Effect of automatic cluster removers (ACRs) on the milking of Murciano-Granadina goats during lactation

• The effect of the ACRs in the milking of Murciano-Granadina goats was studied.
• ACRs were as effective as the milking with manual cluster removal.
• ACRs preserved the sanitary status of the animals and maintained milk quality.
• ACRs could be installed in the farms, improving the conditions of the workers.

The aim of this study was to discover the effect on the milking of Murciano-Granadina goats over an entire lactation period by using ACRs, set up with two different combinations of milk flow threshold (MF) and delay time (DT), and comparing them with the traditional method using manual cluster removal. A group of 96 goats were selected and distributed into 3 groups of similar characteristics. Later, each group was milked for a duration of 7 months in 3 different conditions: one with manual cluster removal, the second setting the ACRs at MF 100 g/min and DT 10 s, and the third setting the ACRs at MF 150 g/min and DT 10 s. Samplings of milking efficiency, milk composition, sanitary status of the mammary gland, teat-end status and vacuum drops during milking were performed. The use of ACR set at MF 100 or 150 g/min and DT 10 s did not affect the milking efficiency. Although there were no differences in the sanitary status of the mammary gland and milk composition, the milking with manual cluster removal caused a higher teat-end oedema and increased the vacuum drops. It was concluded that these devices could be installed in milking parlours, substituting the manual cluster removal maintaining the income from milk quantity and quality.