Measuring Success

Published on by EMILY A CROOK
Originally Posted on January 10, 2017 by UW-Extension

How do you measure success regarding milk quality? Check out these key performance indicators for milking systems & performance to see how your farm is performing.

Selected key performance indicators (KPI) for milking systems and milking performance

Source         

Milking Machine

 

 

 

 

Milking Process

Indicator

Average claw vacuum   
Maximum claw vacuum fluctuation
Average milk flow
Use of manual mode of milking
(when automatic detachers are used)
“D” phase of the pulsation cycle
Premilking teat dip contact time
Prep-lag time (time from stimulation
to milking unit attachment)
Milking unit attachment time
% of teats with at least 75%
coverage with post-milking teat dip

Suggested Goal

35 – 42 kPa
< 10 kPa

2.3 – 4.1 kgs/min
< 5% of milkings

 

At least 150 – 200 ms
30 seconds before dry offa
60 to 120 seconds

3 to 8 minutes (depending on
milk production)

> 90%

Other key performance indicators include:
milk-1887234_640_opt• Qualitative bulk milk cultures
• Milking systems & performance
• Subclinical mastitis UW-Milk Quality promotes an integrated, team-based approach to best manage udder health and milk quality.  Producing high quality milk is not a one-person job.  It takes farmers and their local dairy advisors to be able to evaluate, manage and improve milk quality. At UW-Milk Quality, we develop tools and resources to help dairy producers meet their milk quality goals and increase farm profitability.For more information regarding milk quality, please visit UW-Milk Quality or contact UW-Extension Milk Quality Specialist Pam Ruegg.  For more information regarding milking systems, please contact UW-Extension Milking Systems Specialist Doug Reinemann

From: Ruegg, P.L. 2011. Managing Mastitis and Producing High Quality Milk. Chapter 18 in Dairy Cattle Production Medicine. C. Risco and P. Melendez, (editors), Wiley-Blackwell Publishing, LTD.