Milk characteristics and milking efficiency in Italian Mediterranean buffalo

Abstract

The study aimed to verify the influence of different milking machine setting parameters on Italian Mediterranean buffalo milking performance. Data on milking machine settings (Milking Dry Tests [MDTs]) and milk Test-day (TD) were collected by the Italian Breeders Association (AIA). Data for each TD consisted of milk yield (MY), fat percentage (FP), protein percentage (PP), lactose percentage (LP) and linear score (LS). Working vacuum level (VL), pulsation ratio (PR), automatic cluster removal system (AC) and effective vacuum reserve (EVR) were recorded from each MDT. A total of 558 MDTs, 217,967 TD, collected from 43,593 buffaloes in 198 buffalo farms were utilised. MDT, TD and Animal data (AD) were analysed through a mixed linear model and a logistic regression model was used to evaluate the relationship between VL and EVR. Analysis of MY and quality revealed that an incorrect setting of the milking was responsible for a higher LS and lower MY and LP, along with higher FP and PP compared to farms with adequate EVR. Except for PP, the height of the milking system significantly influenced all milk parameters. Conversely, VL affected all milking traits. A higher PR (70:30) was responsible for significantly lower LS and higher FP compared to a 60:40 PR. Similarly, the presence of AC showed a significant effect on FP and MY and a slight reduction in LS. Finally, the diameter and length of the pipeline (DL) ratio lower than 2.5 m was associated with a decrease in LS. These results suggest that buffaloes require specific milking parameters.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Buffalo has a specific requirement for milking parameters.

• Incorrect milking setting increase somatic cells and reduce lactose content.

• Vacuum level (VL) affects milk yield (MY) and quality as well as somatic cells and lactose.

Keywords:

• Milking machine parameters
• milking vacuum
• milking efficiency
• udder health
• Mediterranean buffalo

Ethics approval

The approval of the Animal welfare and use Committee was not required for this study. All data were collected from pre-existing databases during routine animal recording procedures and standard controls of milking.

Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully acknowledge the Associazione Allevatori Campania e Molise (AACM) and the Associazione Italiana Allevatori (AIA) for data support and availability.

Disclosure statement

None.

Data availability statement

None of the data were deposited in an official repository. The data that support the findings of this study are available upon reasonable request to the corresponding author.

Additional information

Funding

This study was financially supported by: PSR REGIONE CAMPANIA 2014‐2020 measure 16.1.2. Project ‘STRABUF: Strategie per il miglioramento della redditività dell’allevamento bufalino (Strategies for improving the profitability of buffalo breeding)’. CUP: B68H19005200009. This study was supported by the PhD in Veterinary Sciences of the Federico II University, Naples (Italy), the PhD in Agro-Food System (Agrisystem) of the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore (Italy) and Ministero dello Sviluppo Economico. Project ‘TRANSFER: (Tecnologie innovative per la realizzazione di una smart farming nel settore bufalino)’. Call Topic: PON-MiSE Imprese e Competitività 2014/2020. Project n. F/200090/01-02-03/X45. CUP: B61B20000570005.