Comparison between automatic and conventional milking concerning milk performance and feed amount

In this study the hypothesis was investigated that dairy cows milked automatically produce more milk than cows milked conventionally twice a day. Feed intake and daily milk yield were measured and informations about milk quality and the udder health were sampled. Between May 1999 and September 2001 a comparison was performed between an automatic milking system (AMS) and a conventional milking system in an experimental herd of 104 Holstein cows. 52 cows were milked automatically by an one box system with free cow traffic, the other 52 cows were milked twice a day in a rotary milking parlour. All cows were housed simultaneously in a free stall barn and were fed with a balanced mixed ration. Concentrates were given depending on the energy corrected milk yield. Solving many of technical problems and after changing the feeding regime of concentrates, the last year was out of complicacy. Although a mean milking frequency of 3.0 per day was observed during this time the AMS-cows did not reach a higher milk yield than the cows of the conventional group. The average milk fat content was 0.23 percent lower in the milk of the AMS-cows than in the milk of the conventionally milked cows. The reason was found in the variable time interval between two milking actions in the AMS-group. No differences were found in the milk protein content. No significant differences were found between the two milking systems in the feed intake of mixed ration and concentrates. On average, no differences were observed in the milk quality parameters and in the incidence of mastitis. However, in comparison to the conventional milking system, clinical mastitis in the AMS group was obviously detected some days later.

Vollversion deutsch