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- ItemDrinking and cleaning water use in a dairy cow barn(Basel : MDPI, 2016) Krauß, Michael; Drastig, Katrin; Prochnow, Annette; Rose-Meierhöfer, Sandra; Kraatz, SimoneWater is used in dairy farming for producing feed, watering the animals, and cleaning and disinfecting barns and equipment. The objective of this study was to investigate the drinking and cleaning water use in a dairy cow barn. The water use was measured on a well-managed commercial dairy farm in North-East Germany. Thirty-eight water meters were installed in a barn with 176 cows and two milking systems (an automatic milking system and a herringbone parlour). Their counts were logged hourly over 806 days. On average, the cows in the automatic milking system used 91.1 (SD 14.3) L drinking water per cow per day, while those in the herringbone parlour used 54.4 (SD 5.3) L per cow per day. The cows drink most of the water during the hours of (natural and artificial) light in the barn. Previously published regression functions of drinking water intake of the cows were reviewed and a new regression function based on the ambient temperature and the milk yield was developed (drinking water intake (L per cow per day) = −27.937 + 0.49 × mean temperature + 3.15 × milk yield (R2 = 0.67)). The cleaning water demand had a mean of 28.6 (SD 14.8) L per cow per day in the automatic milking system, and a mean of 33.8 (SD 14.1) L per cow per day in the herringbone parlour. These findings show that the total technical water use in the barn makes only a minor contribution to water use in dairy farming compared with the water use for feed production.
- ItemThe Use of a Pressure-Indicating Film to Determine the Effect of Liner Type on the Measured Teat Load Caused by a Collapsing Liner(Basel : MDPI, 2017-4-13) Demba, Susanne; Paul, Viktoria; Ammon, Christian; Rose-Meierhöfer, SandraDuring milking the teat cup liner is the interface between the teat of a dairy cow and the milking system, so it should be very well adapted to the teat. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to determine the effect of liner type on the directly measuring teat load caused by a collapsing liner with a pressure-indicating film. The Extreme Low pressure-indicating film was used to detect the effect of six different liners on teat load. For each liner, six positions in the teat cup were specified, and six repetitions were performed for each position with a new piece of film each time. Analysis of variance was performed to detect differences between the six liners, the positions within a liner, and the measuring areas. The pressure applied to the teat by a liner depends on the technical characteristics of the liner, especially the shape of the barrel, and for all tested liners, a higher teat load was found at the teat end. In conclusion, with the help of pressure-indicating film, it is possible to determine the different effects of liner type by directly measuring teat load due to liner collapse. © 2017 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
- ItemThe usability of a pressure-indicating film to measure the teat load caused by a collapsing liner(Basel : MDPI, 2016) Demba, Susanne; Sabrina, Sabrina; Ammon, Christian; Rose-Meierhöfer, SandraPrevention of damage to the teat and mastitis requires determination of the teat load caused by a collapsing liner. The aim of this study was to test a pressure-indicating film designed to measure the pressure between a collapsing liner and artificial teats. The Ultra Super Low and the Extreme Low pressure-indicating films were tested on two types of artificial teat. The experiments were performed with a conventional milking cluster equipped with round silicone liners. For each teat and film type, 30 repetitions were performed. Each repetition was performed with a new piece of film. Kruskal-Wallis tests were performed to detect differences between the pressure values for the different teats. The area of regions where pressure-indication color developed was calculated to determine the most suitable film type. Both film types measured the pressure applied to both artificial teats by the teat cup liner. Thus, the pressure-indicating films can be used to measure the pressure between a collapsing liner and an artificial teat. Based on the results of the present investigation, a pressure-indicating film with the measurement ranges of both film types combined would be an optimal tool to measure the overall pressure between an artificial teat and a collapsing liner.
- ItemDevelopment of a control system for the teat-end vacuum in individual quarter milking systems(Basel : MDPI, 2013) Ströbel, Ulrich; Rose-Meierhöfer, Sandra; Öz, Hülya; Brunsch, ReinerProgress in sensor technique and electronics has led to a decrease in the costs of electronic and sensor components. In modern dairy farms, having udders in good condition, a lower frequency of udder disease and an extended service life of dairy cows will help ensure competitiveness. The objective of this study was to develop a teat-end vacuum control system with individual quarter actor reaction. Based on a review of the literature, this system is assumed to protect the teat tissue. It reduces the mean teat-end vacuum in the maximum vacuum phase (b) to a level of 20 kPa at a flow rate of 0.25 L/min per quarter. At flow rates higher than 1.50 L/min per quarter, the teat-end vacuum can be controlled to a level of 30 kPa, because in this case it is desirable to have a higher vacuum for the transportation of the milk to the receiver. With this system it is possible for the first time to supply the teat end with low vacuum at low flow rates and with higher vacuum at increasing flow rates in a continuous process with a three second reaction-rate on individual quarter level. This system is completely automated.