Effect of Stripping-appliances.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 57, Issue 6, 20 December 1938, Page 504

Effect of Stripping-appliances.

A CORRESPONDENT, H. J. (Te A CORRESPONDENT, Could you Awamutu) writes : Could you express any opinion as to what effect the various stripping - appliances now being sold with ' many milkingmachines would be likely to have on cows’ udders ? The vacuum actually on the cows is apparently much lower, but, on the other hand, the cups have to remain on longer. Would this be likely to bring on latent mammitis ? In reply, the Live-stock Division states: The stripping - appliances being recommended and being sold with many milking-machines will quite probably fill a useful purpose - if they are used with

care. It is possible that the appliances will effectively do the stripping, and, provided care is exercised, there should be no more damage to the teats and udder than occurs with hand-stripping. The reduced vacuum may not do the stripping properly in a few cases, even though the cups are left on a longer time, and from this point of view the appliances may not prove satisfactory, unstripped cows being probably more subject to mammitis. The main danger, however, to be guarded against when using any mechanical stripper is the possibility of the machine operating after all the milk has been withdrawn from the udder. Hence

the care necessary to see that this does not occur. Danger is more likely to arise from the abuse of any mechanical stripper than from its careful use. With hand-stripping no abuse can possibly take place and longer time can be devoted to the cows which are difficult to milk and strip. The effect of leaving a machine operate on an empty quarter with no milk flowing, even though under a reduced vacuum, would be to injure the teat and quarter and render the quarter more susceptible to mammitis. ♦ ♦ -fr