Unequal-Interval Milking in the Management of Dairy Catt'le

In dariy cattle management, the usual twice-a-day milking at equal intervals of 12 hours inevitab ly detain farm employees for extended hours and cast on light mental burden. With a view to alleviating such inconveniences, a trial of milking twice a day with uneven intervals of 7 and 17 hours, viz. at 08 : 40 a. m. and at 03 : 30 p. m., was undertaken, beginnig on July 1 , 1970. The results obtained may be summarized as follows (1) The total milk yield decreased for the stage of lactation during which unequalinterval milking was performed. (2) In the following stage of lactation, howev-er, the milk yield was restored to level maintained prior to the level maintained prior to the unequal-interval milking. (3) No signs and symptoms of abnormality such as mastitis, abnormal milk and other disorders ascribable to the unequalinterval milking were noted. (4) It is think that, under about 20kg. Mean daily milk yield and about 500kg. Month milk yield at a dairy cow, unequal-interval milking is on occurred masititis, abnormal milk and other disorders. (5) A significant reduction in overtime hours of employees and hence a favorable turn of service were brought about by carrying out the uneven-interval milking program. (Received June 30, 1974)