MILK PRODUCTION

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MILK PRODUCTION
is not an automatic cluster detachment device. Milk ejection is influenced by anatomical 13 , physiological 13 , environmental
factors and health status 4 .
Buffalo species is characterized by low cisternal fraction and long teat and teat canal length, if compared to cow and
small ruminant. It is very well studied 14 and known, that in dairy cow, about 20% of milk is stored in the cisternal
compartment and it is immediately available for milking, in goat 6 and ewe 6 the cisternal fraction amounts to more than
50%, on the contrary in buffalo species the cisternal fraction is very small, ranged between 5% - 8% of the total milk 1,13 .
In Murrah buffaloes 16 has been calculated a mean teat length as 5.8-6.8 cm for front teats and 6.9-7.8 cm for behind
teats. Thomas 13 reported values from 5 to 14 cm for front teats and from 8 to 16 cm for behind teats, with teat canal
length about 3.1 cm in the hind than fore quarters. Buffalo species are reported to be difficult to be machine milked
compared to cows. An explanation could be due to the longer teat canal, if compared to cows 14 which have been
measured by an established ultrasound method 1,6,11 . In Mediterranean Italian buffalo 1 teat length is 7.45±0.44 and
7.53±0.76 in hind and fore teat respectively. Therefore a large variability among different river breeds was found,
according to the genetic differences and to the milking system (manual or mechanical) 13 . In this study we investigate
the influence of the teat anatomy (with particular regard to teat canal length) on milkability (milk flow curve). The aim
of this study was to demonstrate possible relationships between milk flow parameters and teat anatomy.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Sixteen Mediterranean Italian buffalo cows, from the Tormancina Farm (Animal Production Research Centre of CRA) in
Monterotondo, Italy. were used for this experiment. They were characterized by Parity 3.1±0.4, days in milk (DIM)
126±17, clinical health. Each buffalo cow was recorded every one months, in morning and evening milking. Buffalo cows
were milked at 08:30 AM and 19:00 PM in a Herringbone parlour (8+8), the milking vacuum was set at 42 kPa, pulsation
rate was 60 cycles/min, with a pulsation ratio of 60:40. Milking clusters detachment were excluded and the stripping
phase was normally performed. Milk yield and milk flow parameters were described in Lactocorder ® (WMB AG Balgach)
manual instructions of this device. Oxytocin administration was useful (20 I.U. - i.m.) for each buffalo cows about two
minutes of attachment milking cluster. 160 (80 morning, 80 evening) milk flow curve were recorded during the trial. Teat
length, teat diameter, teat wall thickness, cisternal diameter (4.0 cm above the teat tip) and teat canal length were
evaluated before first day of experiment at morning milking at start of the trial. Teat length of the front and rear quarter
from each buffalo cow were measured by using a ruler. Teat diameter, teat wall thickness, cisternal diameter, and teat canal
length (figure 1) were evaluated using longitudinal cross section b-mode ultrasound images (Aloka SSD-500, Aloka CO.
Ltd., Tokyo, Japan). The images were recorded with a 7.5 MHz-linear probe (see figure 1). The analyzed teats were merged
in a cup of hand-warm water. The ultrasound probe was closed to the outside of the cup. Between the probe an the cup
was applied ultrasound gel. The statistical analysis were carried on by MedCalc ® V 9.3.0.0, results are presented as
means ± standard error of mean, using t test to compare mean results (levels were considered significant when P=0.05).
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The teat anatomy measurements are shown in table 1. Teat length, cisternal diameter and the teat diameter are significantly
higher in rear than in front quarters. The average length of the teats is greater than that reported by Ole Lind 16 ,
which indicates the Murrah breed for front teats are, on average, 5.8 cm to 6.4 cm for the hind teats are 6.9 cm to 7.8
cm. In an other study, Thomas 13 found very higher teat length (from 9.02 cm in front to 11.80 cm in rear teats).
Differences in teat and cisternal diameter between front and rear teats were also significant (P