Milking Machine Settings and Liner Design Are Important to Improve Milking Efficiency and Lactating Animal Welfare—Technical Note

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Dear authors,

in the paper entitled Milking machine settings and liner design are important to improve milking efficiency and lactating animal welfare - Technical Note, you made an interesting review article.

In your article, you covered all the most important segments of machine milking that can have an impact on the health of the udder and the well-being of the cows. Milk production in cows is a long process that lasts an average of 10 months. That is why it is important that milking is stress-free for the animal and does not cause health problems on the udder.

My suggestion for improving the quality of your article is in chapter 5. How do you choose the right liner for your lactating animals? I suggest that in addition to the mentioned teat cup liners (Stimulor® StressLess, Siliconform) you also show some other manufacturers on the market and comment on the comparison.

After this addition, I recommend the article for publication.

Author Response

- In the paper entitled Milking machine settings and liner design are important to improve milking efficiency and lactating animal welfare - Technical Note, you made an interesting review article.

The answer: Thanks for this information.

- In your article, you covered all the most important segments of machine milking that can have an impact on the health of the udder and the well-being of the cows. Milk production in cows is a long process that lasts an average of 10 months. That is why it is important that milking is stress-free for the animal and does not cause health problems on the udder.

The answer: Our goal is that the mechanical milking of the animal is stress-free and does not cause any health problems on the udder.

- My suggestion for improving the quality of your article is in chapter 5. How do you choose the right liner for your lactating animals? I suggest that in addition to the mentioned teat cup liners (Stimulor® StressLess, Siliconform) you also show some other manufacturers on the market and comment on the comparison.

The answer: Thanks for your comment. Unfortunately, for economic reasons, I cannot and must not rate products from other companies. So I try to write in general what has been published from the research. You can identify new information in the improved manuscript in red.

Reviewer 2 Report

The article provides significant insights into the importance of milking machines in maintaining optimal milk quality, harvesting efficiency, and ensuring animal comfort and teat defense mechanisms against mastitis pathogens. The authors highlight the crucial role of milking machine settings and liner design in achieving these goals while considering the physiological conditions of the udder and individual lactating animals.

The study's findings emphasize the detrimental consequences of unsuitable milking machine settings and liners on incomplete milking, teat deterioration, and the potential development of mastitis. Additionally, the introduction of the "Stimulor® StressLess" liners demonstrates a promising solution to address the challenges posed by conventional liners, offering adaptability to different teat sizes and ensuring consistent milking.

By underscoring the need for a proper milking machine that accommodates various teat sizes and forms, maintains low vacuum levels to facilitate teat opening and milk let-down, and incorporates the appropriate pulsation rate for stable vacuum maintenance during milking, the authors emphasize the importance of a comprehensive and welfare-oriented approach to milking practices.

Author Response

- The article provides significant insights into the importance of milking machines in maintaining optimal milk quality, harvesting efficiency, and ensuring animal comfort and teat defense mechanisms against mastitis pathogens. The authors highlight the crucial role of milking machine settings and liner design in achieving these goals while considering the physiological conditions of the udder and individual lactating animals.

The answer: Thanks for this information. You correctly expressed what we wrote.

- The study's findings emphasize the detrimental consequences of unsuitable milking machine settings and liners on incomplete milking, teat deterioration, and the potential development of mastitis. Additionally, the introduction of the "Stimulor® StressLess" liners demonstrates a promising solution to address the challenges posed by conventional liners, offering adaptability to different teat sizes and ensuring consistent milking.

The answer: Thanks for this information. We have attempted in this study to show the harmful consequences of incorrect milking machine settings and liners for incomplete milking, teat damage and the possible development of mastitis. The new Stimulor® StressLess Liner is a solution for different teat sizes and thus to avoid the problems mentioned above.

- By underscoring the need for a proper milking machine that accommodates various teat sizes and forms, maintains low vacuum levels to facilitate teat opening and milk let-down, and incorporates the appropriate pulsation rate for stable vacuum maintenance during milking, the authors emphasize the importance of a comprehensive and welfare-oriented approach to milking practices.

The answer: Thanks for this information. Yes, our goal was and is to look into practice to solve problems with machine milking, achieve better milk yield, create good milk quality and ensure animal welfare.