Comparison of Milk Yield, Milk Composition and Residual Milk of Machine and Hand-Milked in Turkish Saanen Goats

Dairy goats have quite long lactation periods like dairy cows, but there is significant lack of knowledge and information about machinery milking of goats. The present study was conducted to compare milk yields and milk components in manual and machinery milking of Turkish Saanen goats and to investigate the amount of "residual milk" and milk components of machinery milking. Experiments were carried out on 24 goats aged 3-4 years and on the 5th month of their lactation period. Of these goats, sixteen were separated in groups of eight goats. The first group was hand-milked and the other group was milked with a milking machine. The remaining eight were also milked with a milking machine and then the residual milk in udders was hand-milked. Milk components were analyzed with Milk-Lab Minor milk analysis device and fat analysis was carried out with Gerber fat analysis device. Milk yields of milking periods were similar in hand milking (1.105 L) and machinery milking (1.095 L) (P= 0.8807). While morning milking had 140 mL more milk than evening milking, evening milk had higher component values than morning milk (P<0.0001). Hand milk also had higher component values than machinery milk and significant differences were observed in fat values determined with Milk-Lab Minor (P= 0.0317). Residual milk after machinery milking was found to be 224-262 mL and 22.6%. Milk fat ratio of residual milk was 43-46% higher than evening machinery milk, 75% higher than morning machinery milk and residual milk had 3-4% higher non-fat dry matter (NFDM), protein and lactose contents. Thus, residual milk after machinery milking should manually be milked up and arrangements should be made on milking units to reduce such high amounts of residual milk. While milk fat ratio was 3.63% in Gerber analysis, the value was observed as 3.80% in Milk-Lab Minor device (P<0.0001). A positive correlation coefficient was observed between Gerber and Milk-Lab Minor fat values (r- 0.91; P<0.0001).