Abstract
Water buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) are very sensitive to environmental stimulus before and during milking, and this explains why disrupted milk ejections due to blood oxytocin level instability are frequent in this species. According to the literature, the manual stimulation (MS) of teats before milking promotes oxytocin release and allows milk ejection to start within 2–3 min. However, the pre-milking stimulation of teats is not always part of the milking routine in Italian buffalo farms; moreover, buffaloes with unstable milk let-down are sometimes treated with exogenous oxytocin (OX). Different types of pre-milking stimulation can impact differently on the mammary gland epithelium and structures and, therefore, on milk yield. In this study, we observed the changes in teat morphological traits before and after the application of three types of stimuli, i.e., no manual stimulation (NS), MS, and OX, in buffaloes reared in an Italian dairy farm. In particular, measurements were available for 23 and 21 buffaloes for front and rear teats, respectively. Subsequently, the effect of the pre-milking stimulation type was estimated on teat morphological characteristics and on milk traits recorded after the application of stimuli. The results showed that the teat canal length was shorter (P < 0.05) after stimulation in the case of MS and OX compared to NS. Cistern diameter was overall greater for MS and lower for OX. On the contrary, teat wall thickness was greater and lower for OX and MS, respectively. Milk yield and quality (fat, protein, and somatic cell score) were similar across the three types of pre-milking stimulation. In perspective, the impact of these types of pre-milking stimulation should be evaluated on a large scale, and the focus might be put on mammary gland epithelium integrity, mastitis incidence, and other udder health indicators in milk, e.g., electrical conductivity, differential somatic cell count, lactose content, and sodium and chloride concentration.
Highlights
Pre-milking udder stimulation is recommended in dairy species to promote oxytocin release in the bloodstream, reach optimal milk removal and ejection, and limit the stress of mammary gland
An adequate udder pre-milking stimulation is usually recommended in dairy species for complete milk removal and optimal milk ejection
Milk yield and quality were similar across the three types of pre-milking stimulation, while significant differences were observed in cistern diameter (CD) and wall thickness (WT)
Summary
Pre-milking udder stimulation is recommended in dairy species to promote oxytocin release in the bloodstream, reach optimal milk removal and ejection, and limit the stress of mammary gland. Pre-milking Stimulation in Buffaloes very sensitive to environmental stimulus before and during milking, and disrupted milk ejections due to blood oxytocin level instability are more frequent [2, 3]. About 1–2 min of manual stimulation is generally considered appropriate in buffalo and allows milk ejection to start within 2–3 min [1, 4,5,6]. Around 10 min after the injection, the milk starts to flow This practice is more frequent in primiparous due to higher sensitivity to the environment and greater incidence of milk let-down issues compared to multiparous; generally, around 15–20% of buffaloes in commercial farms are treated [9]. Among the disadvantages related to the oxytocin use in buffalo, the risk of drug addiction and progressive resistance to oxytocin stands out; repeated administrations of this hormone may cause lack of response to normal manual stimulation in the medium to the long term [2, 3, 6]
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