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Lactalign is a simple but effective addition to the milking parlour that can help in the prevention of mastitis.
Designed to counter the often-costly impact of uneven weight and vacuum distribution of a milking cluster, Lactalign has scooped a gold award for livestock innovation at the recent UK LAMMA 2023 Event.
With mastitis still being the biggest disease cost on dairy farms, typically averaging $430 per case, Lactalign is a simple but effective addition to the milking parlour that can help in the prevention of mastitis.
The product was developed after the herd management software used by Metcalfe Farms in North Yorkshire UK revealed twice as many mastitis cases in front quarters compared to the rear quarters, despite the herd having below average cases overall.
Individual and pivoted supports at each milking point just require the milking staff to raise the supports and quickly select one of three slots in which to place the long milk and pulsation tubes after attaching the cluster, depending on the profile of the udder. The ACR cord is slipped in or below the same slot, and when milking is complete and ACR activated, the retracting cord causes the support to pivot back to its rest position.
Lactalign was installed on all 72 points of the Metcalfe Farms Boumatic rotary milking parlour at its Washfold Farm in December 2020, resulting in a 59% reduction in liner slip, a 47% reduction in kick-offs, a 65% reduction in re-attachments and a 50% reduction in mastitis cases in front quarters.
Philip Metcalfe, who runs the 1,300-cow dairy unit on this diverse family business, says, “The significant impact has been better than we could have expected. The supports have paid for themselves several times over in the reduction of mastitis but also reduce operator frustration and improved animal comfort with less liner slip, kick-offs and re-attachments.”
Metcalfe also notes that the Lactalign supports have completed nearly 3 million milkings with only two parts requiring replacement, showing the quality and durability of the supports.
“We are extremely proud to receive the LAMMA Innovation Award for Lactalign,” says managing director of JF Hudson Ltd, James Hudson. “Helping farmers to maximise their operations while reducing inputs motivates us when designing products. Lactalign is a prime example of this philosophy.”
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