The Influence of Automatic Milking Systems on Fat Content of Milk

We investigated the influence of irregular Milking Intervals (MI) on the fat content of milk on two farms with 85 cows, milked with one automatic milking system each (Lely). In addition to the influence of the „actual“ MI also the influence of the MI „before“ was analysed. The difference in milk secretion rates between short (< 6 h) and long (> 12 h) „actual“ MI was about 12 % and as expected. Fat content of the milk was significantly influenced by the „actual“ MI as well as by the MI „before“. Long MI „before“ raised the fat content (< 6 h ` >12 h/3,94 % ` 4,70 %) almost as high as long „actual“ MI did lower it (< 6 h `> 12 h / 4,80% ` 3,77 %). The conclusion is that fat from long MI (with high fat% in the residual milk) is transferred into the following shorter MI.

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