Milking Vacuum Control for Second Milk Letdown Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current milking machines often experience a drop in milk flow rate, known as second milk letdown, leading to prolonged milking times and potential discomfort for the animal, as the teat cups creep up on the teats, due to insufficient stimulation of the milk ejection reflex.
Innovation Solution
A method that gradually increases the milking vacuum and maximum pulsation vacuum during the initial milking phase, using a ramp function, and adjusts vacuum levels in response to milk flow to prevent second milk letdowns, ensuring effective stimulation and efficient milk extraction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If vacuum level is increased to improve milk extraction efficiency, then milk production increases, but second milk letdown occurs causing prolonged milking time and animal discomfort
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies preliminary stimulation action by using a pulsator during an initial period before full vacuum extraction begins. This preliminary action prepares the animal's milk ejection reflex, allowing subsequent vacuum application to be more effective and reducing the risk of second milk letdown, thereby shortening overall milking time while maintaining productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts vacuum levels based on detected milk flow rate. When milk flow exceeds a threshold, the vacuum level is increased to maximize extraction efficiency. When flow drops below the threshold (indicating potential second milk letdown), the vacuum level is reduced to prevent teat cup creeping and prolonged milking, thus optimizing both productivity and milking time
2Productivity
If vacuum level is increased to ensure efficient milk letdown, then milk extraction efficiency improves, but animal comfort deteriorates due to teat cup creeping
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors milk flow rate and uses this feedback to adjust vacuum levels in real-time. When flow rate drops below the threshold, indicating potential animal discomfort or second milk letdown, the system reduces vacuum level to prevent harmful effects while maintaining efficient extraction during high-flow periods, thus resolving the contradiction between extraction efficiency and animal comfort
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the vacuum parameter dynamically based on milk flow conditions. By adjusting the vacuum level from high to low when flow rate drops below threshold, the system prevents teat cup creeping and animal discomfort while maintaining high extraction efficiency during optimal flow conditions
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach optimizes milk production by reducing the risk of second milk letdowns, improving animal care, and shortening milking time by ensuring consistent and efficient milk letdown, while maintaining animal comfort.
Implementation Method 1
a vacuum pump (11) having a suction side (12) and a pressure side (13), wherein the suction side (12) of the vacuum pump (11) is via a vacuum conduit (14) connected to a receiving vessel (21), which is via a milk tube (17) connected to a teat cup (19)
Implementation Method 2
the suction side (12) of the vacuum pump (11) is via a vacuum conduit (14) connected to a receiving vessel (21)
Implementation Method 3
a pulsator (23) connected to the milking claw (16) via a pulse tube (22), wherein the pulsator (23) is provided for creating a pulsating vacuum in an annular space between a teat receiving liner and a teat cup shell
Implementation Method 4
causes the pulsating vacuum to periodically open and collapse the teat receiving liner (33) to thereby massage the teat
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3a~3g
AI summary
A method for controlling the milking by a milking machine comprises, during an initial phase of the milking, increasing a milking vacuum and/or a maximum pulsation vacuum for the milking gradually from a first selected vacuum level (IL) towards a second selected vacuum level (2L) to thereby improve teat stimulation and decreasing the risk of a second milk letdown. If a second milk letdown (2ML) is detected, the maximum pulsation vacuum is preferably immediately lowered to a third selected vacuum level (3L), is kept at that vacuum level until a certain milk flow has been established, and is then again increased gradually until the second selected vacuum level is reached.