Pressure distribution at the teat–liner and teat–calf interfaces

Abstract

During milking, the teat is loaded because of a combination of vacuum and pressure of the collapsing liner. It is assumed that pressure concentrations tend to cause teat-end injuries and hyperkeratosis. The pressure distribution on the bovine teat was measured to test the hypothesis that the pressures of the collapsed liner are unevenly distributed over the teat. With the aid of a pressure-sensitive sensor (approximately 2 gauge points/cm2), the pressures at the teat–liner and the teat–calf interfaces were measured at 100Hz. Pressure distribution over the surface of an artificial teat was measured with 7 different liners, 1 liner at 3 different vacuum levels, and a suckling calf. One cow was equipped with a sensor at a teat during a milking with one of the liners. Conventional round liners concentrated the load over 2 sites at the teat end. Some liners (softer material, reduced tension, smaller barrel, reduced mouthpiece depth) distributed the compressive load over a larger area of the teat. Although all liners distributed the highest pressures at the teat end, some liner designs showed a 25% reduction at the site of interest at vacuum of 44kPa. The calf forced milk flow by a combination of suckling and overpressure in the teat cistern caused by the tongue. While the calf was swallowing, teat pressure was reduced because of a decrease in vacuum. Moreover, the calf did not load the teat end, probably because the teat canal would be closed and the milk would not flow. The method of using a pressure sensor to analyze teat loading at the teat–liner and the teat–calf interfaces showed potential and is a first step toward developing a natural milking technique.