Interaction of factors which influence the extent of lipolysis during milking and storage of raw milk

Effects of long-term deep-freeze storage on the condition of the fat in raw sheep's milk

Effects of long-term deep-freeze storage on the stability of fat in raw sheep's milk were assessed by measuring free fatty acid (FFA) concentrations, lipoprotein lipase activity and the amount of solvent-extractable fat. Portions of milk from three herds were frozen and stored at – 12, – 20 and – 27 °C. There was a gradual increase in FFA during 6 months storage, the rate of lipolysis being affected by storage temperature and differences between herds. After 6 months storage the residual lipase activity was only 2% (– 12 °C), 11% (– 20 °C) and 24% (– 27 °C) of the initial activity in fresh milk. The potential for lipolysis in the stored samples, after they were removed from storage and allowed to thaw to 4 °C, gradually fell as storage time was prolonged. This may be due to the loss of lipase activity.

Influence of Air Intake on the Concentration of Free Fatty Acids and Vacuum Fluctuations During Automatic Milking

The main objective of the study was to determine whether the amount of air intake during quarter milking influences the concentration of free fatty acids (FFA) and vacuum fluctuations at the teat end when milking automatically. Air intake in the teat cup was restricted from the normal inlet of 4.5 to 7 L/min to 1.7 and 0 L/min on 2 farms and experiments were carried out as half-udder studies with 40 cows. Blockage of the air inlet reduced FFA from 1.02 to 0.77 mEq/100 g of fat in one herd and from 1.50 to 1.17 mEq/100 g of fat in the other herd. Milk yield per milking was the most significant factor influencing FFA. Air intake accounted for <20% of the variation in FFA concentration. Characteristics of the cow explained the most variation, which could mainly be assigned to the effects of milk yield, fat percentage, fat globule size, and fat globule size distribution. The interval between milkings was not significant when adjusting for milk yields. Blockage of the air inlet caused vacuum fluctuations at the teat end to increase from 15.4 to 21.5 kPa for one model of an automatic milking system (AMS), but from 12.8 to 53.6 kPa for another model. Measurements made with a flow simulator and water revealed that the AMS model and water flow were the most important factors influencing vacuum fluctuations, and that interactions existed between the diameter of the short milk tube and air intake. Free fatty acids in bulk milk from 5,980 herds averaged 0.75 mEq/L of milk for conventional herds and varied from 0.77 to 0.94 mEq/L of milk for the 5 AMS models on the Danish market. Fault detection in 55 herds pointed out that the most frequent faults in conventional herds were air leakages and intake of too much air in the cluster, whereas AMS herds had problems with the cooling and stirring of milk. Correction of the cooling faults caused FFA to decrease by 0.52 mEq/L in the AMS herds. We concluded that air intake during automatic milking is not the most important factor in reducing FFA, whereas milk yield per milking matters the most. More attention should be paid to the cooling and stirring of milk. Reducing the air intake causes vacuum fluctuations during milking to increase significantly.

Lipase redistribution in cows' milk during induced lipolysis. I. Activation by agitation, temperature change, blood serum and heparin

Effects of agitation, temperature change, blood serum and heparin on lipolysis and on distribution of lipoprotein lipase (LPL) in cold-stored cows' milk were measured. All individual milks (n = 135) were susceptible to activation treatments. With 'gentle' treatments, induced lipolysis was strongly correlated to spontaneous lipolysis (r greater than or equal to 0.74). In contrast, induced lipolysis in response to 'vigorous' treatments was more variable (0.7 greater than r greater than 0.34) and levelled off in milks with high spontaneous lipolysis. Induced lipolysis always resulted from an increase in LPL associated with cream. Strong correlations (0.79 less than or equal to r less than or equal to 0.94) were found between free fatty acid levels and cream LPL. All treatments (except heparin addition) also promoted lipolysis/unit cream LPL.

Effect of hydraulic milking on milking performance, teat condition and lipolysis

The term 'hydraulic milking' describes a new milking concept in which liner movement is restricted and the liner is flooded with milk beneath the teat. This condition, achieved with a multi-valve claw without air admission to the cluster, reduced milking time by 26% and increased milk flow rate by 20%. Four experiments describe the discovery of hydraulic milking and investigate its potential using equal or different levels of vacuum in the milkline and pulseline. Benefits from hydraulic milking include decreased lipolysis (less than or equal to 36%) and milk foam (75%), improved teat condition and a high degree of protection against machine-induced infections. Evidence of increased milk yield is inconclusive. Cluster removal is impeded by hydraulic milking and the multi-valve cluster requires modification to facilitate the process. Pulsation characteristics and vacuum levels developed for conventional milking appear adequate for hydraulic milking. Unorthodox vacuum conditions may be needed, however, to exploit fully this novel milking concept.

A multi-valved milking machine cluster to control intramammary infection in dairy cows

A milking machine claw incorporating valves to prevent movement of milk between teats during milking, and its contribution to the prevention of udder infection under experimental and field conditions, is described. Under experimental conditions a suspension of Streptococcus agalactiae and Str. dysgalactiae was introduced into the milking cluster during milking; 11 of 40 quarters became infected using a conventional claw piece whereas none of 40 quarters milked with the multi-valve claw developed intramammary infection. In a 12-month experiment in ten commercial herds, each split into two equal susceptibility groups, the multi-valved cluster reduced the incidence of new infection with coliforms and Str. uberis by 17% (P less than 0.1). The incidence of all new infections and new clinical cases was 14 and 25% lower compared to conventional clusters but these reductions were not significant.