Shortening the Length of Dairy Cow Machine Milking Grouping Animal in Function of Milk Extraction Rate

The aim of the study is to examine the work organisation of routine milking a double herring bone milking parlour of a representative farm in the province of Ragusa (south-eastern Sicily), an area dedicated to quality milk and cheese production, in order to suggest solutions to the notable time losses reported in the literature due to the presence of very slow animals among the groups to be milked. The farm was chosen on the basis that it represented those in the south east of Sicily, which area, as is known, is very much involved in animal farming. There are about 100 cows, of which during the study about 40% were in lactation while the rest were heifers and calves kept for fattening. The milking operations were carefully observed and subsequently broken down into constituent stages, which were timed. Particular attention was focused on the question of whether group milking times were increased by the presence of exceptionally slow animals. As reported in the literature, in double herring bone parlours there are prolonged waiting times for cows with shorter extraction times. With regard to this, an elaboration of the data showed that the animals should be grouped according to their extraction rate as this parameter was found to be constant, reliable and independent of the quantity of milk produced. In short, the results indicate that a considerable amount of time can be saved if milking is organised in such a way as to reduce milk extraction times. Savings can be obtained both by establishing a rational way of taking the herd into the parlour for milking and by better work organisation. This represents both a more rational and economical use of the technological innovations (machines, equipment and plants) present on the farm and better work conditions for the operators in terms of greater comfort, safety and free time.