title: Milking performance evaluation and factors affecting milking claw vacuum levels with flow simulator.
abstract: Milking performance of milking machines that matches the production capability of dairy cows is important in reducing the risk of mastitis, particularly in high-producing cows. This study used a simulated milking device to examine the milking performance of the milking system of 73 dairy farms and to analyze the factors affecting claw vacuum. Mean claw vacuum and range of fluctuation of claw vacuum (claw vacuum range) were measured at three different flow rates: 5.7, 7.6 and 8.7 kg/min. At the highest flow rate, only 16 farms (21.9%) met both standards of mean claw vacuum ≥35 kPa and claw vacuum range ≤ 7 kPa, showing that milking systems currently have poor milking performance. The factors affecting mean claw vacuum were claw type, milk-meter and vacuum shut-off device; the factor affecting claw vacuum range was claw type. Examination of the milking performance of the milking system using a simulated milking device allows an examination of the performance that can cope with high producing cows, indicating the possibility of reducing the risk of mastitis caused by inappropriate claw vacuum.
authors.affiliation: School of Veterinary Medicine, Azabu University, Sagamihara, Japan.|Hokkaido Dairy Management Services, Tsurui, Japan.
authors.forename: Masafumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Enokidani
authors.affiliation: School of Veterinary Medicine, Azabu University, Sagamihara, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazuhiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kawai
authors.affiliation: School of Veterinary Medicine, Azabu University, Sagamihara, Japan.
authors.forename: Yasunori
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shinozuka
authors.affiliation: School of Veterinary Medicine, Azabu University, Sagamihara, Japan.|Kakinuma Veterinary Hospital, Honjo, Japan.
authors.forename: Aiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Watanabe
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle / Q000502:physiology*; D003612:Dairying / Q000295:instrumentation*; D005260:Female; D007774:Lactation; D008414:Mastitis, Bovine / Q000517:prevention & control; D014618:Vacuum
keywords: claw vacuum; claw vacuum range; flow simulator test; mastitis; milking performance