Comparison of Teat End Massage Characteristics Across Liner Types Using a Modeling Device

Area of Science:

• Dairy science
• Veterinary medicine
• Biomechanical engineering

Background:

• Teat end health is crucial for dairy animal welfare and productivity.
• Liner design in milking systems is a key factor influencing teat end condition.
• Understanding the biomechanics of teat end massage (TEM) is essential for optimizing milking practices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of various liner shapes and vacuum settings on teat end massages (TEMs).
• To provide data for assessing how liner design influences teat end condition.
• To identify optimal liner configurations for promoting teat end health.

Main Methods:

• Simulated teat ends using silicon droppers attached to a stainless tube with pressure sensors.
• Tested twelve different liner types under vacuum levels of 40 and 50 kPa.
• Varied liner depth (7 and 10 cm) and pulsation ratios, recording TEMs at 0.1-second intervals.

Main Results:

• TEMs were consistently higher at 50 kPa compared to 40 kPa across all liners.
• Increased liner depth to 10 cm resulted in higher TEMs than at 7 cm.
• Significant differences in TEMs were found among liner types, with non-round liners showing higher values; D-phase duration correlated with average TEMs.

Conclusions:

• Higher vacuum (50 kPa) and greater depth (10 cm) increase TEMs.
• Liner design, particularly non-round shapes, significantly affects TEMs.
• Recommendations include using round liners with outer ribs or specific pulsation ratios (60:40) for improved teat end health.