Effect of milking machine factors on the somatic cell count of milk from cows free of intramammary infection: II. Vacuum level and overmilking

Summary The effect of milking vacuum levels and overmilking on the somatic cell count of milk from cows free of intramammary infections was determined. In the first experiment, 4 levels of vacuum ranging from 35 to 70 kPa were compared in a Latin square design with 20 cows being milked at each of the 4 vacuum treatments for periods of 19 d. In the second experiment 40 cows were milked for 16 weeks at either 50 or 70 kPa with or without 5 min overmilking. Neither vacuum level nor overmilking affected somatic cell count and it is concluded that these factors do not cause stress or irritation that will lead to an increase in somatic cell count in the absence of mastitis infections.