Risicofactoren voor uiergezondheid op bedrijven die melken met een automatisch melksysteem - De relatie tussen koefactoren, werking van de AMS en de uiergezondheid

Abstract

Milk quality seems to be under pressure at farms milking with an automatic milking system (AMS). The influence of the AMS on udder healthiness on long term is quite unknown. It is still unclear what the risk factors are. During the function-orientated phase of the Veterinary Science education , the students follow a research traineeship. This research traineeship is a part of the research project of Animal Science group and Faculty of Veterinary. The objective of this study is to improve the knowledge on risk factors for udder health when milking with an AMS. The main goal of this research traineeship is to consider the relationship between udder healthiness and hygiene, condition and locomotion of the cows, the teat cleaning and spraying afterwards of the AMS, cleaning of the milking claw, type AMS, number of AMS on the farm and the milking frequency on 118 farms. The results of this studies are that there is a negative relation between hygiene of the udder and teats and bulk milk somatic cell count (BMSCC) and the prevalence of clinical mastitis. The milking frequency is an risk factor for BMSCC. A rise of the milking frequency gives also a rise in the BMSCC.