Production Technology and management

• Milking is an art requiring experience and skill.
• Milking should be done gently, quietly, quickly, cleanly and completely.
• Cows remaining comfortably yield more milk than a roughly handled and excited cow.
• Maintenance of clean conditions in the milking barn results in better udder health and producing milk that remains wholesome for longer period.
• The milking process should be completed within 5 to 7 minutes.
• Complete milking has to be done. If any residual milk is left it may act as nidus for mastitis causing organism and the overall yield also getting affected.
  

• Milking barn should be thoroughly washed and scrubbed after each milking and kept clean and dry before the next milking starts.
• Dusty feed and silage should be avoided in the milking barn.
• The hindquarters, thighs and udder should be washed thoroughly before milking.
• If more hair growth is seen in the udder region, it should be clipped periodically.
• Buffaloes should be invariably washed before milking.
• Just before milking udder should be wiped in dry cloth.
• The teats should be dipped in weak antiseptic solution.
• In cold weather, warm antiseptic solution can be used.

• Milker’s hands and milking pails/cans should be thoroughly washed or scrubbed and kept clean.
• Milkers should wear clean clothes and cover their heads with suitable cap so as to prevent loose hair falling in the milk
• The nails should be periodically trimmed and made smooth.
• Hands should be thoroughly washed and cleaned with antiseptic solutions.

1.Hand milking

2. Machine milking

• Hand milking is the most common practice in India
• Cows are milked from left side.
• Stripping and full hand milking are two commonly used methods of milking
• In hand milking two methods are there.
• Wet hand milking
• Dry hand milking

• It is done by lubricating the milker’s hand and teat either with water or oil. These make the teats dry and chaffed
• Crack and sores may appear which will cause pain to the animal
• Instead apply some antiseptic cream after the end of milking in such animal
• In hand milking two methods are there.

• In this method, the milking operation is practised without lubrication of the milker’s hand and teats
• It is considered to be the best method as it doesn’t cause any chaffing/sore on the teats
• There are five types of dry hand milking
• Full hand milking
• Stripping
• Knuckling
• Fisting
• Pinching

• It is popularly used now-a-days in most of the western and industrialized countries
• They use alternating negative and atmospheric pressure with the help of double chambered teat cup assembly, the continuous partial vacuum inside the inflatable rubber tube that is teat cup liner into which teat is inserted
• A partial vacuum and normal atmospheric pressure is alternated in the space between rubber liner and metal shelf of the teat cup by means of pulsator
• When negative pressure is applied between the liner and shelf, milk flows from the teat
• When atmospheric pressure enters the chamber, the rubber liner inflation collapses with the result the teat is compressed and massaged
• The continuous vacuum would cause congestion and irritation of teats.

• The degree of vacuum in a milking system during operation, expressed as inches of mercury/Kilo Pascal (mmHg / kpa) differential measured from atmospheric pressure and indicated by the vacuum gauge

• The number of cycles of alternating vacuum and atmospheric air which occur per minute
• It may vary between 40 to 60 cycles per minute on most machines

• Moderate size with compact bodies.

• The proportion of time spent under vacuum and atmospheric air and is usually approximately 60:40

• Get the cow ready by wiping and massaging the udder and teats for half to one minute. Use the cloth dipped and squeezed out of warm mild antiseptic solution.
• Strip cup test: use the strip cup, draw the first milk into the cup from each quarter and check it for any abnormality.
• Put on the teat cups promptly
• It is a good practice using a timer to avoid over use of machine.
• Break the vacuum first. Pull down the teat cups and massage the udder with hand.
• Apply teat dips.
• Record the milk weight.
• After every milking, thoroughly and properly clean the machine
• The manufacturer’s direction may be followed and service the milking machine.

• Milking schedule should be fixed and definite and there should not be any frequent change in the process. If at all any change it should be gradual.
• Milking parlour should be cleaned at least half an hour before milking.
• Milking vessels or cans should be thoroughly clean and dry.
• Ensure that such vessels are round in shape and without any joints.
• Heating of milking vessel before milking (dry heat application) will improve the keeping quality of milk.
• Udder should be washed with lukewarm water, in which few crystals of potassium permanganate can be added. (Amount sufficient to change the colour)
• Massage (light) the udder while washing.
• Ensure that person entrusted with the job of milking is aware of importance of personal hygiene: clean hand and trimmed nails are must.
• Dry the udder with clean cloth from the tip of the teat upward.
• Always ensure that milking is performed with full hand method (Not with folded thumb), quickly, completely and comfortably (Animal should feel comfortable). Milking should be by gentle squeezing of teats NOT by dragging or giving jerks to teats.
• Complete the process from washing to Milking within 8 minutes.
• After milking dip the teats in disinfectant solutions e.g. weak iodine solution.
• Always milk animals in calm and quite atmosphere preferably play light music (if possible)
• Animals that have recently calved and animals giving more milk should be milked first then the animals giving less milk or in the last phase of lactation.
• Animals with diseases or with mastitis should be milked separately at the end.
• Animals giving up to 10 liters of milk should be milked twice a day. The Frequency needs to be increased to thrice in case of production ranging from 12-15liters.
• Employ two persons for simultaneous milking in case the production is more then16liter per day.
• Milk from animals with medication in teat (s) should not be mixed with other milk.
• Milk should be strained through muslin cloth (Four layers) or through thin nylon mesh.
• Cool the milk (by putting ice around the milk can) and transport it to the retail center or collection center of the cooperative society as early as possible.
• Ensure that, water used in cleaning of utensils is clean and free from contamination.
• Milk is a good media for growth of microorganism. A single contamination may render it unfit for human consumption.
• Low quality affects shelf life of the milk besides there maybe change in flavor, taste, or nutrient composition.
• Quality production ensures profitability as you can get premium price for quality.

• They are active, useful draught animals but not fast trotter

1. Health of the Herd - The herd should be free from pathogens that may be spread to human beings through the milk like tuberculosis. The animals should periodically be checked in every year particularly for all types of contagious diseases
2. Clean animals - The milker should clean the flanks and udders of cows just prior to milking to prevent dirt from getting into the milk.
3. Clean surroundings - The place at which the animal is tied at milking time, if found to be dusty, sprinkle water
4. Controls of flies - Fly control measures are important to dairyman since they can carry typhoid, dysentery and other contagious diseases.
5. The milkers’ cleanliness -They themselves should be free from communicable diseases and must be of clean habits as will be noted from their clean clothes, trimmed nails, do not spit around or talk while milking.
6. Clean utensils - All types of milking utensils should be as clean and free from pathogens as possible. Best way to achieve this is to rinse the utensils immediately after use. Following washing with ordinary water the utensils should be washed with warm water – containing a suitable detergent. Soap should not be used as it leaves a greasy film.
7. The type of milk pan - Sanitary milking pails with dome- shaped top should be used instead of open buckets or vessels during milking.
8. Straining - Straining is done to remove sediment and other foreign materials. It should not be used as a cover for unclean milk. If cloth is used, it should be washed and dried daily otherwise dirty cloth will spoil the quality of milk further rather than to improve it.
9. Feeding - Feeding of the animals should be made an hour before milking. At the time of milking for the purpose of keeping milking cows busy, provide only concentrates which will be less dusty.
10. Cool and store milk properly - After milking, milk should preferably be cooled by keeping milking pails in cold water in winter. In summer ice cubes may be added to water if cost permits.

• Dung should be removed both prior to and during milking in order to minimize exposure of the milking equipment to dirt
• If the equipment for some reason becomes dirty, it must be cleaned properly before using it again
• Hands should be clean when milking or handling the milk. Clothes should be clean
• Use one udder-towel per buffalo, discharge towels in a separate bucket after usage
• Post-dipping of teats should always be done
• All containers with milk should have a lid on at all times
• Milk should not be stored near the dung or feeding place. There are several reasons for this;
• Milk is sensitive to odors and may “pickup” dung or feed odors.
• Bacteria from dung or feed are more easily transferred to the milk if it is stored nearby
• Particles from the dung heap or the feed may contaminate the milk
• It should not be possible for animals such as dogs, cats and rats to approach the containers.

• Pre-milking is defined as actions to induce milk let-down by cleaning the udder and pre-milk in a strip cup.
• Cleaning the udder should be done with a lubricated towel (washable textile or disposable paper).
• Separate towels should be used for each buffalo. The udder should never be splashed with water.
• Pre-milking is necessary for various reasons; the most important being preparing the buffalo for actual milking and checking for mastitis or other infections.
• Pre-milking must be done in a strip cup, never on the floor! The purpose of using a strip cup is to be able to easily observe changes in the milk.
• Furthermore, the spreading of pathogenic bacteria is limited. Pre-milking is done with dry hands and the full hand method.
• The hands should be cleaned between buffaloes during the milking, if necessary.

• After milking the teats should be disinfected. This reduces, if not completely inhibits, bacterial growth on the teats.
• The teat canal stays open for a while after milking is completed, thus eliminating the important protection against entry of bacteria.
• The dip solution will both act as a physical hindrance for bacteria and as a disinfectant.
• Preferably the teat-dipping-solution should contain some lubricant in order to maintain teat condition and to prevent chapping and sores.
• Because the teat canal is open after milking, sometimes for as long as half an hour, the buffaloes should be prevented from lying down.
• This can be done by giving enough feed to last for a long time after milking.
• A special detergent for cleaning of the milking equipment is available and should be used correctly.
• All buckets, containers and machines used for milking must be cleaned both outwards and inwards immediately after usage.
• The towels used for cleaning and drying of the udder should be cleaned properly after each milking.
• They can be stored in a bucket with a lid and clean water containing chloride until the next milking.

• An appropriate milking routine is important for hygienic and production reasons as well as for creating a comfortable and smooth environment for animals and milkers.
• It is easier to maintain a good hygiene and to facilitate the adoption by the buffaloes to relief milkers if a consistent milking routine is applied.
• In dairy cows it has been demonstrated that the practicing of a strict milking routine results in increased milk production.
• The routine mentioned below can be followed by both hand and machine milkers in tie-stall barns and where milkings are carried out in flat barns.
• In the case of hand milking in such barns, points 6 to 9 are omitted.
• Routine check of the milking machine should be done before each milking session according to the manufacturer’s recommendation.
• Start by tying (if not already tied) and feeding the buffaloes.
• Remove dung from the floor.
• Wash hands with soap and dry them.
• Clean the teats with special towels and massage them thoroughly.
• Foremilk the buffalo by hand in a strip cup, checking the appearance of the milk.
• Apply the cluster gently. Check tube alignment.
• Check the buffalo every now and then to make sure that she is comfortable with the machine.
• Palpate the udder to check that it feels empty.
• Remove the cluster gently.
• Dip the teats in a suitable disinfectant solution.
• Clean all the equipment in the milking room.
• When machine milking, it is important that the milking machine is nearby and ready to be applied to the udder at the right time (after pre-milking).
• Thus, each buffalo must be cleaned, massaged and pre-milked and then have the machine applied directly.
• It must be emphasized that it is not possible to clean all the buffaloes first and then apply the machines to the first buffaloes.
• The oxytocin release has a short duration (a few minutes). If the machine does not start milking after this time, a whole new procedure must start after half an hour.