End of Project ReportsMeasurements of milking vacuum recorded on a flow simulator can
provide guidelines for optimum design of milking units.
• Increasing the bore of the short milk tube above the recommended
diameter or claw volume above 150ml does not improve milking
efficiency.
• Increasing the long milk-tube bore from 13.5mm to 16mm
increased the level of milking vacuum.
• The milking vacuum was highest with wide-bore tapered liners and
simultaneous pulsation.
• The minimum vacuum was increased with narrow-bore liners and
alternate pulsation.
• The milk yield with wide-bore tapered liners in heavy 3-kg clusters
and using simultaneous pulsation was 5% higher than with light
clusters (1.65 kg) with alternate pulsation.
• The milk yield depressions obtained with light clusters were similar
in short and long term experiments and increased with the
magnitude of the milk yield per milking.
• The teat condition scores were not affected by the magnitude of
vacuum fluctuations
