Different Types of Milk Flow Curves and Factors Affecting Milkability in Buffalo Species

Carlo  Boselli; Antonio  Borghese

doi:10.6000/1927-520X.2024.13.14

Authors

Carlo Boselli Animal Prophylaxis Research Institute for Lazio and Toscana Regions (IZSLT), Via Appia Nuova 1411, Rome, Italy
Antonio Borghese International Buffalo Federation, Via Salaria 31, 00015, Monterotondo, Rome, Italy

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.6000/1927-520X.2024.13.14

Keywords:

Dairy buffalo, milkability, milk flow curves, factors affecting milkability

Abstract

Buffaloes are characterized by longer teats and teat canals and stronger muscular resistance of the teat wall than cattle; it is necessary to have a high vacuum level to open the teat canal and begin milk ejection. In buffalo milking management, milk yield, and flow profiles are essential parameters to record and evaluate. The milking machine is a critical point, and the characteristics of the milking vacuum and the pulsation rate are closely related to milk flow observations. In Italy, the most used vacuum levels are 44-46 kPa (range 40-53 kPa). The data on the milkability traits of the Mediterranean Italian breed made it possible to classify eight different types of milk flow curves due to anatomical, physiological, and management differences. This study aims to evaluate the main factors influencing milkability in dairy buffaloes. The results suggest the detachment of the milking cluster to reduce the decreasing and blind phases with the following advantages: reduction of the total milking time and consequently of the worker's time, improvement of the farmer's profitability and milk quality through decreasing the incidence of mastitis. Milk ability is influenced by physiological, sanitary, management, and genetic factors. In Mediterranean Italian buffaloes milked with the Automatic Milking System (AMS), a considerable variation in milk ejection and, consequently, in the milk flow curve was found compared to the conventional one, with better pre-stimulation, independent milk ejection for each teat, optimal milking of all quarters.

In conclusion, continuous milkability monitoring will help optimize milking practices by reducing labor time and increasing farmers’ income through better milk quality. In addition, the identification of buffaloes with desirable types of milk flow curves could be helpful for buffalo breeders’ associations to address farmer management and to define potential new breeding objectives.

References

Borghese A. Buffalo livestock and products in Europe. Buffalo Bulletin 2013; 32(1): 50-74.

Minervino AH, Zava M, Vecchio D, Borghese A. Bubalus bubalis: A short story. Frontiers in Veterinary Sci 2020; 7: 570413. https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2020.570413

Arcuri S. Controllo sperimentale delle curve di mungitura in un allevamento di bufale nell’agro romano mediante l’impiego di lattoflussometri elettronici. [tesi di laurea magistrale] 2004; Firenze: Università degli studi di Firenze.

Boselli C, Mazzi M, Thomas CS, Borghese A. Milkability of Buffalo (milk flow curves). In: “Milking Management of Dairy Buffaloes”. Bulletin of the International Dairy Federation n. 426/2008. Editors: Rasmussen M, Thomas CS., Borghese A.: 37-41.

Borghese A, Boselli C, Rosati R. Lactation curve and milk flow. Buffalo Bulletin 2013; 32(1): 334-50.

Boselli C, Rosati R, Giangolini G, Arcuri S, Fagiolo A, Ballico S, Borghese A. Milk flow measurements in buffalo herds. Proc. of the Seventh World Buffalo Congress Manila, Philippines 20-23 Oct 2004; 244-246.

Thomas CS, Bruckmaier RM, Östensson K, Svennersten-Sjaun K. Effect of different milking routines on the milking-related release of the hormone's oxytocin, prolactin and cortisol, and on milk yield and milking performance in Murrah buffaloes. Journal Dairy Res 2004; 72(1): 10-18. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0022029904000457

Thomas CS, Nordstrom J, Svennersten-Sjaunja K, Wiktorsson H. Maintenance and milking behaviours of Murrah buffaloes during two feeding regimes. Applied Animal Behaviour Sci 2005; 91(3-4): 261-276. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2004.11.002

Boselli C, Mazzi M, Borghese A, Terzano GM, Giangolini G, Filippetti F, Amatiste S, Rosati R. Milk flow curve and teat anatomy in Mediterranean Italian buffalo cows. Rev Vet 2010; 21(1): 576-81.

Boselli C, Campagna MC, Amatiste S, Rosati R, Borghese A. Pre-Stimulation Effects on Teat Anatomy. Journal Animal and Veterinary Advances 2014; 13(15): 912-6.

Caria M, Boselli C, Murgia L, Rosati R, Pazzona A. Effect of vacuum level on milk flow traits in Mediterranean Italian buffalo cow. Italian Journal Animal Sci 2012; 11(1): 25. https://doi.org/10.4081/ijas.2012.e25

Caria M, Boselli C, Murgia L, Rosati R, Pazzona A. Influence of low vacuum levels on milking characteristics of sheep, goat, and buffalo. Journal of Agricultural Engineering 2013: 44(s2). https://doi.org/10.4081/jae.2013.s2.e43

Ambord S, Thomas CS, Borghese A, Mazzi M, Boselli C, Bruckmaier RM. Teat anatomy, vacuum to open the teat canal, and fractionized milk composition in Italian buffaloes. Milchwissenschaft 2009; 64(4): 351-353.

Costa A, De Marchi M, Visentin G, Campagna MC, Borghese A, Boselli C. The effect of pre-milking stimulation on teat morphological parameters and milk traits in the Italian Water Buffalo. Frontiers in Veterinary Sci 2020; 7: 572422. https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2020.572422

Thomas CS. Efficient dairy buffalo production. DeLaval International AB, Tumba, Sweden 2008.

Weiss D, Weinfurtner M, Bruckmaier RM. Teat anatomy and its relationship with quarter and udder milk flow characteristics in dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science 2004; 87(10): 3280-3289. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(04)73464-5

Boselli C, Costa A, De Marchi M, Zia M, Shahid M, Ahmad N, Fasulkov I, Karadaev M, Ilieva Y, Penchev P, Derisavi F, Nikookar M, Naderfard H, Eid L, Hegazy M. Abouelghait H., Campagna MC., Borghese A. Teat Morphology across five Buffalo Breeds: A multi-country collaborative study. Tropical Animal Health and Production 2024: 56-61. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-024-03895-2

Boselli C, De Marchi M, Costa A, Borghese A. Study of milkability and its relationship with milk yield and somatic cell in Mediterranean Italian water buffalo. Frontiers in Veterinary Sci 2020; 7: 432. https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2020.00432

Ozenc E, Bozkurt M F, Yazici E, Seker E, Bayraktaroglu AG, Ozcinar U, Dogan N. Teat characteristics in relation to animal temperament during milking in buffaloes, and comparison of buffalo and cow teat morphology. Reproduction in Domestic Animals 2020; 55(5): 559-566. https://doi.org/10.1111/rda.13650

Sharma A, Sindhu N. Occurrence of clinical and subclinical mastitis in buffaloes in the State of Haryana (India). Italian Journal Animal Sci 2007; 6(sup2): 965-967. https://doi.org/10.4081/ijas.2007.s2.965

Guccione J, Ciaramella P. Mastitis in Mediterranean buffaloes. J Dairy Vet Sci 2017; 2: 1-4. https://doi.org/10.19080/JDVS.2017.02.555596

Costa A, De Marchi M, Neglia G, Campanile G, Penasa G. Milk somatic cell count-derived traits as new indicators to monitor udder health in dairy buffaloes. Italian Journal of Animal Sci 2021; 20(1): 548-558. https://doi.org/10.1080/1828051X.2021.1899856

Lombardo A, Boselli C, Amatiste S, Ninci S, Frazzoli C, Dragone R, De Rossi A, Grasso G, Mantovani A, Brajon G. From invention to innovation: risk analysis to integrate one health technology in the dairy farm. Frontiers in Public Health 2017; 5: 302. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2017.00302

Boselli C, Mazzi M, Borghese A, Terzano GM, Giangolini G, Filippetti F, Amatiste S, Rosati R. Milk flow and milkability at herd level in Mediterranean Italian Buffalo in Latium Region. Proceedings of VI Buffalo Symposium of Americas, Havana, Cuba, 21-26 Nov 2011.

Boselli C, Mazzi M, Borghese A, Terzano GM, Coletta A, Diruppo M, Giangolini G, Filippetti F, Rosati R, Amatiste S. Automatic milking system in Mediteranean Italian Buffalo cows: a field study on milk flow curve. Proceedings of VI Buffalo Symposium of Americas, Havana, Cuba, 21-26 Nov 2011.

Caria M, Tangorra FM, Leonardi S, Bronzo V, Murgia L, Pazzona A. Evaluation of the performance of the first automatic milking system for buffaloes. Journal of Dairy Sci 2014; 97(3): 1491-8. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2013-7385

Faugno S, Pindozzi S, Okello C, Sannino M. Testing the application of an automatic milking system on buffalo (Bubalus bubalis). Journal of Agricultural Engineering 2015; 46(1): 13-8. https://doi.org/10.4081/jae.2015.437

Sannino M, Faugno S, Crimaldi M, Di Francia A, Ardito L, Serrapica F, Masucci F. Effects of an automatic milking system on milk yield and quality of Mediterranean buffaloes. Journal of Dairy Sci 2018; 101(9): 8308-1. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2017-14157