Influence of milking units and working vacuum level on the mechanical milking of goats |
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| Authors: | Maria Caria Carlo Boselli Angela Calvo Silverio Grande Giuseppe Todde |
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| Institution: | 1. Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy;2. Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e della Toscana, Rome, Italy;3. Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie, Forestali e Alimentari, University of Turin, Torino, Italy;4. Associazione Nazionale della Pastorizia, Rome, Italy |
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| Abstract: | The objectives of this study were to evaluate and compare the effect of working vacuum levels (35 and 44 kPa) and liners dimensions (mouthpiece lip diameter and overall length, 20–185 and 22–170 mm) on the main milking characteristics of goats. The results highlight that both the working vacuum level and the liner dimension have influenced the milk flow curve parameters. The maximum variations were found for peak flow rate, which increased significantly with liner dimensions of 20–185 mm at a working vacuum level of 44 kPa as well as average milk flow rate and for plateau phase duration. The incorrect adoption of operative parameters and unsuitable milking machine components, might affect the performance of the mechanical milking and negatively affecting animal productions and welfare. |
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| Keywords: | goat liner milk flow curve milkability working vacuum |
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