Studies on pre‐milking preparation 8. A comparison of 10 and 45 seconds of wash and stimulus

Thirty‐five sets of monozygotic twin cows were used to compare the milk and milkfat yield of twin mates prepared for milking with either 10 or 45 s of wash and stimulus applied with a hand held brush attached to a hose which supplied warm water. The study was over a full lactation in the 1974‐75 dairy season. The experimental group included 12 sets of Jerseys, 5 sets of Friesians, and 18 sets of crossbreds arising from these 2 breeds. When adjusted for calving date the yield advantage of the longer preparation was on average 58 ± 33 litres in milk ( P <0.05) and 5 ± 1.7 kg in milkfat ( P <0.01). Jerseys gained 70/0 in milk fat ( P <0.05), crossbreds 3.5% ( P <0.01), and Friesians lost 6% (NS, P <0.25).