Somatic cell count and quarter milk flow parameters from udder of dairy cows

Abstract

The quarter milk flows were recorded from 62 Holstein cows during two consecutive months using special quarter milk flow recorder developed at our institute. Using the four-chamber claw all quarters were milked separately. The recorder consists of four milk receiver jars, the advancing weight (tensometers) of which was recorded each third second. The quarter milk weight registrations during milking were converted to a milk flow rate profile. Before milking, the samples of milk from each quarter were taken for somatic cell count measurement (SCC). The quarters with high SCC had lower milk yield, duration of milk flow and plateau, but higher duration of overmilking than quarter with low SCC. The highest SCC was found in the quarters with long duration of decline phase. There was a tendency of higher SCC in the quarters with longer overmilking only. The shorter milk flow, higher milk yields on one side and longer decline and overmilking phases for the quarters with high peak flow rate on the other were recorded. For good udder health we have to reduce overmilking, however, the reduction of decline phase could be important too.