Table 1 Factors associated with milking process infrastructure on 398 Irish dairy farms, and associations with bulk tank SCS (back transformed SCC*103/ml in parentheses) after controlling for region
From: Farm management factors associated with bulk tank somatic cell count in Irish dairy herds
Variable | Level | % | SCS (SCC) | SE | P |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Parlour design | Side by side | 45 | 12.49(266) | 0.024 | ns |
| Â | Herringbone | 48 | 12.56(285) | 0.023 | Â |
| Â | Abreast, stall, byre | 7 | 12.51(272) | 0.061 | Â |
Number of milking units | ≤5 | 13 | 12.50(269) | 0.044 | ns |
| Â | 6 | 33 | 12.55(282) | 0.027 | Â |
| Â | 7 and 8 | 24 | 12.53(278) | 0.032 | Â |
| Â | 9 and 10 | 16 | 12.47(260) | 0.040 | Â |
| Â | 12 to 30 | 14 | 12.54(279) | 0.042 | Â |
Pipeline system | Direct pipeline | 62 | 12.58(292) | 0.020 | *** |
| Â | Recorder plant | 38 | 12.43(250) | 0.027 | Â |
Automatic cluster removers | Yes | 5 | 12.37(237) | 0.068 | * |
| Â | No | 95 | 12.53(278) | 0.016 | Â |
Heated water in parlour | Yes | 40 | 12.45(255) | 0.025 | *** |
| Â | No | 60 | 12.58(290) | 0.020 | Â |
Frequency liners change | ≤once a year | 64 | 12.52(274) | 0.020 | ns |
| Â | >than once a year | 36 | 12.53(278) | 0.027 | Â |
Procedure to isolate milk from mastitic cows | Churn/milking bucket | 55 | 12.53(277) | 0.021 | ** |
| Â | Through the milk line | 16 | 12.63(307) | 0.038 | Â |
| Â | Dump line | 5 | 12.52(273) | 0.069 | Â |
| Â | Into the milking jar | 24 | 12.43(251) | 0.034 | Â |