The two new systems will be available for both DeLaval's rotary and herringbone parlours.
DeLaval's dairy development director, Dr. Carl Oskar Paulrud, said: “Historically, milking parlours used a single vacuum level.This system is a compromise that avoids the risk of over-milking at the start and end of milking when milk flow is lower, but then has the potential of under-milking, when milk flow is at its peak."Therefore, in a traditional system with a single vacuum level, the speed of milking is limited, not by the cow's genetics or available milk, but by the operation of the milking machine.”
Flow-Responsive Milking
The Flow-Responsive Milking technology is aimed at speeding up the milking time by allowing the milking time be determined by the genetic merit of the cow and the milk available, according to DeLaval.The company claims that the Flow-Responsive Milking system can reduce milking times by up to 10%.
The Flow-Responsive Milking has reportedly performed 40 million milkings and the amount of time the cluster spends on the cows, has been reduced by an average of 20 seconds/milking.The system works by adapting the applied vacuum to the milk flow profile of each cow.
New sensors, regulator valves, and software have been combined to respond to the actual milk-flow of each cow and adjust the level of the vacuum accordingly. DeLaval says that along with decreasing milking time, the system will also improve udder health and animal welfare on dairy farms.