The influence of premilking teat preparation and attachment delay on milk yield and milking performance

Premilking teat preparation and attachment delay were varied in four experiments conducted with American Holstein, Danish Holstein, and Danish Jersey cows. Premilking teat preparation varied from 10 to 30 s and consisted of wiping teats for 6 to 20 s and stripping one to five squirts of milk from each teat. Attachment delay from beginning of premilking teat preparation until machine attachment varied from .5 to 3.0 min. Longer preparation significantly increased milk yield for Danish Jersey cows, but not for American or Danish Holstein cows. Older Danish Jersey cows were more sensitive to premilking teat preparation than first lactation cows. Attachment delay influenced the milk yield in Danish Jersey cows, amount of residual fat in American Holsteins, and fat percentage in the residual milk of American and Danish Holstein cows. A 1.3-min delay can be generally recommended for the whole herd with only small or no milk loss for cows in early stage of lactation. Milk yield decreased for Danish Jersey cows and tended to decrease for American Holstein cows when machine attachment was delayed to 3.0 min, regardless of stage of lactation. The lack of treatment effects for Danish Holstein cows may be due to a lack of conditioned stimulation for cows milked in their tie stalls compared with the response of cows moved to milking parlors for milking. Added duration of teat wiping, vigorousness of teat stripping, and delay of machine attachment hastened steady milk flow. Conversely, advanced days in lactation delayed steady milk flow. The high fat content of Danish Jerseys did not delay the start of steady milk flow compared with the American and Danish Holsteins. In late stage of lactation, 30 s of teat preparation and 1.3 min of machine attachment delay minimized time until steady milk flow as well as 10 s of teat preparation and 3.0 min of attachment delay.