/min were combined with pulsator ratios of 50, 60, 70 or 80 percent in two experiments with different liners. Machine-induced, short-term changes in teat thickness of 14 cows were compared with milk flow rate characteristics and machine strip yields to evaluate the effectiveness of pulsation in relation to liner type. Post-milking teat thickness increased progressively as the b phase of the pulsation cycle was lengthened, and as the d phase was shortened, at all pulsator rates and with either liner. Teat thickness values increased significantly (P < 005) when the d phase was < 15%. For ratios of 50 and 60% , teat thickness decreased progressively as pulsation rate was increased. At the higher ratios, thickness values were lowest at 60 cycles/min. Pulsation settings that tended to increase teat thickness values also increased both peak milk flow rates and machine strip yields. The influence of liner type on teat thickness changes appeared to be at least as important as the influence of pulsator ratios and greater than the effect of pulsation rate. If so, then international standards for acceptable pulsation characteristics cannot be defined solely in terms of pulsator settings. A limit of +/- 5 percent for machine-induced changes in thickness of the teat apex would be an additional guideline for effectiveness of pulsation in relation to both liner type and vacuum level. This could provide a basis for a dynamic test applied to milking cows under field conditions.

Compressive load applied by the teatcup liner to the bovine teat

The magnitude of the cyclic load applied to the teat apex by the collapsed liner during milking was estimated by measuring the pressure required to cause retrograde flow of milk into the teat canal from a manometer attached to the external teat orifice. The study was extended by observation of the milk flow cycle within a transparent teatcup assembly and by pressure recordings within the teat canal using a catheter-tip transducer. The source of the force compressing the teat is the small airspace, within the collapsed liner, directly below the teat apex. The total force generated is determined mainly by the size of this airspace and the pressure difference (PD) acting across the opposing liner walls. When the PD reached 80-90% of the liner vacuum, the load was just sufficient to occlude the teat canal. Further increase in PD provided the compressive load capable of offsetting vascular congestion of the teat apex. Increasing liner tension increased the load applied. The narrow range of compressive loads applied by conventional liners (5-12 kPa above atmospheric pressure) may be sufficient to offset congestion and oedema in the teat. Loads greater than the mean arterial pressure within the teat apex might serve only to expose the tissues to non-productive compression.

Biological responses of the bovine teat to milking: information from measurements of milk flow-rate within single pulsation cycles.

The mass flow-rate (FR) of milk from the bovine teat within individual pulsation cycles was measured by continuous computation of the average optical density of the milk-air mixture within a teatcup. Measurements during milking were made on both live and excised teats using a range of teatcup liners, vacuum levels and pulsation characteristics. During a typical pulsation cycle, soon after the start of milking, milk FR from live teats reached a peak within 100 ms of the start of the flow period and fell to about 60% of the maximum value between 0.5 and 1.5 s of flow. If the liner was held open for longer than 1.5 s, the FR typically declined a further 10% over the next 10-15 s. After 10-15 s little or no further change occurred in milk FR at normal milking vacuum levels. Milk flow from excised teats reached a steady value within 100 ms of the start of the flow period and showed no subsequent fall in FR. Within individual pulsation cycles the changes in FR from live teats are affected by: (i) the degree of compressive load applied by the collapsed liner to the teat in the preceding cycle; and (ii) the duration of application of the compressive load. Increasing the degree of compressive load or the length of time of loading increases the peak milk FR of the next cycle by reducing the degree of congestion in the tissues of the teat surrounding the teat canal. Muscular effects are of secondary importance. The relatively small changes in milk FR associated with muscle contractions of the teat can bae seen most clearly at low milking vacuum levels (below about 30 kPa) or with an unsupported teat (e.ag. using a very distensible, thin-walled liner).

Chemical and rheological aspects of gel formation in the California Mastitis Test

The rheological properties of the CMT gel were analysed. Data are presented to demonstrate that the gel is a non-homogenous, visco-elastic, non-Newtonian fluid with rheopectic, and rheodestructive behaviour. The fundamental chemistry of the CMT is reviewed and a modified theory of gel formation is presented. The implications of the rheological properties and modified theory of gel formation for an automatic sensor are discussed.

Effects on mastitis of overmilking in conjunction with pulsation failure

Half-udder comparisons were made using 56 cows for 2 months, in an experiment involving high bacterial challenge, to assess the combined effects of 5 min overmilking and pulsation failure (resulting from the use of shortened teacup liners) on teat condition and mastitis. Only three new infections were confirmed in over 12500 quarter milkings in quarters milked with control liners (of 148 mm effective length) indicating little or no effect of prolonged overmilking in these quarters. A 3.5-fold increase in the new infection rate (NIR) based on bacteriological diagnosis alone (P less than 0.01), or a 9-fold increase in NIR based on bacteriological diagnosis plus raised cell count and/or N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase (P less than 0.01), occurred in quarters milked with the same liners shortened to an effective length of 120-130 mm. The mean interval to infection or teat canal colonization (41 v. 60 milkings), and for a quarter infection to be confirmed by other diagnostic tests (45 v. 79 milkings) was significantly less in quarters overmilked with short liners. The results confirm that NIR increases whenever pulsation fails. Overmilking may increase NIR when it is associated with pulsation failure.

Closing forces of the bovine teat canal

The magnitude of the forces causing closure of the bovine teat canal was estimated by measuring the pressure required to cause retrograde flow of milk into the canal from a manometer attached to the external teat orifice. Before milking, the hydrostatic pressure required to cause retrograde flow was 12 kPa or greater. Retrograde flow occurred at a pressure of 4-6 kPa once the teat canal surface had been wetted. This 2- or 3-fold fall in the closing forces presumably resulted from the combined effects of fracturing the teat canal epithelium and loss of initial resting tension in the smooth muscle fibres surrounding the teat canal. After milking, retrograde flow into any teat canal occurred at a pressure approximately 1 kPa lower than the wetted, pre-milking value. This small drop, and subsequent recovery approximately 30 min after milking, reflects the change in tonicity of the smooth muscle fibres which are stretched during milking. At hydrostatic pressures below 7-9 kPa, retrograde flow could be arrested momentarily by the occurrence of a teat contraction. At 4-7 kPa, the wave of contraction was also capable of expelling 4-14 microliters milk from the teat canal indicating the outwardly directed, peristaltic nature of the phasic muscular activity.

Improved milking characteristics of teatcups fitted with non-return valves

The milking characteristics of conventional clusters were compared with individual teatcups or clusters fitted with valves in the short milk tubes without external air admission to the liners. Individual teatcups fitted with non-return valves had peak milk flow rates 13% higher than conventional teatcups. A daily cross-over experiment involving 36 cows compared clusters fitted with non-return valves to conventional clusters. Valved clusters milked 18% faster, showed significantly better teatcup stability and 3% higher machine milk yields, but 48% higher strip yields were recorded. Clusters with non-return valves were difficult to remove after milking because the valve closed when the vacuum supply was shut off, thereby maintaining the vacuum level under the teats. When the nominal plant vacuum level for teatcups with non-return valves was reduced by 10 kPa to compensate for the higher effective milking vacuum level, the valved teatcups had peak flow rates 20% lower than the conventional teatcups. Clusters fitted with a modified valve, which allowed some reverse flow when closed (a ‘leaky’ valve), milked significantly faster than conventional clusters, had 33% lower strip yields and were easy to remove after milking.