title: Technical note: machine milking of sows--lactational milk yield and litter weights.
abstract: This study was designed to 1) determine milk yield of sows that were machine milked; 2) assess the effects of pulsation rate, pulsation ratio, and pig removal on milk yield; and 3) assess litter weights. In Exp. 1, four sows were milked daily to 60 d postpartum. There were differences (P < .05) in milk yield among sows, the greatest being 1,898 mL/d. Daily milk yield peaked between 15 and 25 d postpartum. Litter weights were 18.0 +/- 1.0 kg at farrowing and 60.8 +/- 12.1 kg at d 60. In Exp. 2, four sows were milked daily for 28 d. Pulsation rate and ratio (150/min and 28:72, milk:rest, and 60/min and 50:50) were alternated on a daily basis and pigs were isolated for either 0 or 60 min before milking. The higher pulsation rate resulted in more milk per milking (202 +/- 13 vs 168 +/- 13 mL; P < .05). Pig removal resulted in 221 +/- 11 vs 148 +/- 14 mL milk (P < .01). Pig removal times and pulsation characteristics affect the amount of milk obtained, but milk removal from sows has a severe effect on litter weight. This system can be used to harvest sow's milk for pharmaceutical purposes, but supplementation of the pigs is necessary.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dairy Science, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Virginia Agriculture Experiment Station, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg 24061-0315, USA.
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Garst
authors.forename: S F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Ball
authors.forename: B L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Wood
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Knight
authors.forename: H D
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Moll
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Aardema
authors.forename: F C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Gwazdauskas
mesh_terms: D000822:Animal Husbandry / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D005260:Female; D007774:Lactation; D008098:Litter Size; D008892:Milk; D011673:Pulsatile Flow; D013552:Swine / Q000502:physiology*