Milking Interval Lab Report

Changes in the volume of milk yield according to milking interval are summarized in Table 1. Accumulated milk volume in the camel mammary glands increased with time elapsed after the last milking for the 4-h to 24-h milking intervals studied (Fig. 1). Both linear and logarithmic models satisfactorily fit the observed values; the prediction equations are being (y is milk volume in liters and x is milking interval in hours; P0.05) in milk total protein (3.44±0.19), milk lactose (4.01±0.19) and ash (0.65±0.02) contents were observed according to milking intervals. There was a slight decrease in total protein content for alveolar milk. Alshaikh and Salah (1994) reported a slight decrease (7% on average) in all milk components of camel milk when milking interval was increased. On the contrary, Ayadi et al. (2004) reported an increase in milk total protein content according to milking interval (12%) in dairy cows, which was attributed to an increase of tight junctions (TJ) leakiness during
An increase in the permeability of TJ has been associated with a decrease in milk synthesis, following milking, residual milk in the udder is high in fat and if she-camels are milked again after a short interval there is not enough milk in the udder to dilute the high fat content to a normal level. Furthermore, the high fat content probably has diluted the protein and lactose content at that time. When a milking interval exceeds 12 h, lactose and whey proteins “leak” from the milk into the blood and, conversely, blood proteins, such as serum albumin, “leak” into the milk, because TJ between adjacent mammary epithelial cells open and become “leaky”. The presence of milk lactose in blood plasma is one of the best in vivo measurements of mammary TJ status (Stelwagen et al.,