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Machine milking of dairy goats during lactation: udder anatomy, milking characteristics, and blood concentrations of oxytocin and prolactin

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 June 2009

Rupert M. Bruckmaier ,
Chantal Ritter ,
Dieter Schams  and
Jürg W. Blum
Rupert M. Bruckmaier
Affiliation:
Institut für Tierzucht der Universität Bern, CH-3012 Bern, Schweiz
Chantal Ritter
Affiliation:
Institut für Tierzucht der Universität Bern, CH-3012 Bern, Schweiz
Dieter Schams
Affiliation:
Institut für Physiologie der Technischen Universität München, D-85354 Freising-Weihenstephan, Deutschland
Jürg W. Blum
Affiliation:
Institut für Tierzucht der Universität Bern, CH-3012 Bern, Schweiz
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Summary

Forty-four goats were milked and milk flow recorded without or with 1 min manual prestimulation in early, mid and late lactation. Ultrasound measurements of cross sections of the whole mammary gland were performed in a water bath. In additional experiments with 15 goats, milk flow was recorded and frequent blood samples were taken for the determination of oxytocin and prolactin concentrations. Milk yield increased from the first to the third lactation and decreased markedly during the course of lactation. Average and peak milk flow rates were closely related to the actual milk yield. The ultrasound cisternal area was 27·4±1·5% of the entire udder half cross section. Milking characteristics were scarcely different without or with prestimulation, although oxytocin was released within 30 s after the start of prestimulation, whereas oxytocin concentrations without prestimulation increased only after the start of milking. Concentrations of prolactin were higher during July and August than in April, and increased similarly with or without prestimulation during milking. In contrast to dairy cows, prestimulation and an opportune release of oxytocin during milking does not significantly influence the course of milk flow in goats, and this is probably because large amounts of cisternal milk allow milk ejection to be induced only after the start of milking without causing bimodal or otherwise reduced milk flow.

Type
Original articles
Information
Journal of Dairy Research , Volume 61 , Issue 4 , November 1994 , pp. 457 - 466
Copyright
Copyright © Proprietors of Journal of Dairy Research 1994

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References

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