Milking Machines – The Past Twenty-Five Years

Abstract

During the past 25 yr, study of milking machines has progressed from an empirical cause-and-effect approach to a study of the mechanisms by which machines affect cows. The greatest volume of work in the period reviewed concerned relationships between milking vacuum and various sources of its pertubation and mastitis infection. Topics currently assuming increasing attention in the literature are the influence of the machine on production and the use of recent knowledge of teat mechanics to reassess milking unit design. © 1981, American Dairy Science Association. All rights reserved.