Comparison of 2 recommendations for adjusting the working height in milking parlors

Abstract

Milking cows is one of the major labor inputs on dairy farms. Modern parlors allow upright working positions, but pain and disorders among parlor workers are still very prevalent. The platform height in the parlors is important for the body posture of the workers. Based on a large set of data containing parlor-specific measures, anthropometrics, and bovimetrics, a simulation of 2 recommendations published in the literature was carried out. This article presents and discusses the results of 2 formulas for determining the appropriate pit depth. The shoulder and body height of the worker and the distance between the udder and the floor influence the adjustment of the pit depth. If work at shoulder level is favored, autotandem parlors offer the most suitable pit depths, whereas side-by-side parlors are too deep in all cases. Due to the variation in anthropometrics and bovimetrics, a good parlor design can reduce the extent of unfavorable body postures, but more technical measures are necessary to completely eliminate them. Actions that reduce the workload and the prevalence of musculoskeletal pain and disorders should be considered.